0W-20 In The Texas heat??

Having purchased my 2022 SR5 Premium 4WD pre-owned / Toyota "Certified" this past November, with 31,XXX miles, I am concerned with using 0W-20 engine oil in this brutal Texas summer heat. Early last month, I just performed my own engine oil and filter change at home, using Valvoline 0W-20 Synthetic oil, and an official Toyota oil filter which I purchased direct from my local ToJo dealer. I plan on changing my oil and filter every 6 months, or every 5,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Having said all that, I am VERY nervous about using that 0W-20 oil under these extreme summer heat conditions here in TX. Let me tell you where I'm coming from. Last November, in order to facilitate the purchase of my first ever T4R, I sold off my trusty 2006 Tundra SR5 TRD 4WD Double Cab. I bought it new for myself, when I lived up in southeast Michigan. We moved to central Texas in 2013. There was nothing wrong with my '06 Tundra when I sold it. I just wanted a different vehicle after all those years. It had 189,XXX miles on the odo when I sold it. The engine had never been opened up. (4.7L V-8) My buyer (private sale, sold it through Facebook Marketplace) was tickled pink with my Tundra.

Do I miss it? Yes, and no. But my 2022 4Runner is incredible. I absolutely love it.

Shortly after I purchased my '06 Tundra new, I began doing my own oil and filter changes on it, keeping records of course. I am a Valvoline guy, so I used 5W-30 during the cold Michigan Winters, but always switched to 10W-30 for summer. As I mentioned, that engine was never opened up for internal surgery the whole time I owned that Tundra. Timing belts- Yes.

Regarding my current '22 T4R, I am wondering if I shouldn't be using at least 5W-30 weight in this thing during the Texas summer killer heat. My service manager at the ToJo dealer advises me to stick with the 0W-20. But we read all the time about this 4.0L V-6 engine being such an old school dinosaur design- This is what makes me question and worry about using such a thin oil during the persistent daily summer long outside air temps of 90 to 100 degrees plus.

I'd like to hear from anyone else in Texas, or the whole of the hot southwest, or the hot southeast for that matter, who is poo-pooing the use of 0W-20 in summer, and going with at least 5W-30, Or even what about 10W-30?

Lastly, my new to me '22 T4R is leading a relatively easy life with me- Garaged when not being driven, no towing duties, not heavily loaded with cargo. Usually just me and wifey in the vehicle, occasionally one or two guests in the back seat. Wifey and I will be driving the T4R on a trip up to Colorado Springs, CO in September. Probably with just a couple suitcases in the back and some food, drinks, and snacks. No rugged off roading planned. Easy peasy stuff for a T4R.

So I'm just wondering if I dare switch to using 5W-30 for the ridiculously hot Texas summer, and go with 0W-20 for the mild (usually mild) Texas winters. Thanks for reading.

 

Hey hey matey!

Hope you are well. Living in Houston myself, we get the worst of it! I've been using 0W-20 on my last 4, 4Runners without issues. It's what's recommended, so I go along with that. Haven't had any issues. I hope this helps.


Cheers,

Sean

 

Your engine oil temp on any day gets far hotter than the outside weather. Your car will be fine on either oil. And 0w-xx v. 5w-xx only matters well below zero Fahrenheit.

 

Welcome...0-20 is fine. This will start an oil fight about viscosity, brands and additives that don't matter so be prepared.

 

I'm on the Texas-Oklahoma border and run 0-20 year-round in both my Gen 5 4Runners. No issues. However, I DO (strongly) recommend staying with the factory Toyota oil. It's Mobil One, but with additional additives that make it the perfect match for your priceless Gen 5 engine - so, even if you change oil yourself, still get the Toyota oil. Lots of discussions here about what makes it best.

 

I'd be tempted to go 0W-30. It's a full synthetic base stock, and flows best at start-up. Not to mention the viscosity cushion at high temps.

 

I think it has more to how you are using the truck. 0w20 is fine for normal operation. I jump a grade to 5w30 extreme service. Full loaded down with weight climbing inclines high RPM in s4. I am in Texas also.

Hope this doesn't go sideways oil viscosity or oci pissing match.

 

It was 100F in DFW yesterday. And it appears it would be a very brutal next 4 months.
At almost 200k, I am sticking to what the manual says. Never had a problem.
Change every 5-7 thousand miles or once a year which ever is earlier and all is good.
Any full synthetic oil in spec will do. Not a single incident where engines using only Toyota oil last longer than those that use
non Toyota oils.

 

Use good quality oil and don't worry about it

 

Hot AF here in Phoenix area. 185K on my 2011 and last 6 years in PHX. 5000 mile oil changes with Mobil 1 0W20. No issues. Even running around pulling an Airstream Basecamp 20X, often in 2nd at WOT going up grades. Toyota engineers are pretty smart, and this engine is pretty much bullet proof. Don't mess with it.

 

Owners manual on oil viscosity. My personal opinion is CAFE and slight fuel gains drive the OW20. My environment in Texas is similar to Puerto Rico heat.

 

^ding ding ding

 

I'm running Valvoline EP 5w30 currently in my 2018 SR5P.
I'll never go back to 0w20. Was running M1 FS 0w40 prior.
Engine is much quieter and smoother with zero hit in MPGs.

 

When you see 200+ temps than i would worry about 0-20. But at 130+ you would be dead anyway, so it really doesn't matter.

 

The manual offers oil with a higher second number (e.g. 0w-30 or 0w-40), if conditions call for it. I would not mess with the first number (that is, no 5w-30), as that is critical for cold starts (and yes, over 100 outside is still cold for an engine).

 

We've been through this before (obviously, since this is an oil thread). Starting here, you can see what we deduced last time:

https://www.4runners.com/threads/oil-viscosity.26613/page-4#post-568431

 

OMG, here we go, again!

 

Que in Wham! Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go and instead of gas nozzles it's bottles of Toyota extra guacamoly oil.

 

It's a water cooled engine.

 

Hi Rick,
Welcome to TX...
I use Toyota 5W-30 in my 2000 4Runner, for the last 20 years

In my other Toyotas, I used Toyota 0W-20 year round and plan to continue...

You mentioned you came from Michigan, and how HOT Texas is...
I got some bad news for you...
August is ALWAYS worse than June

 

You are overthinking. Again, use quality oil and don't worry about your motor.

 

It also recommends oil as thick as 15W-40 in Puerto Rico (where CAFE isn't a factor) in the same engine. I don't think you can really go wrong if you follow the chart in post #11.

 

By the way, having doubts about our 4.0L V6 is pretty insulting to the 5th gen. Folks tow other cars with these things. Just drive the thing, worry about other things like your suspension. I think my suspension will crap out way way before anything else.

 

195º to 220º F is the normal operating temperature of your engine. An outside temp of 105º F will only help cool down your engine. The real concerns with outside temp of this kind are things like, can your AC actually cool you (105ºF outside trying to make it 70º inside). When it comes to oil viscosity and operating temperatures, what you actually care about is the load on the engine, and whether or not the engine will be operating at high temperatures all the time due to heavy load - example, 220º all the time as opposed to 195º.

 

I'm in central Texas and have had no issues rocking the 0-20w of whatever costco had on sale at that time. And i do 5k change also. You'll be just fine.

 

But but moly! But but Puerto Rico! But but CAFE!

 

Lol Arizona and Nevada laugh at us Texans.

 

Anyone seen any articles on if 0w20 selected for longevity? All I have found was fuel savings and adequate wear numbers.

While the same engine in other parts of the world recommend other suggestions depending on use and ambient temperature.

For the masses none of this matters. Engine is not going to blow up and most users will trade it off long before wearing out.

 

Go look on car classifieds and filter high mileage first. There’s your research.