5W-30 Makes Engine Quieter

Lol every 100 miles!

 

I just picked up a 2019, and I will be doing the same, but with a different flavor of 5w30.. It is such a small jump in viscosity do not let anybody say that it will harm the motor. Just run a name brand synthetic and everything will be fine.....

 

I run Amsoil 0W-30 Signature Series Oil and have been running it for years. Some may freak out omg this is bad for your engine. The same exact engine in different countries run thicker engine oil so don’t be alarmed but stay close to the specs is what I am getting at. This is a forever debated topic do a lot of your own research and go with what you are comfortable with or stick to 0W-20 and with regular oil changes engine should easily hit 200k - 300k.

 

OP here. Thanks for all the interesting comments. To those who say run what it says in the manual, the manual says I can run various based on my ambient conditions (as posted above). If I live in Puerto Rico 0W-20 is not used. As stated above same exact engine in different countries run thicker engine oil. Same exact engine in the USA did not use 0W-20 in the past years.

 

Not the same.

 

Different countries like the middle east, where it's hot as fuck?

 

That's what the options for ambient temps are for. Yes if you hit freezing temps the Ow20 makes sense. If your in AZ or other hot climates other choices are optimized for the heat.

CAFE decision that forces manufacturers to squeeze out mpg gains. Remove that requirement and see what the rest of the world gets for oil recommendations.

This is the same reason your future options for vehicles will be turbo, hybrid or electric. It's a bulletproof engine that will handle whatever you choose. That reliability does not mean a there are optimized choices for specific climates.

 

The 1GR was originally designed for 5W30. The change to dual-VVTi in 2010 also included cooling jacket design changes to eliminate hot spots specifically to prevent overheating 20-weight oil.

The 2GR-FKS in 3rd gen Tacomas is spec'd for 0W20 in the US, but 5W30 in Mexico. If the 4Runner were hypothetically sold in Mexico, it would probably be spec'd for 5W30 as well.

I just use 0W30 in everything, including my father's Honda-engined lawn mower.

 

So basically we are questioning the competence of the Toyota engineers who designed the engine in the first place that they dint know any better and should have used a different grade oil.
Different countries have different requirements and 0w20 is what was deemed appropriate for US.

 

No it is about an engineer being given 2 different requirements. For Cafe we need best mpg with adequate protection. Remove Cafe requirements and engineer gives different recommendations.

 

Didn't we have a 2000 mile OCI thread awhile back?

 

5W30 June-Sept and 0W20 Oct-May for me w/Amsoil

 

My Tacoma says to run 5w-30. My wife's 4runner says 0w-20. Both have the 4.0L. The Taco engine is definitely quieter than the 4runner. Once the warranty expires, I will switch the 4runner to 0w-30 or 5w-30.

 

There are two different versions of the 1GR. The 4Runner has dual VVT-I, and the Tacoma has single VVT-I.

 

I'm running my 24 Taco on 5w30 too. Yolo.

 

Since when was valve clatter an indication of needing a valve job?

 

@Captain Spalding may be referring to vehicles that didn't have hydraulic lifters and require adjustments periodically.

 

Maybe do, but how would thicker oil significantly quiet out of adjustment valve lash? Maybe at start up.

 

Yup. Old school pushrod valve train with single viscosity oil and screw tappet valve adjustment.

These were the days before multi-viscosity oil. I don’t know why the thicker oil made the engine quieter, but it did.

 

Sawdust would work in a pinch, too (this is old days, coming from my dad). Especially on a car you're trying to sell.

The point is, just because something makes the engine quieter, doesn't mean it's better for it.

 

I use multi-viscosity oil in my '74 850 Norton MKII with solid lifters and it isn't any noisier than normal. In fact, I switched from 60 weight oil to 20w50 Castrol on my '64 Panhead stroker and it not only ran just as quiet, oil consumption improved and no it wasn't using hydraulic lifters.

 

Honestly, I don't know. I've never tried it. It could just be one of those old beliefs that aren't really true. Heck, people used to think back-pressure in your exhaust was a good thing.

Agreed. I've learned to embrace the tick.

 

That was never the assertion. It was always thought of as sketchy.

Oh my. Conflicting anecdotes. Whatever shall we do?

 

It changes with the president's election, EPA regulations and everything for a bit more mileage. I think 0w20 is probably easier to recycle. I watched an oil comparison on YouTube with 2 different Supertechs, regular 5w30 Mobil 1 synthetic and Mobil 1 high mileage 5w30 oil. I always thought Mobil 1 was the same in different priced jugs, but they put them in freezer for 24 hours then raced them for fastest pour. The Mobil high mileage run out quickly, then 2 Supertechs and regular Mobil 1 was last. I have always used Mobil 1 in mine, changed every 10k and changed filter every 5k. I never had any issues. That said you're. Miles ahead using synthetic period. No sludge, less volatility and save the skid plate bolts and preserves seals and gaskets preventing leaking to early. I have 20k Mobil oil now. I think I want remote oil filter and screw on filters. I might go 15k this time. I don't worry about it. Go or blow. I have enough miles now it might be my fault or it might just be tired finally.

 

You know, I’ve heard that the reason for Toyota’s 0W20 specification was to eke out a little more mileage. I may have even repeated the story myself once or twice. Is there an actual source to back that assertion up? I’m familiar with the idea that thicker oil is recommended in other countries to the south. But that doesn’t prove or disprove the CAFE standards assertion.

 

When I was exiting in 2008 they were reducing the paint by a couple mils and it saved 6lbs. Its hard to imagine 6lbs of paint on there and there's still paint on the truck. Then they started painting with water.

 

I'm just going to loosen the plug some and self change

 

There are actually two reasons. The EPA fuel economy standard test cycle began to include cold starts circa 2010, so some engines like the 2TR-FE 4-cyl in the Tacoma changed from 5W20 to 0W20 year-over-year in the owner's manuals, even though the engines received no mechanical changes.

2010 Tacoma manual: https://assets.sia.toyota.com/publications/en/om-s/OM35A51U/pdf/OM35A51U.pdf



2011 Tacoma manual: https://assets.sia.toyota.com/publications/en/om-s/OM35A58U/pdf/OM35A58U.pdf



The other reason is to double the oil change interval from 5k to 10k in some engines, since 0W20 typically comes in synthetic, so Toyota saves money with the 2-yr ToyotaCare program. See Toyota Tech Tip T-TT-0262-13, which lists models where 0W20 could be used to extend oil change intervals. Latest rev filed with the NHTSA I could find is rev4, dated April 2015: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2015/MC-10111400-9999.pdf

 

Thanks for those links. Maybe you could screenshot the part in those manuals where it mentions the EPA as the reason for the switch to 0W20.

in the last link it does mention some reasons for switching to 0W20, but the neither the EPA nor any government regulation was mentioned.

There’s this idea among many of us that our 4Runners should be running a heavier oil, and that because of government regulations we are asked to compromise the longevity of our engines by running 0W20. Even though proof of that notion remains elusive. I just think if one is going to act other than in accordance with the manual, there should be reasons behind it rather than assumptions.

Meanwhile, in the NHTSA link it, the top reason for switching to 0W20 is to reduce friction and wear on engine surfaces.



So once again I ask, if anyone has any documentation that EPA/CAFE regulations had anything to do with the switch to 0W20, please chime in.

Edited to add: Look. I’m not trying to tell anyone what to do with their own vehicle. Do what you want. I don’t care. I’m asking for myself. Because a lot of advice on car forums comes under the category of myth and forum bullshit. So when someone says “you should run oil x instead of oil y, because the only reason your being asked to run oil y is to comply with some bullshit government regulations, and if it weren’t for the regulations the manufacturer would be saying to run oil x, I gotta say Okay, prove it.

 

I doubt anyone is going to be able to find such documentation. Whether it's true or not, I'm sure manufacturers would not be allowed to disclose that information.

If the fact that higher viscosity is recommended in Puerto Rico isn't enough to convince you, I doubt anything will be. We could argue about it all day, and nobody will change their mind.

Personally, I run 0W-20 and do 5K intervals, as recommended by the manual.