Oil filter question

We just got our first 4runner.2020 limited with 35,000 miles
I have always changed the oil filter with every oil change which I have always done on all vehicles at 5000 miles
I picked up a fram synthetic filter cartridge rated 25,000 miles. Are people really leaving these in that long and just changing the oil? It was only $12 at walmart. But im just curious as to what everyone does

I will add that i switched to Pennzoil Ulta Platinum on my wifes Subaru 15,000 mikes ago after using everything from amsoil Valvoline etc and this oil made that engine so smooth and quiet. Going to try it in our new to us 4R

 

You may find 1 out of 100 respondents who don't change the filter at each oil change. For what an oem filter costs, it doesn't make sense not to.

 

Changing your oil but not changing the filter is like washing your truck but leaving the tires muddy.

 

I totally agree. Im just curious how many really do it. Im 65 and old school, that will never change

 

Spend $50 and get a case (10) of oil filters from your dealer or an online dealer and you don't need to worry about it for a couple of years. I do the same with air filters and wish I had the space for a drum of oil.

 

5K miles, oil and filter are changed. Also don’t use Fram.

 

Do it right and change it. Very small particles fines stay in there and those need to leave the system.

 

Why not? This is their top of the line synthetic

 

"You've got to as yourself one question. Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya punk?"

 

LOL I usually use wix but couldnt find their xp synthetic so saw this one. But seriously whats wrong with this fram? I know their other spin on were junk paper filters but this one isnt so im curious

 

It's more like washing your car with water, but no soap. You're draining out particulates that the filter didn't catch, but leaving in the ones it did, and they keep accumulating, thereby increasing flow resistance. The 4R wants as little of that as possible. Also, if you don't pull the filter, you're leaving in half a quart of dirty oil, and if the filter medium did ever degrade, it would release those bigger particulates into the engine. For the cost of a couple gallons of gas, changing the filter is a very cost-efficient risk reduction and engine life extender.

 

Fram has had issues with filter collapse before. I never had issues when it was a problem but I just wouldn’t risk it so I switched to Motorcraft (I had a Ranger at the time) and just never used Fram products again.

 

There's probably nothing "wrong" with it. Fram has a reputation of touting a superior product, with inferior filtration. I wouldn't put one on my vehicles. If you do use it, for God's sake, don't run it for 25,000 miles. Just change it out at the scheduled 5000 mile interval. It's not hard. I always use Toyota OEM filters. I order them 2-4 at a time, so I always have one on hand. Also, don't ignore the oil pan drain plug gasket. Get a new one EVERY time.

 

Plenty of filters and oil that claim "XXk mile protection!" with limited-at-best knowledge of the vehicle and use case it's going into.

I wouldn't put too much stock into what the box says. You'll find a big debate about OCI with some going 10k mile OCI's in the 4Runner, Tacoma, etc. You'll find fingers pointing to the engineers, the manual, a 200k mile Tacoma, Blackstone reports of some 17k mile(?) oil, CAFE, you name it.

Toyota OEM filters are a few bucks at the dealer so stock up there.

My current plan (subject to change) is oil every 5k and filter every 10k to split the difference. I may instead go for 7,500 mile everything but TBD. I did oil + filter every 3-3.7k miles on the Kia, alternated filter replacement if I splurged on something nice for a filter and expected to be traveling at the time I came due.

Honda's maintenance minder recommends filter every other change and that's what I'm doing on the CR-V and HR-V in my care - just making sure to use a Honda canister filter. (which reminds me, I need to go buy some more...)

At the end of the day, it's your labor, your car! Except don't buy filters from Amazon or random sellers on eBay.

 

I only got it because I couldn't fix wix and like i mentioned I never go past 5000 miles for both.

 

Fram ultra synthetic has very good reviews on Bobistheoilguy forum. I have been using them in my Mazda3 for a LONG time with no issues. Blackstone testing also showed no issues using these long term. Not sure if some inexpensive fram filters are worse than others, but I am comfortable with the Ultra Synthetic.

 

With how easy the 4Runner engine is on oil, and how durable the engines are, I wouldn't sweat using a high-end Fram. Personally, I will use only Toyota because they are just about the same price. So are Wix.

 

Every 5,000 miles with Toyota OEM oil & filter. I also rotate the tires at this interval as well. Cheap insurance in light of the cost of these vehicles.

 

OEM filters don’t cost any more than aftermarket so I don’t understand why this is still debated?

 

Its not a debate about filters. My question was since these synthetic filters be it fram, mobil 1 etc are rated to 20,000 miles plus are people really leaving them in that long and only changing the oil?

I already said in my OP that i do 5000 mile oil and filter

 

To answer the original question, no, I do not leave the frame ultra synthetic in longer than my normal oil change duration. There was a thread on BITOG where someone was changing it every other oil change and the Blackstone numbers were the same as when it was changed every time. I'm not risking it in a $50k truck.

I just got my 4R and have not changed the oil in it. My experience with Fram Synthetic has been a 2015 Mazda3 that I bought new. I change the oil and the filter in that car every 7500. Castrol full synthetic and Fram Synthetic filter. They are cheaper than factory Mazda filters.

Since Toyota filters are cheap and readily available I will stick with OEM on this 4R. I will continue to use Castrol synthetic oil, it has served me well in the past.

 

Congrats on the new 4Runner and merry Christmas! Sorry you joined the forum and walked right into one of the hottest topics available: anything related to oil + changes

I use Mobil 1 Extended Performance (sometimes the High Mileage one for fun), with OEM filters cuz they’re easy enough to get for cheap and keep on hand, and I change oil & filter both every 7.5k. So far I’ve put 70k on the truck in my ownership, we’re at 190k now and it still sounds/feels/looks perfect. Waiting to hear from my oil analysis sample because I did that on my last change just for fun and hopefully to give me a benchmark before 200k to measure against later. Oh, and I use a Fumoto valve with short nipple to drain, and I use the OEM plastic filter housing. If you haven’t started watching Car Care Nut on YouTube he’s a real help.

 

I been watching carcarenut for a while now because i love Toyotas and also been using fumoto on our other vehicles too but thanks for that info just in case i didn't know. Since we just bought this 4R everything is ordered and coming this week and next, so anxious to get things tweaked

 

I would strongly suggest using a better brand filter.

 

What do you recommend?

 

The engineering principle behind those is the synthetic fibers are thinner, leaving more pores per square inch than OEM cellulose (paper) media. In service, the pores are blocked by contaminant particles as dirty oil flows through the filter. More pores means the filter can remain in service longer, before the filter is obstructed by contaminants and the bypass valve opens more often. Of course, lacking specific engine data, the filter would be tested to some SAE/ANSI standard or Fram internal standard. The testing may have been on a different size filter and the results extrapolated to this filter you're buying based on similarity of the filter media.

It's interesting the company with specific engine data (i.e. Toyota) doesn't advertise longer filter change intervals when you buy one of their $21 TRD filters. That should say a lot: https://autoparts.toyota.com/products/product/trd-oil-filter-ptr4300079 Note I don't recommend this filter because of the restrictive center tube.

I use Denso 1503020 purchased at my local indie parts store to save a buck over OEM. You can find it even cheaper online, but need to pay shipping: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=6391380&cc=0&pt=5340&jsn=273

 

Thank you for that detailed explanation. I wondered how they got the rating

 

Go to utube and look up "who makes them best oil filter?

 

Man i have done that so many times. Its sad to see how some companies who use to be great chaged process and became worst over the years. I live on youtube lol

 

It could very well be marketing fluff and positioning or the maximum interval before it’s packed full and bypassing - I usually see cars with a “severe” and “normal” maintenance schedule so that may be something that matters here too, could be it can handle 20k intervals in ideal conditions. I think they usually say to defer to your owner’s manual anyway.

Walmart Supertech ST and MP filters are labeled as 10k and 20k mile filters respectively but as of a year or two ago, roughly, the consensus on BITOG was that the filters were the same, just with a different material anti-drainback valve.

(nitrile vs silicone - but of course that may vary from filter model to model or when Walmart mixes it up.)

I’d just make sure to change it if nothing else. Fram’s orange cans didn’t kill my dad’s 01 RAV4 yet. It’s just the OEM filters are inexpensive already so why add to the complexity? Although the parts counter I visited was not well-marked and nobody was around for 10 minutes so that was annoying compared to grabbing a filter off a shelf and going.