0W-20 In The Texas heat??

That's just evidence it doesn't matter. Well built engine will run longer than most users want to keep it.

 

exactly, so what’s your point?

research doesn’t matter. The data is out there.

 

Self awareness recognized and appreciated but your heat is serious. I have lived in Phoenix and currently live in Nevada.

On my Dad's side the entire family is spread out over TX from Amarillo to Dallas, Hill Country, Brownsville and Houston. Between visiting them and spending time in TX for business over many decades, I can say TX on the whole can be just as brutal all things considered. Houston in particular can be smothering. Summers in Hill Country with grandparents were rough too. High humidity does matter.

When it's 118-121 in Phoenix or Vegas it's just F'n hot, an oven. I'm in Reno now and it's going to be 106 this weekend. Humidity will start the morning in the low 20% range and be single digits by mid day. At nearly a mile high with no moisture in the air it is very hard to stay hydrated and having the lower mile of dense atmosphere removed between you and the sun makes it seem like it's beating you in to the pavement when you are in direct sunlight.

I grew up in Sacramento, CA on the other side of the Sierras. It's going to be 110 there this weekend. It's going to be 118 in Redding, CA in the north end of the Central Valley.

 

Use the oil the Toyota engineers recommend in the manual.

What makes you think, with a million 4Runners built by Toyota, you know more than than they do?

 

You will be just fine with the 0-20w Toyota wouldn’t recommend something bad for you.

 

Decent test showing cold pour points and wear on limited testing. Makes no sense to me that 1 oil choice is going to be optimized temps from -20 to 120 degrees. But it is adequate and most users don't care or will keep vehicle long enough to matter. The 0w16 sure does stay thin extreme cold.

The endless trade offs for anyone comparing data and looking to optimize for their specific use case. Heat is more of a concern than cold in my region.

https://youtu.be/xtSwaF2evTU?si=sM_DxGB2Kww25k13

When CAFE doesn't matter Toyota/Lexus still recommend 5w30 in 2024. But CAFE is also the reason NA motors and V8's are being eliminated as options. My solution for giving up on 4runner lacking power.

 

Wow, tons of replies. I guess I'd better stick with 0W-20. I bought the Toyota extended warranty anyways, which is going to take me way up there in time and mileage coverage. I'll stick to my 6 months or 5,000 miles whichever comes first change interval. And maybe I'll buy my next batch of oil from my Toyota dealer parts counter. Thanks everyone.

 

Relevant watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpTlgDbUINc

 

You need to understand that Toyota's #1 priority is compliance with local regulations. So they absolutely going to recommend something that bad for your car IF such recommendation is required to meet regulatory compliance.

Specifically, if 0w20 is required for staying in compliance in NY winters, it also may be recommended for Texas summer heat. Even if the resulting viscosity is not the same in these use cases.

When I lived in Texas, I stepped up oil one grade to get through the hot season. Especially as you get stuck in traffic with full AC, it was common to see temp gauge climbing past normal temps.

 

5w-30 Full Synthetic.
Premium fuel.