Synthetic Oil

Question
Can I use synthetic oil in my Toyota?

Answer
Synthetic oil may be used if it meets all specifications provided in your Owner’s Manual. Toyota is currently recommending API1 grade SL “energy-conserving” or ILSAC2 multigrade petroleum-based engine oil3 for our vehicles. (The “SL” designation supersedes previous categories such as “SJ” and “SH" and thus can be used in vehicles requiring SJ or SH motor oils.) In moderate climates, this oil should have a Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) viscosity rating of 5W-30*.
If you decide to use synthetic oil for the engine, it is best not to switch until the first scheduled oil change. Synthetic oil should meet the specifications provided in your Owner's Manual. Even if synthetic oil is used, we do not recommend a longer oil change interval. Also, once synthetic oil is used, you should keep using it and not switch back and forth with natural petroleum-based oil.

While synthetic oil may offer some benefits, in our high mileage tests with preventative maintenance performed at the recommended intervals, petroleum-based motor oil has provided excellent service at a reasonable cost. All Toyota vehicles come from the factory with petroleum-based engine oil.

The Toyota New Vehicle Limited Warranty does not cover any damage to the engine resulting from the use of engine oil that is defective or that which does not meet the specifications provided in your Owner's Manual, regardless of whether the oil is natural or synthetic.

1 American Petroleum Institute
2 International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee
3 Please refer to your Owner's Manual for additional information

*except Supra Turbo

 

thanks for sharing the info!

im a 3000 miles or 3 months oil change kinda guy

 

good info, thanks for posting

 

J/K!

 

I use mobil 1 I think it covers all that. What type of synthetic oil does everybody use?

 

I use mobil 1 I think it covers all that. What type of synthetic oil does everybody use?

 

I use Redline in the Matrix. I have the factory maintenance plan on the Scion, and after 100k miles, I'll be switching the xB over also.

 

At least Toyota has their head pulled out when it comes to long change intervals with synthetic. It is funny how the oil manufacturer will tell you up to 15k on some oils, but the car manufacturers, good shops, etc will say the opposite!! I will stick with my own knowledge and the knowledge of those not trying to sell their own oil!! Funny how the long change interval stories fail to mention all of the combustion byproducts and condensation that builds up REGARDLESS of the type of oil!! I use Mobile1 synthetic, and change a little longer than with normal oil, between 4-5k. That is as far as I will stretch it.... I have seen engines running on synthetic, changed every 10k miles like the oil company said for long periods... way more sludge than should be present!!! Plus, you can never change your oil too often as far as engine life is concerned!!!

 

Just hit 1000 miles and put in a K&N gold filter and Mobil 1 full synthetic. That stock toyota filter was sure tightened like a ****. I needed some big channel locks to loosen it.

I love how easy it is to change the oil on a tC. Mine is lowered over 2 inches and I don't even have to jack it up hehe. Good engineering IMO.

 

I hate it when they overtighten filters! Especially when they are so tight that they rip apart when removing them! A shop should know to put away the filter wrench and hand tighten them!

 

Amsoil or Royal Purple..have Royal Purple in it now

 

haha. I was the one in my shop that the guys would call when the filters were too tight to get off. I think in 5 years of changing oil (in the shop), I had only 2 filters that I couldn't remove by hand.

Anyway, I've been an AMSOIL dealer for a few years, so you can probably guess what I use. I'm just under 650 miles on the box, gonna change it with dino oil at 750 and 1500, then switch to AMSOIL with an extended drain interval after that. I'm still debating on the interval that I'll change at. Even though I'm a fan of extended drain intervals, I can't bring myself to go beyond 12,500 miles, even when AMSOIL rates the oil at 25k or 35k.

 

I'm at the dealer right now getting my oil changed @ the 5000 mile mark. This is the second oil change that I've had done. I'm sticking with Royal Pruple and Mobil 1 oil filters.

 

that is what I did

 

My dad has a 99 LX470 and changes his Mobil 1 15-20k and he has 100K+ on the trunk and it runs just as good as the day he got it ... I ran Mobil 1 in my Honda and changed it every 12-13k and it ran perfect untill I sold it with 45K! Im running mobil 1 in my xB right now and I plan on going 12-15k on oil changes ... The only way you will get sludging from using synthetic is if you have a pre-existing engine problem ... Please read https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=52480 for more Oil Info!

 

Amsoil states on their website 7500 miles or 6 months on their synthetic oil (10,000 miles in certain vehicles) ... where did you see 25k-35k ...
http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/xlf.aspx

 

https://www.amsoil.com/storefront/asl.aspx

https://www.amsoil.com/storefront/tso.aspx

 

Untill they make an oil that keeps combustion byproducts from making it to the oilpan...which they wont, then I prefer to keep mine clean and changed a little sooner. 5k is still 66% longer than with conventional oil.. and I can afford a couple of more oil changes per year to keep my engine clean. My reason for running synthetic is not to run it until it is broken down to the same point conventional is after 3000 miles, it is to keep my oil in the best possible shape between changes. To each his own... and to me it will be 5k for now until I have seen a few real physical tests (not performed by an oil manufacturer) that follow good scientific principles (not one person that drove 100k... ANY car should run that long with even conventional oil changed ever 4k) showing me that no combustion byproducts are building up in the oil. People talk about how their car ran 45k with such and such... you have to look at it in perspective.. 45k is a VERY short life for an engine.. so it is impossible to tell in that amount of time. Like I said.. not bashing.. but a couple of extra oil changes a year is no big deal to me. All but one car I have ever owned have been sold with over 150k on them and run perfect (except the ford... but it was a ford... so the electrical system SUCKS). My other car (a saturn) has 170,000 miles and still burns less than a quart every 3000 miles. So I am happy with my maintenence so far.

 

You are missing the whole point of synthetics ... The point of synthetic is so that you can extend your drain intervils SAFELY ... Do you like people like Mobil and Amsoil would preach 15k-25k miles changes if it was gonna hurt you. I spoke to my ExxonMobil rep when the new Mobil oil came out they spent Millions of dollars and years of reaseach before they said 15K on Mobil 1 Extended Performance ... Im sure Amsoil did the same before they said 25K ... the byproducts you are talking about are nothing ... your oil filter cleans out most of the junk in your oil ... You should just save you money and run a semi-synthetic ...
Read this stuff
http://www.mobil1.com/USA-English/Mo...ynthetics.aspx
http://www.mobil1.com/USA-English/Mo...Do_For_Me.aspx
http://www.mobil1.com/USA-English/Mo...ics/Myths.aspx

I dont think you fully understand Synthetic Oil ... There are WAY MORE cleaning addtives, and antiware additives that lets the oil go longer with no harm ...

 

I thing engifineer has it right on the money. I personally think Amsoil is BS for the most part. Wild claims and high prices from the same guys that bought us Amway. Pyramid scheme if there ever was one.