Synthetic oil-- yes or no?

[joliet jake]

I bought my 06 DC 4X4 sport used, w/44K on it. I want to use synthetic oil, but don't know what the previous owner used. Is this ok to do, or will I have problems? Also, will the dealer put this oil in if I request it?

[Tundradrenalin]

Go for it. All oils are compatible these days. Some oil brands even come in mixed blends straight out of the bottle. The dealer will most likely sell you the synthetic at a premium price.

[snow tundra]

Do it I did it on my Tundra at 50,000.I use castrol and Mobile 1 filter I change at 7000 mi.Buy the oil at Wall Mart.

[Bakemono]

You can switch it over to synthetic and not have any problems. It used to be the mineral oils and synthetic oils caused a sludge when mixed together, but in recently years they have changed synthetic oils, so they mix with mineral oils just fine. Afterall, what do you think a semi-synthetic or a synthetic-blend oil is?
I would stick with the OEM oil filter and I wouldnt go any longer than 5,000 miles between oil changes. No matter how great the oil is, it still gets dirty over time and you need to change the oil often in order to drain that dirt out of your engine.

[p nut]

You can safely switch between the oils. The problems was that when you switched from dino to synthetic, the synthetic oil would "clean" the seals and cause them to leak. But that's only on higher mileage cars. Yours is a good candidate for the change.

I have used various oils. Mobil1, I thought, was the cream of the crop, but noticed that the oil was being burnt off way too quick. As in about 1/2 quart every 2,000 miles or so. Plus, with all of the speculation that M1 is not a true synthetic (Group IV), I stopped using it. I was going to use Valvoline Syn or Penn. Syn (cheaper than M1, but equal or better protection), but went with Amsoil. The truck is noticably quieter and smoother. I also used their Ea oil filter, which is an awesome filter. Give it a shot. Any Amsoil dealer will give you at least a 10% discount or a friend dealer will give you 20%+.

Regarding the oil change intervals, it really depends on where you live and where you drive. If in a harsh environment, then I'd even go 3k on a synthetic oil. If not, then even 10k is feasible. The only way to tell if you're getting adequate protection is with a UOA (Used-Oil Analysis). Send a sample of it in at 3k miles and see if it comes back good. If so, use it till 5k miles, then send the sample in. Then at 7k, and so on. I've been good till 10k miles. "Change your oil every 3k miles" or even 5k or whatever is an old notion that should not be strictly followed today. The UOA labs will tell you MUCH more about your oil and your engine condition (think of it as a urine sample).

Also, OEM filters do an okay job. If I didn't go with Amsoil oil/filter, I'd go with [syn of your choice] and puralator filters (available at most Pepboys).

[dickinsonj]

Mobil's web site states that Mobil 1 is a group IV synthetic oil. From what i can find there are rumors out there that it is not, but I have not seen any "proof". I have used Mobil 1 for many years without any complaints, and I need to see something definite before I change, something more than Internet rumors. I have never had to top up my oil between changes in any of my Toyota's when I was using Mobil 1.

[p nut]

Well, like I said, there are rumors. I have seen UOA's and wear tests from a member with a 4Runner and M1 performed even worse than Pennzoil Platinum. And take it for what it's worth, but Amsoil did a test and showed the same results where M1 fell way behind the other competitors (I know, I know--it's probably a biased test results). And the whole thing with Castrol back in the 90's.

I'm not saying M1 is a bad oil or it won't protect your engine, because it will. But for me, I'd rather spend the money where I KNOW for a fact that it's a true group IV synthetic. Also, many will agree that M1 is a bit on the thin side.

[RIDGEWALLOW]

Yup, Do it! I just did mine at 34k Amsoil 0w-30 Signature. Amsoil adivises oil changes every 35k or 1/year unless you're doing a lot of short trips <10mi or really heavy uses ie towing, plowing, fleet vehicles etc..

Maybe it was just mental but after I changed the oil the truck seemed a lot smoother running, throttle response was quicker and the notorious 4.0L tick while idling seemed quiter. I will be switching over to synthetic in tranny, front & rear diffs soon!

[Arb1977]

Id say yes...youll be surprised how much crap gets pulled out of your engine. I swithced over my 2002 at 9K and at 500 miles the oil was already turing dark. Some say you should never go by color but in this case i was suprised.

[JackEllis]

In addition to a Tacoma, I own a small airplane and have learned a thing or two about engines and oil over he years.

First, the dark color is mostly caused by unburned carbon particles, NOT dirt. The air filter keeps most of the dirt out. In aircraft engines, we can delay the onset of that dark color by running an extra-lean mixture. Unfortunately, not so for automobiles.

Second, the main reason for changing your oil is because the molecules that provide lubrication and protect your engine from wear break down over time under heat and pressure. Acids that are by-products of combustion also accumulate in the oil and have to be removed periodically.

Third, the best thing you can do for longevity is to drive your vehicle every day, and at engine speeds that allow it to get nice and warm for 10-15 minutes. Engines that sit lose their protective oil film and expose the engine parts to more wear on startup and corrosion from any residual moisture in the crankcase.

[SportRallyFiveSpeed]

Originally Posted by joliet jake

I bought my 06 DC 4X4 sport used, w/44K on it. I want to use synthetic oil, but don't know what the previous owner used. Is this ok to do, or will I have problems? Also, will the dealer put this oil in if I request it?

Don't waste your money, synthetic is good for high horsepower cars due to its extra lubrication abilities, but for our trucks, standard oil and regular changes will be perfectly fine.

[WilsonTheDog]

Originally Posted by SportRallyFiveSpeed

Don't waste your money, synthetic is good for high horsepower cars due to its extra lubrication abilities, but for our trucks, standard oil and regular changes will be perfectly fine.

Uninformed. Not only does synthetic provide superior lubrication and contaminant removal, extended oil drains negate the additional cost.

[Tundradrenalin]

Originally Posted by WilsonTheDog

Uninformed. Not only does synthetic provide superior lubrication and contaminant removal, extended oil drains negate the additional cost.

absolutely agree. Also, I pay the same price for a single tank of gas as I do for a single oil change, and my oil lasts 20x as long. I'm not concerned at all by the price of synthetic oil, even if it were $15/qt (which it's not).

[dickinsonj]

So, how many miles are most people running synthetic going between oil changes?

I have used Mobil 1 since my first oil change, but I am still changing my oil at 5,000 mile intervals. I know I could probably stretch that out, but I don't have any idea how many miles I could go and still not be taking a chance on damaging my engine. I may sell it at 5 years and 60,000 miles, or I may just drive it forever, so I want to take good care of the engine.

[Tundradrenalin]

Originally Posted by dickinsonj

So, how many miles are most people running synthetic going between oil changes?

Here are three vehicles my family uses so I know about their service history.

Tundra, '05 (mine)- uses Royal Purple 5w-30, daily driver, sometimes extremely short trips <2mi. Drain interval is every 6 months (or 6k mi).

RAV4, '04 (fiancé)- uses Amsoil 0w-30, daily driver, moderate city driving trips <15mi/day. Drain interval is every 12 months (or 12k mi).

BMW, 330ci (mom's) - uses BMW synthetic oil from dealership. Drain interval is every 12 months (or 12k mi).