[stevekx]

Using 5W-30 Mobil 1 in my 2003 V8 Tundra, and change it every 5K miles. I drive 200 miles a day on highway with the cruise set to 75mph. The oil looks pretty clean when I change it. Also I use Toyota oil filter. Can I, should I go longer between oil changes?
My VW 1.8T GTI chews up syntetic oil every 3K miles.

 

[Bluethundra]

If it is clean when you change it at 5k I dont see why not.

 

[The Phoenix]

Using 5W-30 Mobil 1 in my 2003 V8 Tundra, and change it every 5K miles. I drive 200 miles a day on highway with the cruise set to 75mph. The oil looks pretty clean when I change it. Also I use Toyota oil filter. Can I, should I go longer between oil changes?
My VW 1.8T GTI chews up syntetic oil every 3K miles.

The VW eats oil because its also used for the Turbo.

You can go at least 7500 miles on the Tundra without any problems.

 

[jan kohlmann]

Oils are so good today, that with Mobil 1 and all your highway miles, you should be able to do a minimum of 7500 miles on it. I will put 10000 miles on my Accord with Mobil 1 and it uses very little. The oil comes out used looking, but ok.

 

[stevekx]

Thank you guys, sounds like I would be wasting money changing the oil every 5K miles. I will keep checking it once a week and change it once it looks and smells dirty. Looks like the truck does not burn any oil.

 

[The Phoenix]

Thank you guys, sounds like I would be wasting money changing the oil every 5K miles. I will keep checking it once a week and change it once it looks and smells dirty. Looks like the truck does not burn any oil.

For good measure, use a good oil filter. WIX or Amsoil.

I use the Amsoil Ea057.

 

[stevekx]

I use Toyota filters

 

[The Phoenix]

I use Toyota filters

I know. They are good but for extended interval changes, I recommend something that filters better.

 

[funfinder4]

Wow, 200 miles a day! That's at least 1000 miles a week if you don't drive the truck on the weekends! Please tell us you do service calls or something for a living and most of those miles are reimbursed to you! That a lot of money a week in gas!!

I would also go longer on the oil changes since 5,000 miles only last about a month for you. 7,500 miles should still be in the safe zone for you, that's still an oil change every 2 months.

 

[stevekx]

It is a commute, temporary job which pays good $. I set the cruise to 75 and it takes me about 1.5 hrs door to door, most of the time the traffic is very light. I will check the oil at 7500 miles and will decide if it can go to 10,000. I don't see why not. I have 275/70r16 tires on it and at 75 mph I do about 2200 rpm.

 

[p-car-tower]

With that much driving, I wouldn't recommend trying to tell if the oil is still good based on look and feel. If you're wrong, you're driving on bad oil for quite a while.

I'd suggest having the oil analyzed at 7k miles (after a 5k filter change) to verify it is still good. If so, have it tested again at 9k miles. You may be able to extend the replacement intervals which will save you some decent $$ with as much as you drive. You also may want to consider the PAO extended life oils like Amsoil or Redline.

I use Blackstone Labs (Blackstone Laboratories) for my analyses. Cost is ~$25 (extra $10 for TBN analysis) plus a few $$ for postage. No affiliation, just a happy customer. Results e-mailed a couple days after they receive the sample. They'll mail you sample cups if you ask.

I've not yet had the oil on my Tundra tested (only have 6k miles on it) but have the oil on my race car tested frequently and wife's car annually.

 

[stevekx]

I think I will change the oil at 7,500 miles and send in a sample to be analyzed. If it is ok then I can go 10K if not then go back to the original 5K oil change interwals. Thanks for the web site.
I get the filters from the dealer for around $4, have about 8 of them at home right now so putting in a new filter (without an oil change) at 5K should be no problem.

 

[1slik55]

What is the recommended method for replacing just the filter on an extended oil change? Engine hot or cold? It seems cold would be best because I'm not concerned about oil draining out like I would be during an oil change.

Also, how much oil does the Toyota filter hold? It can't be much, I'm wondering if it is necessary to top off the oil level?

Thanks,

 

[The Phoenix]

What is the recommended method for replacing just the filter on an extended oil change? Engine hot or cold? It seems cold would be best because I'm not concerned about oil draining out like I would be during an oil change.

Also, how much oil does the Toyota filter hold? It can't be much, I'm wondering if it is necessary to top off the oil level?

Thanks,

Warm, not super cold or super hot. Just enough to get it flowing. I wouldn't just change a filter. It's kinda pointless. The oil filter on a Tundra probably can't hold more than 1/8 of a quart, if that.

 

[Puffnstuff]

For you guys who say your oil looks clean how do you drive your trucks? I do a lot of highway driving including merging into traffic and my oil has looked pretty dirty, especially the last change. I had around 4200 miles on m1 5w-30 and it was very dirtly looking. I was using a purolator pure one filter however at that change I went to the trd extra capacity filter and I'm going to pay particular attention at the next change to see if the oil looks any cleaner than the last time. I've also got 1 more trd filter left and then I'll decide on what to run afterwards.

 

[stevekx]

I do highway 90% of the time, even local I do ravel on roads with 55mph. The highway is open, so I just set the cruise to 75mph. My oil is very light colored after 5K miles. I use Toyota filter, how much bigger the TRD filter is?

 

[Hugemoose]

For you guys who say your oil looks clean how do you drive your trucks? I do a lot of highway driving including merging into traffic and my oil has looked pretty dirty, especially the last change. I had around 4200 miles on m1 5w-30 and it was very dirtly looking. I was using a purolator pure one filter however at that change I went to the trd extra capacity filter and I'm going to pay particular attention at the next change to see if the oil looks any cleaner than the last time. I've also got 1 more trd filter left and then I'll decide on what to run afterwards.

When I change mine at 5K on Mobil 1 and a Toyota filter, it is dirty but not bad at all. Of course it has a dark tint, but it still lets light through much more than when I was using conventional oil. Does that make any sense

Last time I drained my buddy who is a mechanic was there and he loved the way it came out! He said it looked and felt great. Told me I should put more than 5K on it!

That's why I want to upgrade to the Amsoil filter. I don't think the Toyota filter is up to par of the Mobil 1.

And to anybody that thinks synthetic is useless....to bad. I run my truck hard everyday AND I take care of it. Even if synthetic barely helps, that gives me even the slightest edge of protection :tu: I don't pu$$yfoot around town so I need the best that is out there. Drive it like you stole it :devil:

 

[Puffnstuff]

Well I admittedly drive hard so I expect to see dirty oil when I drain it. I'm only willing to run 5k with the way I drive. To answer the question about the trd filter size, it's substantially larger than the stock toyota filter.

 

[HOGWILD]

I think I will change the oil at 7,500 miles and send in a sample to be analyzed. If it is ok then I can go 10K if not then go back to the original 5K oil change interwals. Thanks for the web site.
I get the filters from the dealer for around $4, have about 8 of them at home right now so putting in a new filter (without an oil change) at 5K should be no problem.

Why waste money on oil analysis? you will be fine at 7500 miles as long as ya use quality oil and filter, just about any synthetic oil will be close to others in quality so those who say one is better than the other are just brand loyal and nothing wrong with that but just because they made it first means that it's better than the others is a little too brand loyal!!

 

[p-car-tower]

Why waste money on oil analysis? you will be fine at 7500 miles as long as ya use quality oil and filter, just about any synthetic oil will be close to others in quality so those who say one is better than the other are just brand loyal and nothing wrong with that but just because they made it first means that it's better than the others is a little too brand loyal!!

Yes, you should be fine at 7,500 (assuming a healthy engine) but you want a baseline test on the oil before it starts to go bad (you want to determine the normal levels of contaminants; fuel, water, chromium, iron, etc. for your engine). The benefit of the analysis is watching the values change as the oil is used up.

The benefit of the analysis is you will know when you need to change the oil based on it's performance rather than just a mileage indicator. If your oil is good until 10,000 miles (which it was on my Accord), you've prolonged the change and saved some money. As much as Steve is driving, it could lead to decent savings (more than enough to pay for the analysis). Maybe with his light driving he could go 15k between changes (not unheard of using M1) and has halved his oil bill.