What grade oil changes after 20k miles

2021 tundra SR5. I managed to get 2 free oil changes from the dealer and discounts on the other two, after I realized the maintenance plan only covers one every 10k miles. I told them to do it every 5k miles and convinced them to give me a discount on the other 2 changes because the owners manual calls for it when used - well - as a normal truck. I don’t want to get into a debate on oil change intervals I’m sticking with 5k.
I’ll be taking it to an auto shop, vice doing it myself, where they will have certain options. I’m not sure i care about the oil brand but what grade oil do you guys use and why? Or is this basically the only option?

The normal is: ILSAC GF-5 multi grade engine oil. SAE 0W-20. https://360.lubrizol.com/Specifications/ILSAC/ILSAC-GF-5

 

I use 0-20 all year, if you live in the south maybe 5-30. I just stick with what the manual says. It does get cold in central NH. You will get a lot of opinions.

 

5W-30 does offer more viscosity protection over 0W-20 or 5W-20, but these engines have proven to last a long time regardless of viscosity.

Buy a decent brand oil & filter, change it every 5k miles, and worry about something else.

 

There is snow in your bio pick. Id run 0-20.

 

I guess another way to ask this question is, is there a better oil grade and/or viscosity recommended for long term engine life/wear and tear - vice a focus on emissions and fuel efficiency which seem to appear in every technical description of this grade.

 

The 5.7 lasts so long as it is it’s impossible to decipher the marginal difference if it exists. I’ll gladly use the cheapest fresh 20w over 8k mile old super premium

 

I guess I will buy that since this ILSAC GF-5 grade was introduced in 2010 so there has been 13 years of run time.

We’ll see if there is someone super into this or who conveniently works for pennzoil, ASI or ILSAC and chimes in, haha

 

I only fill mine up with premium oil

Too soon to derail?

 

Oooh, oil threads are fun

Generally speaking, I see no reason to use anything other than a quality 0w20 in the 5.7 with OCI's according to your use case.

5w30 creates more friction and pumping losses in the motor; more friction and heat means more wear and less efficiency. In reality it's only about 1% difference in efficiency, but still a difference measurable by auto manufactures. 0w20 is easier to pump in all conditions, which means less friction and heat created by the system itself. Being that 0w20 is also a full synthetic by nature and a 5w30 can be had in either synthetic or conventional, the base stock for 5w30 can be less robust than 0w20. The reason for using a heavier weight oil in place of a lighter, factory recommend oil is not due to outside temperatures, but rather higher bearing and film loads (think, track days with lots of full throttle and high RPM). While outside temperature should determine the low temperature rating (0w-, 5w, 10w, etc), it has much less to do with the high temperature viscosity rating. Why? ...because your engine has a thermostat and cooling fans; the thermostat prevents the engine from running too cool which causes a rich condition with more oil contamination from less efficient combustion as well as the inability to boil off contaminants such as water at lower operating temperatures; the cooling fans obviously keep the water and oil cool, cooling the motor. So why does that mean the higher viscosity isn't affected much by the outside temperature? Because your engine operates well above the ambient air temperature. So unless you are in a continuous situation where the engine cooling system is struggling to shed heat, your engine oil is operating at a much higher temperature than the ambient air - typically with a delta over 100F. The high viscosity rating is rated @100C, which is typically where your engine is operating.

For those that feel a heavier weight oil is needed in their tundra's, 0w30 would be a more ideal compromise, even in hot climates. The thinner weight oil will protect better on warm up (it takes less to pump and flows better at colder temperatures) and offer a more robust film strength at high RPM and full throttle.

At 192k, I've used nothing but a high quality 0w20 - mostly Mobil 1, but recently switched to High Performance Lubricants after adding a quart of HPL oil cleaner for a few thousand miles before the swap. Mobil 1 did great but the motor was little noisy; it was the same amount of noisy when it was new, so it never concerned me. The HPL cleaner, then HPL 0w20 quieted the motor down but still offers excellent cold flow characteristics. I also started using Blackstone labs for UOA's to confirm my OCI strategy. For my use, 7500 miles is typically where my oil indicates a change is needed. My dealer would not change my oil earlier than that when it was new claiming I would void my warranty if I did myself during the Toyota Care period, despite my requests (they are ding dongs and I know better now).

So what am I saying? I'm saying that changing your oil and using good quality oil is more important than the viscosity. But I don't see any reason to use anything other than what Toyota spec'd for 98% of the tundra drivers - myself included. I tow at least once or twice a week, and am always hauling stuff in the bed so I fall in to the 'Severe Duty Service' category that most don't.

 

So I think I am more concerned about the oils thickness and performance at operating temperature. Like having a suitable boundary layer film and preventing longtime wear and scoring of a cylinder wall type concerns… My truck does not shut off at intersections like Ford’s 5.0 and it’s mild winters here in DC. I do not want to sacrifice longtime reliability for fuel efficiency either.

 

Grade? I use what it says on the oil fill cap. Every 5K

 

0w20 is more than sufficient for the 5.7.

It’s the only grade called for by Toyota for the 5.7L - not the only acceptable oil grade, but the only one approved for extended oil change intervals or 5k severe duty oil change intervals. Looking at the manual, you might notice that 5w20 or 5w30 is acceptable but with a note stating that it cannot be tun for the same length of time and that it should be exchanged for 0w20 at the next oil change.

Sometimes fewer option is better. As noted above, Toyota spec’d the tundra to run on 0w20 and do truck things with sufficient (that’s a good thing, not a derogatory term) boundary layer performance at operating temperature. There are plenty of guys that choose to run a different oil weight but I haven’t seen many of any real justifications for it other than quieting the motor down.

You are also spot on with the 5k oil change interval. The DC area can change from an express way to parking lot depending on the time of day, so them are city miles for sure.

 

Different engine from yours but 257K on long change intervals, running great and not losing any between changes, FL and SC, Mobil 1 Extended Performance 0w-20.

Shame I can't say the same for the bloody transmission.

 

I use 0w 20. Also do 5k changes. I idle alot up to 4 hours a day. I'm just about to hit 55k on my 2021.

 

Pre government overreach, 5.7 designed, specd and recommended to use 5w-30. This is still the recommended spec in almost any other country. Op has real winters so nothing wrong with 0w-20.

 

That may be a reason to do my own oil changes. That mobil 1 extended mileage is the next grade up ILSAC GF-6. $29 for 5qts on Amazon. Will have to see what the shop has and charges.

 

This is only in the USA. Toyota allows for many different oils in the 5.7 Tundra in Mexico. This is straight from Toyotas TIS online system. 0w20 is only inexistent to increase milage. 5w30 is plenty thin to run in pretty much any environment except maybe Alaska where you would run a block heater anyways to which the 0w20 wouldnt really be a huge advantage. Run what ever grade you like to but just know 0w20 provides nothing but extra MPGs in a very miniscule amount that adds up through millions of vehicles to help pass CAFE standards. If it wasn't for the EPA 0w20 and 0w16 would never exist. I live where there are also winters and use snowblowers, Ive never seen a snowblower recommend anything besides 5w30. If 0w20 was created for winter you'd think snowblowers would use it too. I run 15w40 T6 in the summer and 5w30 in the winter.

 

German cars run 40w oil. Tight tolerances need 20w sure. The epa will also recommend electric cars, which destory the environment of 3rd world nations

 

Correct. I certainly wouldn’t dispute that. But what is to be gained by running an oil other than the US spec 0w20? Oil is maybe a little cheaper and shorter drain intervals? I don’t see any reason to go with anything other than 0w20, but that’s from my perspective. As you’ve [correctly] noted, different grade oils are spec’d for the 5.7 in different parts of the world which, I suspect, is also based on local emissions and availability of grades. My intent isn’t to imply that the motor will catastrophically self destruct if running anything but 0w20; just that it has advantages over other oil weights and that it is more than sufficient for 98% of 5.7 owners. I still don’t haven’t found any reliable information to show a heavier weight oil being of any benefit to the our motors in any application other than racing. BITOG has some good info that is way to easy to chase down the rabbit hole, but I followed a thread a while back (I honestly prolly couldn’t find it without more effort than I care to exert) comparing progressively heavier weight oils in a gentleman’s track car while data logging oil pressure, oil temperature, lap times, and IOA after each track day, IIRC. Turned out the MFG oil weight was best except for hot, heat soaked, high abuse track days.

But, again, I’m not saying people are wrong or stupid or uneducated swine for using a different weight oil in the tundra - just that I don’t see any advantage to it. To reiterate, it is my opinion that quality oil and OCI’s relevant to the users needs are more important than oil weight. FWIW, I don’t run my 0w20 to 10k miles because of my vehicle use, despite the ability and approval from Toyota to do so.

 

Running a different oil weight doesn't change the OCI. Toyota just doesnt want you to have anything other than 0w20 in it in the US. If you take 0w20 and 5w30 of the same brand, say Mobil 1 in theory the 5w30 is actually going to protect longer do to shearing eventually that 5w30 will get down to a 0w20 and the 0w20 will be water. I don't do any type of analysis on my oils but what I do know is that two previous vehicles running 0w20 ending up burning oil. The problem with 0w20 is it's so thin that its easier for it to actually enter the combustion chamber and once oil starts getting burned its only going to continue to get worse which I also learned from those previous vehicles. I switched to 5w30 on my first oil change and you can hear the immediate difference in engine sound. If you've ever heard the infamous "Toyota tick" you will instantly notice it go away with heavier oil. I'm not an engineer or mechanic by trade but do a lot of my own work on different vehicles and if the engine makes less metal on metal noises with a heavier oil then I just assume I'm doing something good. Back when people were more mechanically inclined and the EPA wasnt in charge of vehicle maintenance intervals owners manuals would show a chart with what oil to run in which temperature. I can actually hear when that 5w30 gets sheared down because I can hear that tick again, during the summer with the 15w40 though I never hear it. I dont think anyone is going to have an issue with 0w20 with 5k intervals but I just personally feel safer with 5w30 from previous experiences. I currently maintain 3 vehicles all calling for 0w20 and put 5w30 in all of them.

 

The manual says there may be better options.

 

One of the reasons I asked this question, is a buddy’s 2018 5.0 went around 215k miles. Low compression. A 35yr retired ford mechanic mentioned the lower weight oil could be the culprit because of the design of the cylinder walls/piston rings the thinner oil leaks by and the additives don’t protect the engine as well. There was lots of explanation, but the gist was the additives/formulation/viscosity made sacrifices on long term engine component protection for better environmental performance/emissions reasons.
I run 25W-40 in my 496 mercruiser (8.1L GM)….obviously higher duty when I cruise at 3600rpm but it does make you wonder.

 

@DEboater some members who share your mid-atlantic climate will split the difference and run 5w-30 in the summer and back to 0w-20 or 0w-30 in the winter. If you're starting your truck and then immediately tractor-pulling it out of your driveway, that could be a problem, but if you let the engine run even just for 30 seconds or so, the lubricants will get where they need to regardless of grade/weight pretty quickly.

 

+1 for 5w-30. I run it year-round in Ohio, both vehicles that call for 0w-20. Chevrolet Malibu, 2018 1.5L and the tundra.

 

$89 Pennzoil Ultra Platinum Full Synthetic 5W-30 Motor Oil, 5 Quart (3 Pack)

https://www.amazon.com/Pennzoil-Ultra-Platinum-Synthetic-Motor/dp/B01MF94FAK?crid=1I0Y8AF92C0ZL&keywords=pennzoil+ultra+platinum+5w-30&qid=1693136594&sprefix=pennz%2Caps%2C137&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

What I use, good buy, high quality oil. 5k OCI for both vehicles.

 

The 5.7 is extremely easy on oil. When cruising down the interstate, I'm below 2000 RPM 99% of the time as opposed to lets say a boat/jet ski, atv/sxs etc. These rev very high for long lengths of time, hence, they need a more robust oil, typically 10w40.They also hold a lot less oil as opposed to the tundra. The tundra will be good on 0w-20. However, when towing, i would probably opt for 0w-30 or 5w30. And I live in the south. Northern states will probably still be good on 0w-20. Thats my opinion anyway.

 

I just finished reading chapters 1-7 here, it is a good read.
https://bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-101/

 

Exactly! Good post. Doesn't make a difference IMO especially if you change it every 5K. Who are we to say a team of Toyota engineers know less than us about these engines? They probably have thousands of hours of torture testing with 0W20. That said, run whatever you want. I'll stick with what's on the the oil fill cap. May as well get as much efficiency out of this pig as I can.

 

I recently switched to 5W-30 since I'm a bit of a leadfoot.
Looking at the chart below between 0W and 5W, I do not see temperatures going below -30C here.

 

Being an engineer, I’ve seen way too many times where the engineers are overruled and many other factors take precedence. They’ll put their foot down when it comes to safety and really detrimental damage but when it comes to the difference between an engine having lower emissions and slightly better fuel economy - and 200k miles plus engine longevity - I’m pretty convinced the engineers lose that argument. This is why I am asking these questions and doing this research, because I want my truck to last.