So I hear that you're supposed to change the oil at 1k to mark the end of your break in period. It doesn't say anything about that in the Owners Manual or anywhere else. I want to know what everyone thinks about this. I had just planned to go to 5k as suggested. I'm at about 1250 right now.
Oil Change at 1000
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I'm following the exact maintenance schedule in the book. IIP got its first change at 4965 miles. If it doesn't work, I blame Scion. Of course, I know it will be fine unless there is a defect.
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your salesman is probably an assh0le. If you come to get an oil change they should change your goddamn oil! I changed mine around 1100 then at 3200 and now at 9300. I also switched to synthetic as soon as I could, so I'm changing mine every 6K miles. I'm usint TRD oil filters as well, i'm sure the stock ones are just fine also. I'd suggest to do it, just in case. People have debated it back and forth on this forum and elswhere, but I just feel safer knowing that spending a few bucks early on could prolong the life of the engine.
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It's entirely a pocketbook issue. I typically run synthetic oil for 10k miles. I've done enough oil analysis to be sure I can.
The guys who actually do oil analysis say buy the cheapest oil you can get that meets the API standards. Anything more is a waste. I don't necessarily agree, I've seen the difference when rebuilding my stuff and stuff that ran dinosaur oil, but they do have a point.
If you don't plan to keep your car for 200k+ miles, it's best to follow the factory intervals with any decent oil. Synthetics really show the difference over the very long haul. Most people never get there.
The guys who actually do oil analysis say buy the cheapest oil you can get that meets the API standards. Anything more is a waste. I don't necessarily agree, I've seen the difference when rebuilding my stuff and stuff that ran dinosaur oil, but they do have a point.
If you don't plan to keep your car for 200k+ miles, it's best to follow the factory intervals with any decent oil. Synthetics really show the difference over the very long haul. Most people never get there.
Lo Bux,
So you switch to synthetic after 10k? Which synthetic do you use? Do you think it matters between the cheap stuff at Walmart or Mobile One?
Do you have any links to studies showing longer engine life using synthetic oil?
I'm at about 11k now and am thinking about switching. I'd like to get 250k+ in 5-6 years, 90% highway miles.
Thanks for your response.
So you switch to synthetic after 10k? Which synthetic do you use? Do you think it matters between the cheap stuff at Walmart or Mobile One?
Do you have any links to studies showing longer engine life using synthetic oil?
I'm at about 11k now and am thinking about switching. I'd like to get 250k+ in 5-6 years, 90% highway miles.
Thanks for your response.
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I just got mine changed at 1600...mostly because I'm paranoid about that kind of stuff.
So the dino should be fine even if we change at the recommended 5k intervals?
So the dino should be fine even if we change at the recommended 5k intervals?
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id do whatever the manual says
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If I'm going to switch to synthetic, I do it immediately after completing break-in. I haven't done that with IIP and I don't plan to do it with FM until I get my three free oil changes. Then I'll just go to Wal-Mart and buy Mobil 1 10w-30 (I don't like 5W-30, it's not as stable as 10w-30, and don't need it for where I live) and call it a day. This article by a highly respected oil analysis lab really says it best.
There used to be a number of links off Mobil's site for the million mile engine, and there are lots of testimonials on Amsoil's web site (yes, Amsoil is also a good synthetic). I run Red Line in my Supra, and I have always run Red Line in performance applications, just my personal preference, but I've also used Amsoil and Mobil 1. They are all good choices. Any synthetic is more stable than conventional oils, but to be truthful, the latest API standards are very difficult to meet, and any oil meeting SL or SM designations are excellent oils and exceed all manufacturer's requirements. It would be hard to go wrong with any oil meeting SL or SM specs.
The biggest plus to synthetics is for turbo'd engines. Turbos kill oil, especially after shutting the engine off when the housing is still recovering from high boost. The turbo will "coke" the oil, which means it turns into a fully oxided hard carbon deposit instead of flowing back into the oil pan. Coking can cause a plain bearing turbo to seize, and can damage the bearings in a ball-bearing turbo. Synthetics don't coke. That's why they are best for turbo engines.
Without a turbo, the only thing you'll notice is a slow build up of varnish (I call it "the brown death") over time. It really doesn't hurt anything, and most mechanics rightly consider it normal. The only time it's really bad is when the oil turns black and forms a hard deposit. Pretty unlikely in our engines if you just follow the published maintenance. There is no reason to believe you won't get 250k without a rebuild in 5 or 6 years.
The only caveat to that is valve stem seals. They have been a consistent problem for Toyco (and most other manufacturers) because keeping oil out of the combustion chamber is a big deal for emissions control. So they fit seals that work really well for the first 120k or so, then you start to see a puff of blue smoke in the morning when you first fire the engine. Supras are notorious for this, especially ones running a lot of boost because heat is what helps kill the seals quickly. Lots of boost means lots of heat, so the exhaust valve stem seals slowly die as evidenced by the puff of blue smoke. Eventually it gets bad enough to require service, and there are any number of special tools available to replace valve stem seals without removing the head. In the past, it usually meant the head came off and got rebuilt. Not anymore, primarily because stem seal leakage is so common now.
Anyway, that's the long and short of it. Sorry the post is so long winded.
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^^^As Foghorn Leghorn would say, "Lemme hep ya' with that, boy!"
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