Toyota 0w-20, 10,292 miles, 2011 Toyota Prius

[The Critic]

This was the API SN version of Toyota 0w-20.

Miles are 80-90% highway. The car sees full throttle every morning during the first 30 seconds of start-up.

This sample was taken by the dealer at the 30k service. The air filter on this fill was the original, and was not dirty at all.

This is the car's oil change history to date:

3k: Mobil 1 0w-20 SN, supplied oil to dealer
10.5k: Toyota 0w-20 SN, bulk, by dealer
15k: Mobil 1 0w-20 SN, supplied oil to independent shop
20k: Toyota 0w-20 SN, bottled, by dealer.
30k: Toyota 0w-20 SN, bottled, by dealer.

The sodium is odd since none of the previous oils contain a sodium additive. Perhaps this is contamination from a dirty funnel? The coolant level has remained stable and has not dropped, so I am not too concerned about it.

I think I will stay with 10,000 mile intervals for now. Unfortunately, this means it will take me a long time to get rid of the 31 quarts of Toyota 0w-20 I have in-stock.

 

[Indydriver]

I still hate seeing that SN moly number. I've read all the explanations but...It sure looks like the Toyota oil is no longer an exceptional oil. Looks very similar to all the others.

 

[LargeCarManX2]

OK....I will bite?

Your quote: " The car sees full throttle every morning during the first 30 seconds of start-up."

Why?

 

[CMMeadAM]

Could you tell us who did the analysis ? Under "filter" is states "15 microns." Which cartridge filter is this ?
Great looking report !

 

[JGW]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
The car sees full throttle every morning during the first 30 seconds of start-up.


If that floats your boat, I would keep doing what you doing, doesn't seem to effect wear. Though you would have a hard time convincing me to do that.

 

[garageman402]

Originally Posted By: LargeCarManX2
OK....I will bite?

Your quote: " The car sees full throttle every morning during the first 30 seconds of start-up."

Why?


After seeing the analysis, I'd say the appropriate question would be "why not?". Maybe he lives/works near a freeway onramp.......

Critic, maybe the Si (and sodium) is from the PCV system, some of those fittings are not very tight, esp. the breather tube.

 

[buster]

Excellent report!

 

[river_rat]

Seems to be doing its job very well, average moly content or not.

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: Indydriver
I still hate seeing that SN moly number. I've read all the explanations but...It sure looks like the Toyota oil is no longer an exceptional oil. Looks very similar to all the others.


I wouldn't worry about the numbers. They don't tell you much anyway. Use the oil for 200-300K and then decide if the oil works well in your engine. If Toyota 0-20 is made by M1 then you know you are getting a good product. Nice report and this engine will go for tons of miles at 10K OCIs.

 

[SatinSilver]

Is there much of a difference between the bulk 0w20 at the dealer and the bottled 0w20?

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: satinsilver
Is there much of a difference between the bulk 0w20 at the dealer and the bottled 0w20?


If they are both Toyota 0-20 SN then they are the same.

 

[chubbs1]

How much did all of that moly really affect the quality of the SM version. How do you get much better than this? I think the types of additives used today by the 'majors' are of higher quality.

 

[Rand]

high moly can cause issues in some engines... deposits and such.
using a smaller amount of a more effective type is a win.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: garageman402

Critic, maybe the Si (and sodium) is from the PCV system, some of those fittings are not very tight, esp. the breather tube.

This is definitely a possibility. I live 1 mile from the beach and finding salt/sand around here is quite common.

Originally Posted By: LargeCarManX2
OK....I will bite?

Your quote: " The car sees full throttle every morning during the first 30 seconds of start-up."

Why?


Maybe not full-throttle, but heavy throttle. The computer controls how much the gas engine spins up, but in the brief week I had the scan gauge, 4K was not uncommon. I have to merge onto a big street.

Originally Posted By: Indydriver
I still hate seeing that SN moly number. I've read all the explanations but...It sure looks like the Toyota oil is no longer an exceptional oil. Looks very similar to all the others.


Its VI is still unmatched by any other oil on the market. The 40C is also lower than any other oil. However, it is likely a lower quality Group III oil with a ton of VII, but obviously it still does an acceptable job.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: Rand
high moly can cause issues in some engines... deposits and such.
using a smaller amount of a more effective type is a win.


The new additive system uses a smaller, yet more concentrated (and therefore equally effective) amount of Moly.

 

[buster]

XOM uses Infineum's tri-nuclear moly which is a better moly according to them.

One paper showed 70 ppm was just as effective as 200 ppm at reducing the coefficient of friction.

They are also using new non metallic detergents.

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: buster
XOM uses Infineum's tri-nuclear moly which is a better moly according to them.

One paper showed 70 ppm was just as effective as 200 ppm at reducing the coefficient of friction.

They are also using new non metallic detergents.


This is why I said UOAs don't say a lot about the oil. Lots of experiance will.

 

[addyguy]

Impressive results....I wouldn't change a thing!

 

[ltslimjim]

Originally Posted By: buster
XOM uses Infineum's tri-nuclear moly which is a better moly according to them.

One paper showed 70 ppm was just as effective as 200 ppm at reducing the coefficient of friction.

They are also using new non metallic detergents.


Esters, perhaps?

Great report.

 

[PandaBear]

4k and full throttle (low vacuum in the manifold, i.e. how much you press down on the pedal) are 2 different things, especially on a hybrid since the computer can just use the electric motor to accelerate instead of dumping a lot of fuel in with a lot of air.

But yeah, you need a lot of torque merging onto a big street (freeway?)