Another Oil Reccomendation: Toyota 4runner

[bryan89]

Hi all,
First poster here.
Saw the sticky about "best oil for my car", so here goes:
Just rebuilt my engine and would like to know what you guys recommend for preserving my engine for another 200k. I know its an older style engine, so high zinc levels are important, but that is about the extent of my knowledge on the subject

1. What kind of vehicle you have:
Its an 1988 Toyota 4runner with a 22re. For those who dont know, the 22re is 2.4L, SOHC, Fuel injected inline 4 cylinder with flat tappet style lifters where the valve lash is adjusted with feeler gauge and adjustment screw. Its timed by a single chain with an oil pressure driven tensioner. Oil pump is brand new toyota pump modified by LC engineering to have "higher flow". but i have no data to confirm or deny this. also, the head has no "anti-drain back" valves in it. (why toyota didnt do this idk??) so oil can freely drain back into crank case when not running.

2. What your owner's manual says -- not just viscosity, but certifications (look for acronyms like API SM, ILSAC GF-4, etc.) and change intervals as well
I dont have an owners manual, but my FSM says the following:
"Fill engine with new oil API grade SF or SF/CC multigrade fuel efficient and recommended viscosity oil"
As far as the viscosity part, I have been told 10w-30 by a couple different sources, but since i do not have an owners manual i have not confirmed that.

3. Where you live
I live in Charleston, SC. In the dead winter it might get a couple degrees below freezing once or twice. (maybe 25-28F) and in the summer it gets in the 100s easy with the humidity.

4. How you drive (easy? hard? fast? slow?)
I cant say i drive fast, as the truck is pretty slow. lol. i mean it might make 100 bhp. they were not known to be powerhouses. but it spins up pretty good. i have a 5 speed manual trans behind it with 4.88s in the axles. so you might say its driven a little hard-ish. medium?

5. What your daily drive is like (short trips? long trips? city? highway?)
Daily drive is combination of short trips to and from work (approx 30 miles) of highway and stop and go traffic.

but i do plan to take it on long weekend trips to go camping / off-roading. it might see some high revs now and then to get over an obstacle or two.

I usually drive it pretty tame, but im not afraid to hit the skinny pedal if i need to.


6. Whether your car has any known problems
Doesn't have any known problems. like i said i just rebuilt the entire engine and transmission to factory specs. have about 3-4k on it since rebuild.

If you have any preferences -- synthetic vs. conventional, store-bought vs. ordered online, how long you'd like to go between oil changes, etc. -- or any other info you think might be important, let us know that as well.

Um, not sure on this one. I was hoping you guys would have some input on this one. obviously the truck was designed to run on dino oil, but synthetics may offer longer life. but i hear that zinc contents are down in new synthetic oils, which is something my engine might need since its so old. Mainly i want what is best for my truck. i dont care if i have to order it, but getting it locally would be nice. as far as change intervals, i have been doing the typical 3k mile oil and filter change, but what is best?

Thanks in advance for all the help guys.
Let me know if you need any additional info, like engine clearance specs or whatever helps.

 

[addyguy]

I'd run a 10W-30 HDEO oil in it. Whatever you can get on sale.

 

[bryan89]

what is HDEO oil? sorry im a noob. ...(ahh heavy duty engine oil. oh
any specific brands??

arent those generally for diesels? will it hurt my gas engine to run diesel oils??

 

[dparm]

Any off the shelf synthetic 5w30 would work very well. I'd go for whichever one is on sale (Pennzoil Platinum, Mobil 1, etc).

If the car has high mileage, maybe run the HM version of said oil.

 

[Astro14]

Whatever I can find on sale!

Seriously, great engine, not picky on oil...see my sig, I've run quite a few different brands of 10W30, a bit of 5W30 in the winter, and once in a while, a 5W40 in the summer...while not your engine...the V-6 is squeaky clean inside with 228K on the clock...

 

[bryan89]

Originally Posted By: Astro14
Whatever I can find on sale!

Seriously, great engine, not picky on oil...see my sig, I've run quite a few different brands of 10W30, a bit of 5W30 in the winter, and once in a while, a 5W40 in the summer...while not your engine...the V-6 is squeaky clean inside with 228K on the clock...


when you say squeaky clean, does that refer to sludge? while i dont want that either, i am concerned about the wear properties of newer oils and what the lower levels of zinc will do to my engine that was designed with high zinc oils in consideration.
whats a good brand you think? rotella?

 

[cancov]

Originally Posted By: bryan89
arent those generally for diesels? will it hurt my gas engine to run diesel oils??

While HDEO is "generally" for diesels, most of the newer HDEO's carry an API of SM, which is fine for gasoline engines. One diffence between HDEO and PCMO (Passenger Car Motor Oil) is the lack of FM (Friction Modifiers) in the HDEO, which, if you read further on this forum, the FM are predominantly for gas mileage. The benefits of HDEO in an gasoline engine is that since it is an oil designed to meet diesel demands, they don't have to have the lower levels of molecules that restricts PCMO. Basically, a HDEO, has for a lack of words, has more "detergents" that helps keep the engine nice and clean. Also, HDEOs typically are more robust and are less likely to break-down in demanding engines.

I personally like the Rotella choices. Rotella T is a straight SAE 30 (dino) that I use in my small engines, Rotella T3 in a 15W40 (dino) that I will utilize in the summer in my '86 Mazda, Rotella T5 in 10W30 (blend) for the 30 weight oil vehicles, and lastly, and perhaps very well liked here BITOG, Rotella T6 in 5W40 (synthetic). The T6 is well liked in many European applications and those like my '86 B2000, that need a little thicker oil due to old age. Typically, all of the above Rotella products are easily available at WalMart, with the most expensive being T6 at approximately $21 for (4) quarts. Rotella and other HDEOs are sold in gallon jugs with corresponds to (4) quarts.

There are many other HDEO that perform well too. Mobil Delvac, Delo400, Mobil TDT, plus countless store brands.

 

[bryan89]

so rotella t5 (the 10w-30 blend) would be good for me to start with since the engine is freshly rebuilt and all the bearing clearances are tight. and as it gets older i could maybe switch to T3 (the 15w-40)

 

[mongo161]

You can run any kind of oil in these engines. Even your 1988 T4R should have no problems running Dino or Synthetic.

I've run Dino Diesel, Dino Diesel mixed with Dino, Synthetic mixed with Dino or Synthetic mixed with Dino Diesel and Synthetic Diesel mixed with Synthetic PCMO and all work fine in my 1997 V6.

IMO....For a newly rebuilt engine....I would, if it were my vehicle, find some Shell Rotella Triple Protection 10w-30 Diesel Dino and run that for the first 20K to make sure the rings are seated well and the engine gets a fine break in for it's new life.

 

[civic09]

You can find the Shell Rotella 10w30 conventional at Advance Auto Parts. I have saw it there at the 2 advance's near me. Was like $13.99 a gal

Adam


I dont think you can go wrong with PYB 10w30

 

[Doog]

I would try Mobil 5000 10w30 for the first 1000 miles. Then switch to Pennzoil Platinum or Quaker-state Ultimate Durability 10w30 or any off the Walmart shelf synthetic oil that is least expensive.