Analysis or most recommended oil for Toyota Sienna

[tpattgeek]

Just wanted to know if there was any analysis on the 2nd generation Toyota Sienna. Please let me know if you can provide any input.

I have a brand new Sienna LE, getting ready for it's first OC at 5k miles, and I'm stumped in my decision of oil brand/type.

I have an 07 Civic which absolutely loves M1 5W-20, but my Toyota dealer says there's no benefit to synthetic in the Sienna and that it's just personal preference. I have 4 free oil changes with my dealer and can pay the difference if I want them to put a synthetic in it, but was wondering if it would be worth it for this engine for the long run and if starting it at ~20K miles (after free dino changes) would affect it at all? Are there any results that state one brand will be best in the long run? My specs are:

2010 Sienna

3.5L V6 (2GR-FE)

5W-30

South Louisiana - 100 degree summers and 30 degree winters

Conservative driving habits and rarely brought to high RPM's

Vast majority of trips, engine will be running for 30 mins. or more

Will more than likely keep this vehicle till it dies and will do all basic maintenance myself

Thank you in advance for your input!

 

[tig1]

Dealers almost always say there is no benefit to synt. oil, except the dealers selling cars with engines that require synt.
Use what oil you what want as long as it meets the engines spec. and OCI.

 

[tomcat27]

ditto what tig1 said. dealers have told me all kinds of ridiculous stuff. congrats - the Sienna is a wonderful van! run the free dino oil then move to synthetic if you wanna spend the extra coin and have "the best" regardless of cost. you just spent $27k+ on the van, whats a little extra on oil?

I've seen toyotas go 250k on PYB - I personally would not go crazy on extended oil changes on a toyota, because of the "mysterious" oil filter clogging issue. for your application (non-turbo, not towing) I doubt it makes much difference which brand of synth - so pick your favorite or favor whats on sale.

 

[JHZR2]

mobil 1 is what we use in our previa with really great results.

 

[tpattgeek]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
mobil 1 is what we use in our previa with really great results.


Wow, thanks for this info.

What is PYB?

Excuse my ignorance, but by "as long as it meets the engine spec", you mean any ILSAC 5W-30?

It seems I should be fine using Toyota dino for the first 20k miles then moving to M1. I may even tell them to put M1 and pay the difference if it's not too much more. Thanks a lot!

 

[tomcat27]

ooops! sorry... "PYB" is Pennzoil Yellow Bottle. a common, high quality standard dino oil - very popular here. you will also find that many of us here LOVE Penzzoil Platinum synthetic. It (and most other oils) are available from Walmart for just over $20 for a 5-quart jug. depending on the application, I use Amsoil (for many years), Mobil 1 (for many years) and currently alot of Penzz Plat (PP) and Valvoline Synpower. For the coin, its hard to beat M1 or PP.

 

[tpattgeek]

Yeah, even doing 5k/6 month OCI's, I can justify spending $15/year more for the "better" synthetic oils. I'll try M1 in it after the free dealer OCI's (and will ask how much the difference will be over the free OC at the dealer); I'm hearing some good things, and will change only if I have issues. Thanks again.

 

[tpattgeek]

Originally Posted By: tomcat27
congrats - the Sienna is a wonderful van! run the free dino oil then move to synthetic if you wanna spend the extra coin and have "the best" regardless of cost. you just spent $27k+ on the van, whats a little extra on oil?


Thanks! Yes, I feel like spending a few dollars more for a 6 month OCI over once a year will not only possibly benefit with a Toyota, but also make me feel better. Still waiting to hear of a possibility that dino for the first 20k before going M1 will have any affect in the long run.

 

[ahoier]

Originally Posted By: tpattgeek
Excuse my ignorance, but by "as long as it meets the engine spec", you mean any ILSAC 5W-30?
Exactly. Use whatever oil meets the specs referenced in your owner's manual or oil filler cap and you should be "good to go" - personally the only benefit I see to expensive synthetic oil is the extended OCI...and well, under warranty, I wouldn't go risking breaking the warranty just to save a couple dollars.

 

[nthach]

I use PP or M1 on our 2nd gen Sienna with the MZ family engine. I'd take the free OCIs Toyota is offering - I'm also thinking the newer non-Lexus GR engines are a little more friendly on oil compared to their predecessors.

 

[tpattgeek]

Originally Posted By: nthach
I use PP or M1 on our 2nd gen Sienna with the MZ family engine. I'd take the free OCIs Toyota is offering - I'm also thinking the newer non-Lexus GR engines are a little more friendly on oil compared to their predecessors.


I'd only have to pay the difference in price for synthetic, so probably would cost more than 20 bucks for them to put M1 in it. But if conventional won't hurt for 20k miles, I'll go for it and put M1 myself after that.

 

[Samilcar]

Link to my last posted UOA on our 2008 Sienna LE

Our van has the same 2GR-FE engine. The only reason I switched to synthetic after 5000 miles is that I'm going slightly "off the reservation" by using 5W-20 and slowly stretching the oil change intervals beyond 5000 miles.

Normal use of this engine is a daily commute of only 5 miles one way, with errand running of about the same distance 3 or 4 times a week. All driving is fairly conservative, low RPM type stuff. The occasional longer trip of 500+ miles is thrown in every two months or so. I track mileage fairly closely, and have found that this engine really likes to be run at full operating temp, and my short daily commute is not enough time to get the engine up to the temp that it likes (usually only a problem during the winter).

 

[tpattgeek]

Originally Posted By: Samilcar
Link to my last posted UOA on our 2008 Sienna LE

Our van has the same 2GR-FE engine. The only reason I switched to synthetic after 5000 miles is that I'm going slightly "off the reservation" by using 5W-20 and slowly stretching the oil change intervals beyond 5000 miles.

Normal use of this engine is a daily commute of only 5 miles one way, with errand running of about the same distance 3 or 4 times a week. All driving is fairly conservative, low RPM type stuff. The occasional longer trip of 500+ miles is thrown in every two months or so. I track mileage fairly closely, and have found that this engine really likes to be run at full operating temp, and my short daily commute is not enough time to get the engine up to the temp that it likes (usually only a problem during the winter).


Thanks for this info! We're in the South, and for the vast majority of trips, engine easily gets to operating temp. That must be why you go with 5-20? I'll stick with 5-30 and give M1 a try, only because it's what I use in my Honda and I'm partial Thanks!

 

[NateDN10]

I'm gonna go with conventional oil on this one.

Conservative driving, mild temperatures, getting the oil up to operating temp every trip, and 5K OCIs - some of the easiest conditions the oil can experience.

You'd be wasting money on synthetic, IMO.

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: tpattgeek
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
mobil 1 is what we use in our previa with really great results.


Wow, thanks for this info.

What is PYB?

Excuse my ignorance, but by "as long as it meets the engine spec", you mean any ILSAC 5W-30?

It seems I should be fine using Toyota dino for the first 20k miles then moving to M1. I may even tell them to put M1 and pay the difference if it's not too much more. Thanks a lot!


its probably going to be alot more,better off doing that yourself.

 

[tpattgeek]

Originally Posted By: lexus114
Originally Posted By: tpattgeek
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
mobil 1 is what we use in our previa with really great results.


Wow, thanks for this info.

What is PYB?

Excuse my ignorance, but by "as long as it meets the engine spec", you mean any ILSAC 5W-30?

It seems I should be fine using Toyota dino for the first 20k miles then moving to M1. I may even tell them to put M1 and pay the difference if it's not too much more. Thanks a lot!


its probably going to be alot more,better off doing that yourself.


I think I'll let the dealer put their dino in, then I'll have two years to decide if M1 is the way to go. Thanks.

 

[tpattgeek]

Originally Posted By: Samilcar
Link to my last posted UOA on our 2008 Sienna LE

Our van has the same 2GR-FE engine. The only reason I switched to synthetic after 5000 miles is that I'm going slightly "off the reservation" by using 5W-20 and slowly stretching the oil change intervals beyond 5000 miles.

Normal use of this engine is a daily commute of only 5 miles one way, with errand running of about the same distance 3 or 4 times a week. All driving is fairly conservative, low RPM type stuff. The occasional longer trip of 500+ miles is thrown in every two months or so. I track mileage fairly closely, and have found that this engine really likes to be run at full operating temp, and my short daily commute is not enough time to get the engine up to the temp that it likes (usually only a problem during the winter).


Do you think the high level of copper in your UOA was because of the conventional oil? My guess would be because the engine was still pretty much brand new.

 

[Samilcar]

Yes, because it was (and still pretty much is) brand new. I'll be doing another UOA here in another month or two (6500-7000 miles total) and hopefully expect to see the copper go down even farther.