Oil Recommendation For A 2012 Tacoma 2.7L

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This is in my wheelhouse.

As an owner previously of a 2005 Tacoma,
putting 750k miles on it,
and a 2018 Tacoma,
putting 143k miles on it,
both 2.7L 2TR FE,
I have some specific ideas for you, OP.

First, please use 0W20.
The truck runs so much better on this grade.

Second, the issues that came up for me
were the standard oil consumption
from valve stem wear
and piston ring coking.

I had a heck of a time passing the dreaded CA smog check.
Code P4020, catalyst below threshhold.
The only way to stop my dash from lighting up
like a Christmas Tree,
was i
to have a factory catalytic converter installed.
and yes it was expensive.

I used and recommend
Black Bottle Castrol EDGE HM 0W20,
available from Walmart, store or .com,
at ~ $25/5qts.
It is a low phosphorus formula.
Your truck will smile from headlight to headlight.

Hope this helps.

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I use Supertech full synthetic 5w-20 or 0w-20, whichever is available on the shelf at the time. In my climate it really doesn't matter, and I think the 0w-20 requirement was just Toyota's way of making sure you use synthetic oil in that engine, since it doesn't exist in dino. In any case, the truck only gets driven maybe 5,000 miles a year, so I just change it once a year. It does not appear to burn a drop between changes at 80,000 miles.

I believe I read a post on Toyota Nation where a guy got 400k out of one of these engines on Xw-20, and it was the transmission that ended up failing, engine was still going. At that rate, the truck will definitely outlast me.
 
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If I planned on keeping the Tacoma for a loooong time, I'd use the Toyota 0w-20 and Toyota stock OEM filter at 5k intervals.

I would only use Toyota Pink antifreeze and Toyota WS ATF.

I do not subscribe to any universal fluid usage. When I find the Toyota ATF video from Weber State, I'll send it to you. It may affect
how you think. But then again, it may not....
 
Originally Posted by cast71
Hi, I wanted to get oil recommendations for a 2012 Tacoma 2.7L with 70,000 miles on it. I did search allot of threads, and got allot of different answers
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. Some say Toyota went to thin oil, only to boost fuel economy and it will end up ruining your valves and pistons . Others say they used it especially because it has VVTI system and others oil can ruin it. The manual recommends to only use 0W20. I've been using that, since brand new. I change the oil yearly, at about 7000 miles. I use a Toyota factory oil filter. Thanks for any input.

I use Mobil1 0W-20 Extended Performance in my 2012 Tacoma 2.7L with 88,500 miles on it. I also use Toyota Oil Filters. Bought it new November 2011. Dealer used 0W-20 and 5W-20 for the first 6 years until I started my own maintenance and oil changes. Currently change oil @ 10,000 miles or 1 year which ever comes first.
 
Originally Posted by Direct_Rejection
This is in my wheelhouse.

As an owner previously of a 2005 Tacoma,
putting 750k miles on it,
and a 2018 Tacoma,
putting 143k miles on it,
both 2.7L 2TR FE,
I have some specific ideas for you, OP.

First, please use 0W20.
The truck runs so much better on this grade.

Second, the issues that came up for me
were the standard oil consumption
from valve stem wear
and piston ring coking.

I had a heck of a time passing the dreaded CA smog check.
Code P4020, catalyst below threshhold.
The only way to stop my dash from lighting up
like a Christmas Tree,
was i
to have a factory catalytic converter installed.
and yes it was expensive.

I used and recommend
Black Bottle Castrol EDGE HM 0W20,
available from Walmart, store or .com,
at ~ $25/5qts.
It is a low phosphorus formula.
Your truck will smile from headlight to headlight.

Hope this helps.

cool.gif




Holy cow 750,000 miles!!!!! That's pretty awesome. The valve stem wear
and piston ring coking, was what I read about on Tacoma forums. So I want to try and prevent as much wear as possible.
 
Originally Posted by Gebo
Here is the video on Toyota ATF:

https://youtu.be/t73jM6mT8sU


It is the 60 year history of Toyota ATF..very cool..



That's a great video. I change my transmission fluid every 30,000 miles, so using universal fluid really isn't saving much. Makes sense to use OEM. The video says type WS is backward compatible with type T-IV, which is what I use. I'm just going to stickv with T-IV. Same thing with coolant. Not really saving much. I change that at 30,000 miles too. As far as Valvoline Max life ATF, I had great experiences with it. I had a 96 Nissan Altima, that would only shift smooth with Nissan matic-D transmission fluid. I tried Max life in it and it seemed to shift smoother. That car had 230,000 miles on it. Original motor and transmission were going strong. It wouldn't pass inspection, because the frame was rotted. That won't be happening on my Tacoma, because I fluid film it, since I first got it. Zero rust and the roads are white during the winter from road salt. They dump it on the roads, when it's not even snowing
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. I also had great luck with Max life, in my 2000 f250 plow truck, that seen a real hard life. It was a work truck, before I got it. The price was right. I put a plow on it and did a complete tune up, including plugs and coils. Man that was a pain, getting to the back plugs. It drives pretty decent for a truck with 300,000 miles. There transmission is still a little rough, but much better with Max life in there. I'm still going to go back to Toyota atf, because that's great fluid and it's not much of a savings using Max life. Thanks
 
You are welcome! He also has videos on GM and Ford ATF's as well. Very interesting to see the evolution of ATF's.

Toyota WS is not backward compatible with T-IV. They are 2 totally independent ATF's and share no compatibility with each other.

Go back and watch that part again.
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Stick with Mobil 1 and use either Wix, Toyota or Mobil 1 filter and you can't go wrong. I would do the once a year change or 10,000 miles. If you get some consumption with the 0w20 you could use the Mobil 1 High Mileage. I use Maxlife ATF in all my vehicles you can certainly stay with Toyota ATF as I believe its made by Mobil. Change your air filters including cabin filter every 20,000.
 
Originally Posted by Amkeer
Stick with Mobil 1 and use either Wix, Toyota or Mobil 1 filter and you can't go wrong. I would do the once a year change or 10,000 miles. If you get some consumption with the 0w20 you could use the Mobil 1 High Mileage. I use Maxlife ATF in all my vehicles you can certainly stay with Toyota ATF as I believe its made by Mobil. Change your air filters including cabin filter every 20,000.



So far I get no noticable oil consumption. This was the longest I went for an OCI @ 7000 miles one year and still no noticable oil consumption. I change my cabin air filter yearly, because I notice it gets nasty after a year. I buy the cheap ones on eBay, for a few bucks. They work well. I use stock Toyota air filters, because I read there decent. I do have a couple jugs of Mobil 1 as well as Pennzoil Platinum. I'm an oil rebate hoarder
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I'd go with a 0W30, such as Mobil 1 AFE, changed every 6-7k with OEM toyota filters. I've never been a fan of 0W20 oils. If you are dead set on a 20wt oil, any API certified oil from Supertech 0W20 to Castrol, Valvoline, Pennzoil and any othe major brand should work well.
 
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