vader1

I bought a 2010 Highlander a few several months ago and was poking around at it and the current Toyota 3.6 liter six does not have the traditional screw on oil filter but has a aluminum housing that you remove and pull out a paper element and just replace that. The recomended interval is 5,000 miles and I got two years free maintenance so I don't plan to pay extra to do it any more often than that.

My dad liked mine and bought a 2011, which Toyota (like many of the new models) has switched to synthetic from the factory and while the computer and manual state a 5000 mile interval, they are instructing dealers to recommend staying with synthetic and 10,000 oil change intervals to customers.

I thought I remember someone saying new Bimmers have a 15k oil change interval.

Now for those that have been on the board a while might remember Road Rage, who I think was a petroleum engineer or something and he had stated that in all the testing he had done for his employer, that they noticed virtually no breakdown in the oil (under normal street conditions) at points well beyond 5000 miles, but that after about 5000 miles the ground silica content began to go up. I thought he suggested no benefit for changing oil at 3,000 miles, but at 5000 it might be a good idea to change the oil and filter because of dirt accumulation.

So does anyone have info on the new Toyota filters, or any change in general in oil filters, because it seems like manufacturers service intervals at 10,000 miles or higher could be subjecting the engine to lots of dirt, unless I missed some new improved technology.

Anybody actually go that long on a car you own? And isn't the oil pretty much sludge at 10,000 miles?

hondafrvr

Synthetic usually has a lifetime of twice as long.
My mechanic recommends 3k mile dino oil change or 7.5k mile synthetic

Is it possible that the petroleum engineer you are quoting was talking about dino oil and not synthetic?

Saki GT

Cartridge filters are the new (old) tech - instead of packaging and reselling the filter element in the metal, attach the metal to the car and just sell the actual filter element (and rubber seals). This is how it was originally done before spin-on filters became popular, and its now the preferred way again.

As far as oil life goes, only you can find that out for yourself - get a used oil analysis done on your old oil and find out what shape its in. Every factual thing I've seen over the past number of years pretty much pegs dino oil good up to 10k mi, synth 20k mi, between changes. Most manufacturers these days rec. 7.5k mi intervals for dino, or like you stated, 15k mi for synth.

With regard to RR and S2000s, dino oil - from used oil analyses - shows some shear in viscosity grade but is still within parameters for protection. This is normal for dino oil though. Synthetic does not shear with use like dino does. As far a dirt accumulation, part of oil's job is to catch and trap dirt, if it wasn't accumulating dirt, I'd be worried. Sludge is essentially oil that has captured so much dirt its lubricity and cooling capabilities are impaired, and is dangerous because it clogs the pathways oil travels to keep the engine lubricated, clean, and cooled.

Imo, at 3k mi the oil is still brand new, so changes at that interval are a waste anymore. 7.5k mi with a new filter is a happy medium, especially when you need to stay with warranty specs.

rich85tpi

I've heard that the main reason BMW upped the oil change interval is due to the fact that BMW is paying for the oil changes on new cars (free maintenance for 3 years).

The tech editor of Roundel (the BMWCCA's magazine) recommends 5000 mile oil changes (I think), and changing the transmission and differential fluids regularly too. BMW states that the manual transmissions and differentials have "lifetime" fluid and it doesn't need to be changed.

offroad2000

I work at Lexus and some of the newer cars are going to synthetic and 10k intervals. The filter gets changed every 10k along with the oil. I would say you are good at 10k intervals.

vader1

He was, but my concern is not so much the break down of the properties of the oil, but the accumulation of gound up sand and dirt when the filter is toast. And at what point the oil that is full of dirt ends up causing damage. I suppose this varies with factors like driving on dirt roads and such, but was just curious about street driving.

I have never changed oil that was more than 4,000 miles just because it is cheap and easy, I am going to be fine with 5,000 mile changes if they are free, but I think at 10,000 miles you have been running some good sludge for some time.

marthafokker

The 5k maintenance on the 2yr/25k miles warranty is to bring the car in to do basic checks and tire rotation. Oil changes at 10k interval with synthetics as others have indicated.

dombey

I do it when the cars tell me to...usually 5-6k IIRC

s2kftw

toyota/lexus is going with 10k mile intervals now, since switching to 0w-20.

they have been testing 0w-20 sythetic for some time now, and have now put it into service on most of their vehicles.

There are a few models that use 0w-20, and still have 5k intervals.

i seen the insides of these motors daily and see no harm in going to 10k miles intervals, if using the 0w-20 synthetic

smurf2k

on my new honda fit im at 4500 miles and the engine oil life reads 50%... which is adjusted for condition and driving style

btw, i wouldnt believe a word from a "petroleum engineer" re: motor oil. what you want is a chemist