alcarames

Hello gentlemen, I just purchased a 1997 4runner SR5 V6 with a 5 speed. It's very nice, I just did an oil change and I remember reading they take about 5.5 quarts but mine was more like six and unless there's something wrong with the dipstick it still reads low. Anyone else's 4runner take more oil than 5.5, if so how much? Could I be reading the stick wrong? There are two dots on the stick and the level should be up to the second dot, right?

Elton

5.5qts is plenty did let the truck run a little while then check it ?

alcarames

No, I didn't let it run. I'll have to do that. So 5.5 is the max then? Is 6 too much? I don't want to blow any seals.

brian2sun

5.5 is the capacity. That amount should bring your level right to the top dot on the dipstick. Run the engine like Elton said for a few minutes, then wait a couple minutes before you check it so the oil has a chance to drip back down into the pan.

If it still reads too high, just loosen the plug a little and drain some out. There is 1 qt. between the 2 dots on the dipstick. I wouldn't worry about blowing seals w/ 6 qts., but it's easy to drain a little out, so I would if it was mine.

el-guapin

6qt was right on the top mark for me. Maybe my filter holds a bit more oil.

alcarames

So there is no set oil capacity? I currently have 6qts and it still not up to where it should be. I have run the motor and waited 5 minutes for the oil to settle and still. Also, I don't know if this is a factor but I used 10w-40 sythetic oil.

brian2sun

There is in fact a set oil capacity as per your owner's manual and it is 5.5 qts. There are over-sized filters available for our engines that do hold about 1/2 qt. more so you may have one of those and they are actually better than stock size filters because they have more surface area to filter contaminates out. If your filter is longer than about 4", you have an over-sized one.

Look at another 3.4L Toyota's dipstick and compare the 2 and see if that's it. The only other thing I can think of is maybe you have a non-OEM oil pan w/ a little more capacity. Just out of curiosity, why 10W-40?

alcarames

Thanks, I'm using the stock oil filter I forgot the model number but I beleive it's 955z and some other numbers I can't remember. The truck has 131k miles so I figured 10w-40 would be better for compression and protection, which is what I used in my 88 runner with no problems. Is that too thick for these engines?

brian2sun

Most people on here seem to use 10w-30 for high mileage 3.4s (myself included) for the same reasons you said, but I don't think it's going to hurt to use 10w-40 - it's not that much thicker.

What seems strange to me is that if you are running a stock oil filter, put 6 qts. in, and you're still not up to the top dot on the dipstick, somethings weird. I know mine would be well over the top dot.

How low are you? Are you even at the bottom dot? Maybe the new oil is so clean, it's on the dipstick, but it's hard to see - I've had to take it into the house before and put it under a light before I could see it.

alcarames

Ok, it seems to finally be at the dot now. It has 6qts in it, I let it sit all day and checked it. I ended up putting a little more in totaling 6qts.

Ron Helmuth

one dealership sold me the small filters and said they were the OEM replacement.

Another dealership notified me that a longer filter is now recommended.

This might explain the 5.5 versus 6 quarts-all depends on the filter used.