AW1985

Okay....I searched and have read thoroughly. Just looking for any updated thoughts:

I purchased my 88 Pickup from the original owner and it has 150K. It's pristine and you can see the pride the gentlemen took in maintaining it. I purchased it as a stop-gap to daily drive to work and back this winter why I am waiting take delivery of my new Ford Raptor in January.

I wasn't intending on any long road trips but I just got informed that I have to head down to Alabama (stationed in Colorado, so a long drive!).

I was wondering what you guys thought about oil choices? I know it's a can of worms. My thoughts: I'd like to run Amsoil in it, as all my other vehicles and motorcycles use it, and its very convenient to order from them at reduced pricing.

It has no leaks, and my concern is that it will develop them after making the switch to synthetic. In addition, another concern is that the older engines like a higher zinc content. Any thoughts on this? Personal experiences?

On another subject this truck is amazing. Can't believe that a 30 year old truck with a underpowered 22RE keeps up at 80 on the interstate here in the mountains. It runs like a top, and the 22RE has won me over. It's decent on gas, and perfect tooling around on the trails.

Sorry for the long winded post.

salabim

The whole key is to use a good quality oil and filter and change them often. I use Rotella and Toyota OEM filters.
Using synthetic isn't gonna hurt anything. I would use the viscosity grades ( 10w or 20w 30-40-50 that Toyota recommends depending on the average temps in your area.

mwisham

You shouln't have any issues switching over to synthetic. I use nothing but Mobil One in all my vehicles. I have a 1980 20R that had 140,000 miles on it when I got it from the second owner. I put Mobil one in it right away and had no problems.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

It should be quite interesting no matter what oil you decide I never used a synthetic doubtful I ever will

Going on long extended drives can cause interesting things to happen.

How many Days are they giving you for travel ??

It is a 30 year old truck well taken care of you drive 1000 miles in @18 hours depending on Fuel stops and if you stop for real food

The heat of driving that far can in that time cause interesting things to happen .

Been there done that so very many times .

Trents3.slow

Very true. IV driven a 90's 4Runner as a DD for a few years, and only after I took it on a road trip did little odds of the vehicle come to the surface. Nothing dangerous happened or a break down. The vehicle seemed as if it was over worked. Kind of like total heat penetration set in to all the parts. It was like driving a warmed up athlete that didn't have another play left.

To contribute to the question. Oil....as long as it's clean and the correct weight you should be fine.....I have no desire to use over priced oil or synthetics. Oil is oil.

wallytoo

iTrader: (1)

i took my '87 4runner on a cross country trip in july. no issues at all. only had a headlight fail. truck now has 156k miles. it withstood 124 degree temps at death valley, doing light wheeling.

the 22re is a decent, dependable motor.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

Going on your trip did you drive 15 to 20 hours straight stopping for gas and quicky mart food .??Till you got to where you were going .

Most likely on Interstates @ 65 mph or better

Over the years it seemed to happen on vehicles that were the grocery getters back and forth to work the grocery store maybe 50 miles a week for a year or two

Who can say maybe it is just my bad luck,

.A few that come to mind cracked radiator tank in Arizona

Two rear wheel bearings different trips

1 top radiator hose less then 3 months old

Numerous wheel seals engine oil leaks . one engine got warm things expanded it started taking a quart of oil about 1/2 tank of gas

Always something all these trips were pretty much get in and go of more than a thousand miles .

Add a 30 year old vehicle into the equation

Granted quite a few other trips of just cruising along might drive 4 or 5 thousand miles in a month not 24 hours with no problems

This has been over a few years 1972 till now

YoterMeister

Hello everyone! i have a question about my oil as well, best thread i could find to ask (let me know if there's a better place) i just swapped a 3vze out of a 92 p/u into a 95 4runner and when i start it the oil pressure gauge jumps to the middle where it should be but as it idles then it slowly goes back down to nothing? could it be the sending unit?

wallytoo

iTrader: (1)

the return cross country trip was mostly interstate, 10 to 12 hours per day. I--70 in CO is a pretty good test with those steep, long grades. did over 800 miles each of the last two days back.

going out, same 10 to 12 hours per day, but mostly on secondary routes (US 6, US 30, etc).

8500 miles in 31 days was plenty of test for my money.

wally

-VikingsTw-

I don't use anything but Amsoil as far as gear lube, ATF and Engine oil accompanied by their engine oil filters.

I think they are the best on the market. The benefits of long term oil use save me on change intervals and money in the long run, higher quality oil for longer drain intervals with nano fiber technology in their oil filters. Especially when it comes to engine oil. Amsoil offers engine flushes and now transmission flushes to help clean deposits. I've used both over the years on high millage GM engines and transmissions. I don't have long term experience with Amsoil in Toyota's but the individual who introduced me to Amsoil was a huge fan of Toyota .

I'm a believer in their flushes, they request a new filter during the engine flush. Recently when I ran a cleansing I took the what was light oil filter off the truck after flushing and it's weight had changed dramatically. It was much, much heavier than the filter I took off of the old oil change prior to flushing. I always get the oil warmed up on a drive before putting on a new oil filter and flushing.

Amsoil is not really a name brand in most auto part stores but their literature and stories of long term use and protection is what impressed me so much with Amsoil. Being the first synthetic ever and continuing to advance has been impressive, they have a huge line of products. Started out with Al Amatuzio a veteran of world war 2 and fighter jet pilot who took interest in the high quality synthetics required of the fighter jet planes.

I order engine oil once a year. Their ATF fluids are getting even better in terms of long term use and keeping transmission cooler. It's all I go with to protect the most expensive components in my vehicles.