Hi,
It was recently recommended to me to run Shell Rotella T6 because of some light sludge in the lower corners of the head.

I have 217k on the 5vze and want to keep it running strong. Currently I have been changing my oil every 4 months according to the owners manual. I do a lot of short trips and some idling.

So, for everyone using it, what has been your experience? Could I go longer between changes?

thanks for any input.
scott

 

Ive heard people like it, but the old oil type story is location, preference and cost dependant. I run Castrol Synthetic and a 2nd gen OEM toyota tacoma oil filter every 10,000Km, runs me $40 each change, never had an issue on any of the 4 toyotas here.

 

Oil threads can end up being a piling on of everyone and their grandma happy to share their opinion...

A little light sludge is probably pretty normal at those miles, but it's hard to say without seeing it. I use Castrol non-synthetic, for no other reason than at my local parts store, it's always available in 5 qrt jugs. Way easier to pour my used oil back into a 5 qrt jug than 5 individual quart bottles.

I never read my manual to see about oil changes, so I never knew what it said. I put a lot of miles on my truck, so I just do what I've always done: change the oil every 3,000 miles. I have 270,000 miles on the engine. The oil is getting pretty dark by the time I change it. When I pulled my valve covers to replace the gaskets at around 190,000 miles, my valves had the nice gold colored patina on them, but really no sludge buildup.

 

Shell Rotella T6 is a DIESEL oil, if you want a shell oil, you’re better off with their Rotella Gas Truck oil. It!s full synthetic and designed to work with engines in all mileages (meaning additives to help keep seals protected). If you want to see what the real oil nerds use, you could go to https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forum.../forum_summary . The honest truth is if you have a 3.4L engine, any API rated oil will be suitable if you keep the intervals 3,000 miles for regular oil/5,000 for synthetic (more frequently if you drive it in harsher conditions).

 

I’ve put nearly 100k on my ‘99 since I got it. I use the Valvoline high mileage on a 5k mile change interval I get the 5qt jugs from amazon for $17.

Valvoline High Mileage with MaxLife Technology SAE 10W-30 Synthetic Blend Motor Oil 5 QT
and using a D3 Filter which is a larger filter element. I have noticed that my oil is getting cleaner after changes and I think it’s cleaning things out because my valve cover leak has intensified.

 

Diesel oil works great in these trucks. T6 is popular and I use it often. The proof is in the oil analysis wear numbers and T6 has been excellent for me (3RZ with 260k).

Would not hesitate to use T6 if its the right viscosity for your use application.