Prius 2010 Oil Change Interval Revised? Not yet... (closed)

I agree, I had to rewrite my response 3 times because every time I read it back I realized it was still confusing.... at any rate the manufacturers have to make rules and recommendations based on the use and practices of all customers.

They finally broke it into two categories "normal and Severe service" and we have to figure out what that means to narrow it down.

All in all, I"m not intimidated to go longer especially when others already profess to have paved the way are pleased with the results and the oil manufacturers themselves are Ok'ing it when using certain products.

True, its not "Toyota" but we have to look at this rationally and realize that Toyota's recommendations place them liable much more than it does us when we break them.
Politics play a very important role in all this!
They are a "big" target for lawsuits!

Seems Politics have much more to do with the economy and laws we live under than we like to think.
Since when does the economy or laws of the land have to make sense or have common sense?

 

Amen!

 

I'm sure you have been told this before, but in the UK Prius service interval is 1 year or 10,000 miles. Some cars are even 20,000 miles. (new Audi)

Either your oil is rubbish or there is something else going on.

 

Both.

 

Neither.

 

Its almost common knowledge our oil is not up to UK European standards, its also common knowledge that over here we have 'lots" else going on!.... mostly to do with politics... I hate to keep going back to that but is seems to cloud and overshadow every major decision government and companies do.

Not to turn this into A Freds forum topic, but it does help explain why things aren't as they appear and things appear as they aren't.

 

Option c) all of the above

The API oil standards are a fraction of what the ACEA require. Eg: the thermal breakdown test is run 1/4 as long for API rated oils. The ACEA is represented by the car makers, who are free to set whatever oil standard they want

The ACEA also clearly contrasts the difference in service standards, eg the ACEA A1 (Minimum standard) up to A3/B3-B4 (Most severe duty, highly extended oil changes, etc). Here with the API, no matter the cheapest generic motor oil, or something like Mobil 1 European Car Formula 0W-40, both have the exact same API rating: SM

Does that imply that the $1.50 a quart cheap generic 5W-30 is JUST AS GOOD as the Mobil 1 0W-40? Under the eye of the API, yes!

Hence, the fact that many new cars sold in the EU offer oil change intervals of up to 2 years or 30,000 miles. While here car companies like Toyota mandate every 6 months or 5,000 miles, to avoid a repeat of sludged up motors run 7,500 miles on cheap crap API oil

The API is an oil industry shill. There is more money to be made with having all these quick oil change places, suggesting oil changes every 3 months or 3,000 miles

I'm not pulling your willie. A surprising number of car drivers have their oil changed every 3 months or 3,000 miles!

Both. See above. I have posted many technical details on oil standards, comparing the API to the ACEA. That is why the minimum oil change in the EU is every 12 months or 10,000 miles, with a lot of cars offering 2 year/30,000 mile intervals

You simply can't do that with crap API oil that will barely last 3,000 miles

 

Good info! Thanks!

So what oil sold in the USA meets ACEA standards that would allow a Prius to go 2 yrs/30k mi without an oil change?

 

This gets you one year 35K

AMSOIL - Signature Series 0W-30 100% Synthetic Motor Oil (SSO)

Here is a wear scale, mobile one don't look so hot according to thier specs... who knows if they are biased.

 

For what its worth, this thread helped to open my eyes.

I"ve never really thought I would care to use synthetic until now.
I always thought it was more hype than real quality... especially if you have to change in 3 - 5K miles anyway, then why the extra expense I figured?

But after giving synthetic a better look since 0W -20W is only available in synthetic, now I see there are many options and choices and the quality far superceeds regular oil.

I for one don't really car about what Toyota says as long as the oil checks good and the oil manufacturer feels I'm within its limits, I figure Toyota's engine is top of the line and if you can run other engines to 15K or even 35K, I don't see why Toyota should be any different.

I intend to change to mobil 1 on my first 5K change, then go to at least at 10K or maybe 15K with Amsoil and see how the oil fares and who knows, then may bump up another 5K until I see suspicious wear in the oil.
I'm still mixed on whether I want to use SSO Amsoil as its rated at 35K but they do encourage to change the filter at 25... if I have to change the filter, I'll be changing the oil too so I might as well stick with the proper viscocity and use 0W - 20W instead of the SSO 0W - 30W.

Don't feel bad for posting what you heard, it gendered good discussion and brought enlightenment.

 

there is no Amsoil EAO filter for your application at this time
use the SSO 0W30 instead of the 0W20, and change it annually, one change per year, using a Wix filter ... change the filter at 15k, or annually if your mileage is less than 15k

no need to complicate things

i'm driving a Gen II, there is an Amsoil EAO filter for my application
i change the oil once, either in December or January :thumb:

shoot me a PM if you need some juice

 

I put around 30K a year on my car....

What is your rational for using the SSO?
Do you feel the added wear is a better trade than using the wrong viscosity?

Do you have the same access to the standard Amsoil 0W-20W that you do for the 0W-30W, and if not would you still choose the SSO 0W-30W if you had the same access to the other?

 

Nevermind, I think I found your reasoning here in post # 17.
After reading that post, it should be clear that the elevated fear for using synthetic longer than the 5K Toyota recommends is unfounded.

All in all, if an engine wears the same in 35K miles with a higher viscosity oil that it does in 25K with lower viscosity, it stands to reason the higher viscosity "35K rated" has less friction and therefore should get as good if not better gas mileage than the lower viscosity oil.

does that make sense to anybody else?

 

I wouldn't totally write it off, there was something going on. For me the 5K OCI is an improvement (was in the 3K mindset/requirement).
And certainly don't beat yourself up about relaying the information! That is what these chatrooms are all about. I have learned a great deal about oil standards(FWIW) and OCIs.

Have a good night.

 

I agree something was going on with Toyota. You just got hold of early information. I appreciate you sharing it with us.

 

i think i posted on this earlier in the thread, and posted up the write-up from the Amsoil Dealer site

the SSO is a better oil, it's not just because of longer OCI
further the 0W30 is only marginally thicker than the 0W20
it is a lightweight 30, it is better oil than the 20, Toyota's recommendation for the 20 is total BS, and if the oil were to shear, the 30 would shear down toward a 20, wherein a 20 would shear down even farther below 20 ... how thin you want to go?

it's not the wrong viscosity

you're car doesn't need or want the 20, it's an attempt to get the fleet mileage lower; it won't impact your car's mileage, and your car will be healthier and better off with the 0W30

the 0W30 has a better additive package, it will hold up longer, take more abuse, keep your engine cleaner, and prevent wear better than the 0W20 ... it lasts longer

and YES, i have equal access to the 0W20 and the 0W30
again, i think i posted this earlier, because i own a Prius, two trucks and a high performance motorcycle, maintain two other Priuses, as well as a few of my buddies' cars and trucks, i am an Amsoil dealer ... i go through a lot of oil in a year, and i mitigate that as much as possible by using a good solid synthetic with longer drain intervals, or i'd be changing oil at least every month

when i'm caught in a pinch, i buy oil retail off the shelf, different oil depending upon the vehicle/application ... and depending upon when i'm ready to take delivery on a shipment of Amsoil

case in point, i've got some Peak 5W30 dino oil in a friends Gen II Prius right now, it will stay in for 3500 miles (altho 5K would be fine), then i'll run some detergent through the crankcase, and swap it out for the synthetic SSO OW30 juice and the Amsoil EAO filter ... on a one year OCI ... i'll do the change either last week of Dec, or first week of Jan

were I you ... since you're doing 30K a year, assuming it's normal versus severe service

I'd do an oil and filter change in January, SS0 OW30,
and then I'd do another filter change in July, and top off any oil consumption ... if you're feeling anxious, take a sample in July and send it to Blackstone

If you're anxious, or you're doing a lot of short trips, or driving in a windy/dusty environment, or towing/hauling a lot of gear, then you can do an oil and filter change in both January and July ... that's six months and about 15K on the oil and filter ... and i'd STILL use the SSO 0W30, not the 0W20
you can send a sample in to Blackstone after each change, which should show you still got plenty of mileage on the oil

... even if you did two changes a year on the SSO 0W30, you're still paying less than $100 a year for the best oil available

so at 30,000 miles a year, if you went to Jiffy Lube every 5k, and they charged you a grand total of $15 per oil change, you be going to Jiffy Lube six times per year and spending $90

i don't think you're going to get a $15 oil change, certainly not for good synthetic, plus Jiffy Lube is a bunch of monkeys and you're giving 'em six chances per year to ruin your baby ... who knows what they're pouring into your crankcase, and how much of it ... (google jiffy lube and look at the horror stories) ... you get what you pay for

point is, it costs about the same to use discount oil, but have to deal with six changes, as it would to do two annual changes with the best oil available ... and frankly, you'd only need to do one oil change with two filter changes ... until they release an EAO filter for the 2010

again, it just doesn't make sense not to put the best juice in your car
not to mention, Amsoil is 100% synthetic ... NO oil, NONE

you're not giving a dollar to any foreign interests, any oil companies, there's no drilling, nothing ... good for your Prius, good for the planet, good for your wallet, great for your piece of mind

that's all i got :thumb:



it's your car, you gotta feel good about the choices you make
at severe service, at two changes per year with 0W20 you're right at the margins, and with SSO 0W30 you've got a few thousand miles of wiggle room

what you want to know is that you're car is going to last for a long long time ... you're NOT going to go wrong with either, but i still recommend the SSO 0W30

... at two SS0 0W30 + filter changes per year, you'll have that car darn near forever, and you'll NEVER have to worry about the oil, total piece of mind every time you push that button, every time :thumb:

like i said, shoot me a PM if you need some juice

 

uh ... just saw this

 

I don't recall seeing this question answered. I am getting my oil changed on Monday and I will be telling the dealer to use Synthetic 0-20W (I assume it is Toyota oil) and I assume they will use a Toyota oil filter.

If I want to go to 10,000 mile intervals, will the Toyota oil filter last that long?

 

you shouldn't assume anything

and toyota makes neither oil nor oil filters, so they are both manufactured by another company and then rebranded

you'll have to do some research