"Flex Fuel" Tundras and 5,000 mile OEM oil change interval?

[sixdogs]

I had a 1999 suburban with the 5.7. Used mobile1 and after 135k a cam had a flaw and the engine was replaced. I was surprised how much sludge was in that engine. Everywhere oil pooled was black sludge.

Very interesting and we might be onto something. What were your driving habits? A lot of short trips? Oil change interval?

 

[newbury]

C'mon guys if you want longer oil change intervals -
Trust but Verify
I've written about my dually where I was getting GREAT Used Oil Analysis up to 20K, where some advice was change at 3K.
Get a UOA during warranty when you reach the "recommended" interval and use that as a baseline. Then either after warranty or when you want to start stretching the interval start checking the UOA's.

Driving habits, environmental conditions and oil type can drastically affect how soon the oil needs to be replaced. Modern synthetic oils seem to run a lot longer than dino oils of a few years ago, but even the dino oils are improving.

And if changing your oil every 1,000 miles gives you peace of mind DO IT. If no mistakes are made there should be no damage.

 

[houstonscott]

Very interesting and we might be onto something. What were your driving habits? A lot of short trips? Oil change interval?

Changed oil every 3-5 miles. Mostly highway miles, it was a 4x4 2500 suburban with. 4.10 rear end. I used tear one fuels and put 93 octane in it for years.

 

[Snobdds]

Just bought a new Land Cruiser (5.7) , calls for oil change every 10k miles! I changed brake in oil at 1500, and plan on every 5k. Takes that new 0/20 oil, that scares me in Texas heat.

I don't know if your a land cruiser guy, but I have been driving them for close to 15 years now. No better vehicle in my opinion. I only put about 5,000 miles a year on my 200 series with the 5.7 and I change mine once a year with Mobil 1 0W-20. It's been fine.

The crawl control is the best 4wd management system ever invented. I would put it up against the 80 series land cruiser with tripled locked capability.

 

[houstonscott]

I don't know if your a land cruiser guy, but I have been driving them for close to 15 years now. No better vehicle in my opinion. I only put about 5,000 miles a year on my 200 series with the 5.7 and I change mine once a year with Mobil 1 0W-20. It's been fine. The crawl control is the best 4wd management system ever invented. I would put it up against the 80 series land cruiser with tripled locked capability.

I've admired them for years, bought a new FJ40 in 1978. I've driven suburban for 25 years, all have had engine failures. Almost bought a LC in 2009 but stuck with new suburban. This last one 2009 with the 5.3 and running mobile1 started to burn oil at 135k miles, fed up with Chevrolet I bought the LC. Many of my PU friends have moved to Toyota Tundra and rave about stuff not breaking anymore. I really like the New LC. It was very hard to make a good deal, but I did, LC's are like gold bars. I agree LC is best vehicle in world.

 

[WilliamBos]

Re: "Flex Fuel" Tundras and 5,000 mile OEM oil change interval?

I've admired them for years, bought a new FJ40 in 1978. I've driven suburban for 25 years, all have had engine failures. Almost bought a LC in 2009 but stuck with new suburban. This last one 2009 with the 5.3 and running mobile1 started to burn oil at 135k miles, fed up with Chevrolet I bought the LC. Many of my PU friends have moved to Toyota Tundra and rave about stuff not breaking anymore. I really like the New LC. It was very hard to make a good deal, but I did, LC's are like gold bars. I agree LC is best vehicle in world.

I am moving to a Toyota Tundra after i am done with my 2011 Sierra 4.8. I want nothing to do with AFM and all the headaches associated with it..

 

[houstonscott]

I am moving to a Toyota Tundra after i am done with my 2011 Sierra 4.8. I want nothing to do with AFM and all the headaches associated with it..

Just read an article that the top three most reliable vehicles in the world are, Toyota Tundra, Toyota LC, and Toyota 4Runner. Lol.

 

[WilliamBos]

Just read an article that the top three most reliable vehicles in the world are, Toyota Tundra, Toyota LC, and Toyota 4Runner. Lol.

I can believe it. This truck has been good to me, but it is the last of the non afm trucks.

I see so many good reasons to go Tundra - No AFM and no EPS.

 

[crazyal]

I had a guy at a junk yard once tell me that when he got a vehicle in that had a good running engine but was converted to propane that he would only sell the engine to someone who was going to continue to use propane. He said that he had too many fail after getting put into gasoline vehicles. Something about the propane getting past the rings and into the engine. I wonder if the same is true with e85. I wonder if Toyota is worried about ethanol getting past the rings and mixing with the engine oil. Being a solvent I bet it wouldn't take much to reduce the lubricating properties of the oil. Just a guess but seams plausible to me.

 

[DEWFPO]

I thought many of these propane engines, started and ran on gasoline until they heated up and then switched over to propane. Maybe that was the earlier units?

DEWFPO