Is Synthetic oil right for the new Tundra?
By: Jason Lancaster
This is a question I hear all the time — "I just got a new Tundra and I want to treat it right — should I use synthetic oil? If so, should it be full synthetic or synthetic blend?" Unfortunately, the answer is complicated. Generally speaking, because synthetic oil has fewer impurities, better properties at high temperatures, slightly better viscosity, and it is more resistant to breakdown than regular oil, synthetic is better for AN engine. However, whether or not it’s better for YOUR engine depends on a few things.
First of all, are you zealous when it comes to changing your oil? In other words, if the manual says to change your oil every 5000 miles, do you have the oil changed at 4999.9? If you follow an oil change regimen, chances are you won’t benefit from synthetic oil. Synthetic oil is highly resistant to breakdown and sludge forming. However, most regular oil won’t breakdown unless excessive time and/or mileage passes between changes. Because most the benefits of synthetic oil over regular oil don’t show until the oil is subjected to adverse conditions, you really won’t see any benefit from synthetic unless you stress the oil. If you are the type that might forget an oil change (shame on you), or if maybe you don’t get to changing your oil right at 5000 (or within 500 miles of 5000), then you can buy a little insurance against engine damage by using synthetic oil.
For instance my aunt drives about 7k miles per year. At that rate she's only going to see an oil change about every 9 months. Since regular oil starts to wear out after 6 months, she should use synthetic. The best advice I can give you is think about who is in charge of maintaining the vehicles in your family and recommend synthetic oil to those people that will exceed the time threshold or those people that might space an oil change.
If you’re good at changing your oil on time, there’s really only one other common reason you would want to consider using synthetic. As natural oil gets hot, it starts to breakdown. The longer it stays hot, the worse the breakdown. So, if you regularly operate your vehicle in such a way that the engine temperature is always high, you should run synthetic. For example: Letting your vehicle idle for hours at a time (like on a jobsite) will overheat the engine. Because you’re not moving, there is no high-speed air circulating around the engine to keep it cool. In this case, excessive heat can build and normal oil will break down. Also, constant operation in high ambient temperatures (like the desert) or at high altitudes (over 10k feet) will also lead to higher engine temperatures. High temperature desert air has poor cooling properties, and while the air above 10k feet is usually cool, it’s “thin” and also has poor cooling properties.
Synthetic oil is most often used in high performance vehicles. If you are utilizing your vehicle like a high-performance car (high speeds, fast turns, you know who you are) then synthetic is a smart choice.
Some experts suggest synthetic oil in stop and go traffic. I believe it depends on where you live. It depends on your typical drive and just how much “stop” is mixed in with your “go”. If idle is excessive, then you can go synthetic. There is also some advice out there stating that if you only drive your vehicle short distances, you should use synthetic. The theory is that synthetic coats the engine better in a short time period than natural oil. In my opinion, if you only drive short distances, synthetic oil will not save your engine. Short distances are bad because the engine never gets a chance to fully lubricate and cycle the oil in the system. With modern engine tolerances being so high, I really don’t think synthetic will make much of a difference by sticking to all your parts better than regular oil. My advice to people that only drive short distances - stop it. Drive an extra 10 minutes. Join a carpool. Take the long way home…etc. Stop hurting your motor.
After reading this, you may have determined that synthetic oil is the oil for you. Use caution when purchasing synthetic oil. Sometimes your maintanence facility will suggest a synthetic blend to you as a way to save some cash. I suggest you pass. Most synthetic blends don't tell you how much of the oil is synthetic and how much is regular. Remember -- technically, synthetic blend could be 1% synthetic and 99% not. No blends (unless they're recommended by Toyota).
Last but not least, what does Toyota have to say about synthetics? “Any oil that meets API standard specifications can be used in your vehicle.” That means normal oil is just fine.
In conclusion: The new Toyota Tundra will operate for a very long time without the benefit of synthetic oil as long as the vehicle is properly maintained and used normally.
Article Source: http://www.uberarticles.com/articles
Author Jason Lancaster has been working in the auto business and with the Toyota Tundra for the better part of a decade. Get more Tundra Info at his website, www.tundraheadquarters.com.
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