Hey guys, What is the best oil for my 2001 4runner 3.4L v6??
it has 164k miles on it, and last time i changed the oil was about 11k miles ago.
Those 11k miles worry me about sludge ... should i do a engine flush, or should i get the best oil (one that cleans sludge...do those even work?).

thnx for ur help guys!

 

DO NOT try to clean the sludge out from the engine with any cleaners. Your going to loosen it all up and what doesnt come out of the pan will plug up your oil pickup screen which will prevent oil from lubricating the rest of your engine. Your best bet is to change your oil at regular intervels (i still perfer 3,000 miles) however, waiting until 11,000 miles is way too long between changes. Some people will tell you 3,000 is too early and they change it out alittle later which is fine as long as you read your oil on your dipstick as this is the best tell sign of the condition of your oil besides of course getting it tested by a lab but for visual inspection and cleanliness this is your best bet.

Just change your oil and then change it out at 3,000 and you will be fine.

 

You might consider going with a synthetic blend or full synthetic. The syntheitc lubricants will break up sludge and varnish, so after switching to synthetic, you'd probably want to change the oil after 3,000 miles, then you could extend that to 6,000 miles depending on how the oil looks. I'd still check it regularly whatever you do.

I use Royal Purple 5W-20 full synthetic in my '08 4Runner and have been really pleased with its longevity; I change it about 7,000 miles and it still looks pretty clear.

 

I have two 4runners a 98 and an 04

on the 98 i tow a 5500 pound boat up and down a 7700 foot hill a couple of times a year, and drive in snow alot. I used the old type of oil for most of the milage and changed it at 7500 intervals. Recently I have gone to mobil 1 and change it at 10,000 intervals. I bring this up to say what I am doing, not what you should do. I have 230,000 miles on the engine and no problem so far.

on my 2004, i have used mobil 1 and change it every 10,000 miles. It has the V8, and is relatively new at 92,000 miles.

 

cool. thnx.
my 01 4runner has 166k on it. Should i use a thicker oil like 40w-70? i heard that with older engines u wanna use thicker oils.... ?

 

Always follow the Toyota guide..that is the rule I try to use.

I use 5w-30 or 10w-30 even at 230K miles.

 

The spec is 15w40 for that engine but you must be sure that it is a diesel rated oil that is suitable for turbos. If it has been using 20w50 then it will no sound a bit noisier It is to use 20w50 in higher temperatures or if the engine is using oil, but lets be realistic it is a diesel