First Blackstone Engine Oil Analysis - Seems Normal (2024 Tacoma 2.4L I-4 Turbo T24A-FTS)

[TacoFreak]

Yeah, I have always done my own oil changes with Mobil 1. When I traded in my Tundra they didn't ask any service questions and gave me a killer price.

The only time I have ever been asked about the lack of dealer service was by a Toyota service manager when I took it in for a new bed under a TSB. He said our records show that this truck has never been serviced. I said no, it has only been serviced by me since I don't usually trust dealers to do it properly. lol

My current dealer provides 5 services at 5k mile intervals so I may let them do the oil changes, except for an early one. Once those are over I will go back to doing them all myself.

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[32spoke]

...so if I scheduled oil changes every ~5-7K at the dealership w/their formulation, would my resale be higher or about the same vs changing the oil myself?

Yes, but only if you sell to a tribologist… sorry, bad joke- but I had to do it

 

[tacosinnataco]

As a side note, for anyone doing DIY, highly recommend a Fumoto valve. I've installed them on every car I've ever owned. If you're rocking a skid, get the one with a long nipple - you can literally drain the oil with a PE tube right into a container. Completely mess-free.

As long as the valve is protected, then it's fine. If it's not, I'd stay away as my buddy blew his LS1 engine. We both had LS1FDs and the time.... he was out doing "canyon" runs and bottomed out somewhere along the way. Anyway - the large valve (Fumoto) broke off and he spun a bearing as he lost all of his oil.

I'm not even at 300miles yet so I haven't had the pleasure of looking underneath my tacoma. I have no clue where the drain plug is but I'm simply sharing a potential issue. Skids will definitely help mitigate the problem I described though.

 

[TacoFreak]

As long as the valve is protected, then it's fine. If it's not, I'd stay away as my buddy blew his LS1 engine.

A friend of mine had this happen too. I think the drain plug is protected in most 4th gens, but if not the convenience of a Fumoto valve is not worth the risk IMO.

 

[Gurvy522]

A friend of mine had this happen too. I think the drain plug is protected in most 4th gens, but if not the convenience of a Fumoto valve is not worth the risk IMO.

Hence I was saying, I would really only recommend them if you have a skid. But I think the nipple-less version is pretty safe even without a skid - the drain hole is at an angle and you'd bottom out on the pan before hitting the valve, at least on our trucks.

Even with the long-nipple version I'd say I've got a solid 3-4" or so between the TRD skid and the valve, so personally, I'm not too concerned.

 

[Lando]

When would you change the oil for the 1st time?
I want to change it at 1000-1500 miles. Then on a regular schedule of 5000 miles.
I was told Toyota uses a special break in oil that has to be in for a certain amount of time?

Old school break-in you change the oil out on a new engine within 1000 miles.

 

[Gurvy522]

When would you change the oil for the 1st time?
I want to change it at 1000-1500 miles. Then on a regular schedule of 5000 miles.
I was told Toyota uses a special break in oil that has to be in for a certain amount of time?

Old school break-in you change the oil out on a new engine within 1000 miles.

Fairly certain there's no special formula break-in oil. I could be wrong, but I think it's just the standard OE formulation.

There's some valid arguments to doing your first few changes early. And some people do their changes every 5K. I'm probably beating on a really dead horse right now, as this is a super heaily discussed topic, but I'd imagine the Toyota engineers are probably pretty smart and 10K intervals are most likely fine. There's no negative to changing your oil more frequently, aside from the dent you leave in your wallet.

However, I like to do my first 4 changes at 5K intervals, half of the Toyota recommendation. I'll send in my 1st and 3rd/4th oil change to Blackstone for analysis. Based on the second analysis, I determine how frequently I need to change the oil. If the 4th analysis comes back and they tell me I have a lot of life in the oil, I'll run it up to 7500, or even 10K.

Just my 2 cents. I tend to be a pretty data-driven person, and I'll let the data decide how frequently I need to change the oil, and use the owner's manual of more of a "maximum interval" than anything.

 

[TacoFreak]

Do the 10k mile oil change intervals apply only to non-hybrids? My hybrid calls for oil changes every 5k miles according to my dealer. From reading on this forum I expected the intervals to be 10k.

 

[Gurvy522]

Do the 10k mile oil change intervals apply only to non-hybrids? My hybrid calls for oil changes every 5k miles according to my dealer. From reading on this forum I expected the intervals to be 10k.

Find that quite odd. The engine is identical. I'd check your manual.

 

[TacoFreak]

Find that quite odd. The engine is identical. I'd check your manual.

I looked in the manual and I can find what oil to use, but not any intervals yet. I also saw some Toyota literature that came with my truck that said it had free service every 5k miles or two years, whichever comes first.

I will look more closely, but when I saw that I thought - wait, what? I thought it was 10 k intervals. My dealer put a sticker inside my windshield calling for the first oil change at 5k miles. I don't understand.

 

[Gurvy522]

I looked in the manual and I can find what oil to use, but not any intervals yet. I also saw some Toyota literature that came with my truck that said it had free service every 5k miles or two years, whichever comes first.

I will look more closely, but when I saw that I thought - wait, what? I thought it was 10 k intervals. My dealer put a sticker inside my windshield calling for the first oil change at 5k miles. I don't understand.

Probably for the first service, not the first oil change.

"ToyotaCare" as they like to call it, comes with 4 free services.

First service comprises of a tire rotation and inspection.
Second service is a rotation, oil change, and inspection.
Third is same as the first.
Fourth is same as the second.

The whole point of ToyotaCare (and similar services) is to get you "used to" going to a dealership to get services done. So that after you've gotten your 4 services, you keep going back.

I apologize, it's not the owner's manual, but the "Warranty and Maintenance Guide". You should have one in the glovebox. It'll have every maintenance interval listed out.

 

[TacoFreak]

@Gurvy522 Yeah - that is probably what I saw from Toyota and I thought those included an oil change. Those 5k "services" are total bs except for the tire rotation.

But I do have a sticker inside my windshield that I think says next oil change @ 5k miles, but maybe it was just the next service. I was going to check that, but then I remembered that I dropped if off for PPF today and my truck isn't out there. lol

I will follow up once I have it back - maybe getting a new truck has made me crazy.

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