With massive GM engine recall and Tundra issues, is the 0W-20 a good oil?

[oxi]

After reading what GM and Ford are doing, changing thickness of their oil to combat failures, etc... the Tacoma engine is smaller, but do we need to think about this a bit?

Some notes:

" As for what the automaker is telling technicians to do, the first step will be to inspect 6.2-liter V8 engines for manufacturing defects. If it passes that inspection, then dealer technicians will install a new oil filter and change the engine oil to a thicker viscosity. Instead of 0W-20 that the owner’s manual originally recommended, engines fixed under this recall will get 8 quarts 0W-40 full synthetic oil instead. The underlying difference is that, at higher temperatures, the new oil will maintain a thicker consistency over the thinner 20-weight oil, hopefully providing adequate lubrication and better protection for the crankshaft and connecting rods. A new owner’s manual insert will also be included in the inspected and serviced vehicles indicating vehicles should use the thicker-weight 0W-40 oil."

" Ram did the same thing with the Ecodiesel when it was having bottom end issues. Ford ran 5W-20 in the 3.5 Ecoboost for 1 or 2 years before they were switched to 5W-30. I've seriously questioned Toyota's choice to use 0W-20 in the V35A in the Tundra/Sequoia/LX/GX. "

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[Peg Leg]

After reading what GM and Ford are doing, changing thickness of their oil to combat failures, etc... the Tacoma engine is smaller, but do we need to think about this a bit?

Some notes:

" As for what the automaker is telling technicians to do, the first step will be to inspect 6.2-liter V8 engines for manufacturing defects. If it passes that inspection, then dealer technicians will install a new oil filter and change the engine oil to a thicker viscosity. Instead of 0W-20 that the owner’s manual originally recommended, engines fixed under this recall will get 8 quarts 0W-40 full synthetic oil instead. The underlying difference is that, at higher temperatures, the new oil will maintain a thicker consistency over the thinner 20-weight oil, hopefully providing adequate lubrication and better protection for the crankshaft and connecting rods. A new owner’s manual insert will also be included in the inspected and serviced vehicles indicating vehicles should use the thicker-weight 0W-40 oil."

" Ram did the same thing with the Ecodiesel when it was having bottom end issues. Ford ran 5W-20 in the 3.5 Ecoboost for 1 or 2 years before they were switched to 5W-30. I've seriously questioned Toyota's choice to use 0W-20 in the V35A in the Tundra/Sequoia/LX/GX. "

I'm seriously considering using 5W-30 in the summer in my '25 Taco. My only concern is VVTI and/or tight tolerances. 0W-20 seems to be driven by CAFE standards, but I'm not sure how these engines are specially designed to handle this light weight thin oil, and if running the thicker oil is going be accommodated well. If engine passages are small, oil used as a hydraulic fluid like with VVTI, oil pump designed specifically for 0W, could be a problem. My gut says no problem in the summer. In the dead of the winter I'll keep using 0W, but in the spring and fall run 5W-20.

 

[BoboForShort]

I'm no petroleum engineer but it sounds like the thicker oil is to compensate for possible manufacturing or machining errors.

If they're confident in the machining and manufacturing on the Tacoma engines, a thicker oil wouldn't be helpful or optimal.

Or the cynical take is they're sticking with the thinner oil to meet eco and power numbers for as long as possible until they're forced to go with something thicker for longevity reasons.

But to be fair, this isn't a new engine design so I have some confidence that any issues would be showing themselves already.

 

[crepr12]

idk...I have always used the OEM recommended oil with zero issues

 

[TacoFreak]

idk...I have always used the OEM recommended oil with zero issues

Same here. I know the 5.7 L V8 in my Tundra was a totally different beast than our engines, but I only ever used 0W-20 during my 14 years with that truck. I never had any lubrication or oil pressure issues and the engine ran as well the day I traded it in as the day I bought it.

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