It's not that toyota engines are now engineered to be more "sludgy". It's the same engine design. What is happening is that people are getting more and more lazy, and offering a higher oil change has now becoming a major selling point.

And this is what happens as a result.

 

I emailed scion and this is their response:

I would still like to get a copy of the TSB though.

 

I have talked to a service adviser at a Toyota dealership. He told me to use 5W-30.... I asked him about the 5W-20 and he told me I can use that too since it's very tiny in difference... and you might be able to save a lil on gas, which isn't too noticable.

BTW I have a very, very early 06 Scion tC, I gotten mines on Early July 05. I guess my car is pretty much 05 engine wise.

 

So if we can save a little gas and make it easier for the car at startup, then why not use the 5w-20? I'd personally just use up whatever 5w-30 I have around and then go to the 20. I actually have the 30 in my car still right now until my next oil change. It costs the same though fortunately.

 

Yea, I honestly don't think there'd be a problem, although I'm sure that if they wanted to, Toyota could make a big deal out of it.

But I think of it this way.

There are probably dealers who put nothing but 20 in tCs, no matter what year... so...

Plus, there are plenty of "hypermilers" who put weights that are below factory specs in their cars (not necessarily tCs) to save some gas, and I'm pretty sure their engines haven't died on them.

I don't think a jump from 30 to 20 would be catastrophic, but yea, it is at your own risk, even if that risk is tiny or nonexistent.

 

I'm getting mix responses from Toyota. I called Scion again yesterday, just to make sure, and now they tell me to just put in what my manual says. BTW here's the TSB.

http://tijil.org/Scion_TSBs/eg01806.pdf

 

*** Sludging was NOT caused by 5w30 oil, it was caused by a combination of too-small oil passages in the engine and people NOT changing their oil often enough.

Guys - gotta be careful about posting things that aren't true.

There also WERE changes in the engines from '05-'06, and likely even '07, but I have not read that yet.

That's why the change was made.
The 2AZFE was not a sludger.

 

I had dealer do my oil for me, what do you think the oil they use?

 

If you have an 05, they probably used 5w-30. If you have an 07, they used 5w-20. If you have an 06, God only knows.

Unless of course they just have all 5w-20, so they use that for everything, or still have 5w-30 left over, so are finishing that off. Call and find out if you are that interested.

 

I'm currently using Pennzoil Platinum 5w-20. I saved a sample of my previous fill (Castrol Syntec 5w-20) and plan on getting a used oil analysis done. I will share the results when I get them.

-2006 tC

 

PP is a good oil from the UOA's being done.
It should do you well.

 

Yeah I stocked up during the BOGO sale at Advance Auto... Currently have about 20qts of it in the stash.

 

there we go:

http://www.scionbeat.com/Ownership/EG/EG018-06.pdf

That sure cleared nothing up.

 

yep. its not in question that the tsb was put out and that 5w-20 is the recommended oil. but still, people can use what they want as it is their car!

 

I dunno about that dude. It says in that red box that they still recommend what's in your manual and oil cap. It sounds to me like all they are saying is that they have confirmed our engines take 5w20, but 5w30 is still the recommended weight.

 

Yea, that little note is sorta contradictory. Why would they put out the tsb if you should use exactly what you were using? Think about it...

I'd recommend just using what would be most beneficial based on your climate. Since they are sooooooooo similar to one another, I plan on using 5w-20 in the winter and 5w-30 in the summer. If I were in florida, its 5w-30 year round. In alaska, its 5w-20 year round. Get my drift. So this thread is really being dragged on. There is the tsb, you all can use your mind as its a personal decision and YOUR car.

More importantly is that you use a QUALITY oil, or better yet, a synthetic like mobil1 or amsoil. Again, the difference in weight between 5w-20 and 5w-30 is ridiculously minimal. They are just saying that the 20 is going to offer slightly more benefits than the 30.

 

Yeah, but I looked at it from a point of view where Toyota did not even bother to notify and of the owners, and some of the dealerships werent even made aware of this. Plus I think it has more to do the fact that the dealership now has more reason and be more willing to stock 5w20 oils.

I agree with you in terms of the similarities of the oil though. And if one really want to be picky about it, get 5w25. 2 qt of 5w20 and 2 qt of 5w30. Wonder if that REALLY makes 5w25....

By the way, has anybody done a UOA of a 06 using 5w20?

 

Bottom line:
Unless Scion mailed you and told you NOT to use 5w30 in your 2006, they have nothing on you if your 2006 blows up using 5w30, which it won't - ever.
If the change to 5w20 was critical - CRITICAL - they'd have to notify you and that's not the case.

Either one is fine. Do whatever makes you comfortable. Doing what's on your cap and in the owner's manual is 100% safe if you have doubts.

Scott

 

exactly. I agree with both of you. So for me, its based on the time of the year and I am going to use 20 in the winter and 30 in the summer. This whole discussion is actually ridiculous considering the fact that they ARE so similar as we have all been saying. Glad to hear that we agree though!

 

I've used both in my tC, and might make it a seasonal change, like you using 30 in the summer, 20 in the "winter"