[Tazio Nuvolari]

I wouldn't even think about putting valvoline or quaker state oil in any engine.

I would not use Quaker State either. However, Valvoline is good oil. I used Valvoline Racing Oil for years in the 1970s, 80s and 90s in several Autocross cars and hot rods and never had a bearing or other internal failure after routinely running at redline. I have never read that their quality has fallen off. They also make excellent brake fluid.

 

[Tazio Nuvolari]

What moves Quaker State down the list?

Ever since the 1960s when I started driving and working on cars I have only heard bad things about Quaker State oil. Yes--it is all word of mouth and subjective and anecdotal, but QS has always had a bad reputation. I never heard of anyone using it in a racing or high performance engine.

 

[Tazio Nuvolari]

Hendrick had Q-state back in the day.

Sponsorship or did he really USE it in his engines? Valvoline not only sponsored different teams and drivers in Can Am, NHRA, Nascar, SCCA etc. but manufactured special racing oil which was widely popular.

 

[Tazio Nuvolari]

Sponsorship or did he really USE it in his engines? Valvoline not only sponsored different teams and drivers in Can Am, NHRA, Nascar, SCCA etc. but manufactured special racing oil which was widely popular.

I am NOT advising anyone to use Valvoline or a straight weight, single viscosity (40W) racing oil in the 5th gen RAV4!! I will use the OEM toyota 0W-16 if I can get it and Mobil 1 in 0W-16 or 20 otherwise.

 

[Tazio Nuvolari]

I am getting my Mobile 1 at Walmart at $2 a quart cheaper than Costco. I have seen it recommended to change the drain plug each time if plastic and if metal it can be reused.

I was just at Walmart today inspecting the ratings on the jugs of Mobil1 0w16 AFE and 0w20 AFE and also 0w20 EP. THEY WERE OLD STOCK!!! They only had the out dated SN, SN plus rating --NOT the present new stock SP rating! That's why it's cheap-Walmart is dumping this years old stuff. Other brands at Walmart were ALL SP rated--Pennzoil Platinum, Castrol Edge.

 

[Tazio Nuvolari]

I don’t think Mobil reformulated anything to meet the new standards. If the date code on the bottle was 2022 or newer I wouldn’t worry about it. If you check Mobil’s site their oil has met GF-6 criteria for 10 years prior to the standard being released.

Mobil 1™ protects modern engines | Mobil™ Motor Oils

Mobil 1™ advanced motor oils are formulated to protect with proven performance today’s modern engines including those with turbochargers and start-stop system technology.

www.mobil.com

Under LSPI::
4. Mobil 1 motor oils are so advanced they met the API SP performance standard since 2010.
Many Mobil 1 motor oils met the API SP performance standard before the licensed start date, making those full synthetic oils more than 10 years ahead of their time for providing protection against LSPI.

I agree and that is all true. Also our 5th gen RAVs Owners Manual just requires the old SN rated oil. However, lots of people want the best and newest and freshest oil they can afford. Why buy old stock when you can get the current new oil at a comparable price?

 

[Tazio Nuvolari]

SN is fine, but can you find a 0-16 SN? Surely no is the answer.

The Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy (AFE) 0w-16 OLD STOCK that Walmart is dumping is ONLY SN, SN+ API. The old Walmart 0w-20 Mobil1 Extended Performance (NOT the "High Mileage" kind for 75K miles cars) on the shelves is only SN, SN+ rated. I just bought a NEW jug of the Mobil1 0w-20 Extended Performance at O'Reillys. It was SP rated and also has the newer higher spec DEXOS1 gen3 label. Toyota also has recently come out with a new SP rated TGMO in 0w-20.

 

[Tazio Nuvolari]

What does the new 2023 RAV4 Owners manual say? Does it STILL only require SN oils or has it been updated to require SP oil?

 

[Tazio Nuvolari]

In terms of ratings and certifications, there's no such thing as a 0w16 SN or SN+. Maybe it was their 0-20 with a smidge less viscosity modifier, I bet ya that's what they did. I wonder to whom that was marketed to.

Mobil says the 0w-16 AFE is SN rated.

 

[Tazio Nuvolari]

So would you use 0W-16 or 0W-20?

Either is fine at -10F in my opinion. In earlier oil threads over the years in this forum, we had European posters from Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium etc. where it can get colder than North Carolina. Over there many dealers were using an assortment of viscosities like 5W-30 all "thicker" than 0w-16 without problems. In Europe not only do they have cold temperatures but also they have autobahns where you can drive 100 MPH so their oil has to be able to deal with such extremes of use.

 

[Tazio Nuvolari]

Toyota hasn’t needed to redevelop the 4runner because they’re almost guaranteed to sell and they can only produce so many of them.

Same thing with our present 5th generation RAV4. I doubt there will actually be a completely different 6th gen for several years.

 

[Tazio Nuvolari]

Tazio, what grade of oil and brand are you using for your Rav? And do you interchange w different grades or stick to just one. With your extensive readings, do you think there is any detriment to using 0-20 in a temperate climate like So Calif permanently?
Thanks

For my first DIY break in oil change at 1K miles I used a new OEM Toyota filter and quart bottles of TGMO Toyota 0w-16. I have a '21 gas model so for the last two years with the free Toyota Care I have just gone to the dealer (Toyota of Corvallis) and they claim to also use TGMO 0w-16. When I looked through the large windows in the service bay, they pulled down a hose from the ceiling and pumped in the oil presumably from a bulk barrel...so I'm taking their word on this-but who knows? They could have been using anything. In May, my Toyota Care expires and I will start to do my own oil changes again. I have already bought my oil and filter. I will use Mobil 1 Extended Performance 0W-20 with the Dexos and NASCAR certification. NOTE:This is NOT the one that says it is for "high mileage cars" and it is not the "Advanced Fuel Economy" oil. I will use the WIX 51394 oil filter which is slightly longer and slightly bigger in capacity than the Toyota OEM filter. This is the filter used on the 2021 Camry which has our same engine. I think 0W-20 is fine for California. If you have an open road and can drive fast at high revs I think it has better film strength and a higher shear factor and will protect the engine internals. If you are stuck in 100 degree F weather in the endless traffic jams on the 405 in L.A. and the oil heats up I think it will do a slightly better job than 0W-16. I have always stuck to one brand and one viscosity in all my cars. This has varied over the decades of course and with the car. Back in the early 1960s on beater Fiats, English and Italian sports cars and '50s Fords I used non-detergent straight 30W Valvoline. In the 1970-1990s I used Castrol 20W-50 in Volvos and Fords. In the 1980s I used Valvoline Racing Oil straight 40W in my autocross water-cooled VWs. In early 2000s I used Castrol 10W-30 in Jeeps. Here is the oil and filter I will install in MAY in my 2021 gas model XLE.

 

[Tazio Nuvolari]

I've been checking this oil out Pennzoil Ultra Platinum and am now on the fence of switching oils based on this video and user comments on the video.

That Pennzoil UP has gotten good reviews on Bob is the Oil GUY and in some ways it may be as good or better than the Mobil1 EP. I have a personal bias though against Pennzoil--but that's just me. In the old days Pennzoil and Quaker State had a reputation amongst the guys I associated with as being the cheapest, crappiest oil and I have never gotten over that antique criticism. I think most guys on RAV4World use the Mobil 1 brand if they are not using TGMO so I prefer that because I'm sure it is good. Bob is the Oil Guy has lots of favorable threads about the Mobil1 EP.

 

[Tazio Nuvolari]

Regarding the filter, I've used Wix XP for at least 8 plus years and if its micron size filtering matches your filter I will switch to yours.

The WIX XP 51394 version has SYNTHETIC medium and filters down to 21 microns. The standard WIX 51394 I'm using is cellulose medium and also filters down to 21 microns. The stock Toyota filter is also cellulose medium. Here's the deal--the cellulose medium actually does a better job filtering particles as long as you change the oil and filter every 5K miles or so. Synthetic medium is designed to trap and hold particulates for LONGER mileages like 10K. However that synthetic medium eventually allows a greater quantity of particles to pass through and escape.

 

[Tazio Nuvolari]

, Hmmm. will you still be able to get an Oil Filter wrench on it as your filter is longer ? (I use a wrench which goes on the end of the filter w a ratchet wrench)

Yes -you will have plenty of clearance room under the RAV to use the cap fitting and a socket wrench. Several posters in this forum have been using the WIX 57145 filter for years on 5th generation RAVs and that one is even LONGER than the WIX 51394. Also,I just tested my new 51394 with my Walmart cap wrench attachment and it is a perfect fit on the end of the filter.

 

[Tazio Nuvolari]

Great racing career !!!

I knew I came to the right guy for advice based on your racing heritage below ..... ; )
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tazio_Nuvolari

Enzo Ferrari considered him the BEST grand prix driver of all time. Watch the many YouTube videos where he beats the Nazi Mercedes in Germany driving an antique Alfa, and where he drives a monstrous and poor handling Auto Union to victory.

 

[Tazio Nuvolari]

Hey Taz. Is the stock 90915-YZZN1 filter the same circumference as the WIX 51394? I want to know if my filter wrench will still fit the WIX. Thanks in advance.

They are exactly the same on the end where you use the standard cap wrench 64 mm with 14 flutes. The smooth section diameter and circumference is very close if not the same if you plan on using a strap type wrench. The WIX 51394 is 2.69" diameter, the WIX 10332 (same as Toyota OEM) is 2.685" diameter, and the OEM YZZN1 is 2 11/16" which converts to 2.69" diameter.

 

[Tazio Nuvolari]

TGMO oil appears to be nothing more than a Mobil-1 with large moly add pak.

Different parts per million moly in each may be due to TGMO using inferior DIMER moly and Mobil 1 using better TRIMER moly.

 

[Tazio Nuvolari]

TGMO oil appears to be nothing more than a Mobil-1 with large moly add pak.

You may wonder what the difference is between the old DIMER moly (TGMO) and the newer, better TRIMER moly (Mobil 1)...and why LESS of the trimer moly provides the same anti-wear protection as massive amounts of old dimer. TRIMER molybdenum was invented by Exxon-Mobil and commercialized by the Infineum company. Here is information found in a quick search of the "Bob is the Oil Guy" (BITOG) forum. The Mobil 1 is probably superior to TGMO--especially the Mobil 1 Extended Performance 0w-20 (not the one that says for "High Mileage Cars".)