Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives 4Runner oil change

First 2 changes were free at the dealer. I asked the price of the 3rd and the service guy gave me a song and dance and said he would get me s quote. Anyway it was 300 bucks with BS stuff like checking the brakes and fluids. It always took aver an hour, so I went to Valvoline for 6.5 quarts of.0-20 full synthetic: it was 96.77 after a 10 dollar coupon. I don’t think they greased it, not sure if it has fittings.
I think I will get the special filter housing wrench and do it myself. The 4Runner uses a filter canister like a 1950 tractor, so that and taking off skid plates is a bigger job than a quick spin on filter.

Interesting. Our ‘04 has the same 4.0 V6 with a spin on filter on top of the engine. Stupid easy to change oil and filter and it only takes 5.5 quarts.
I wonder when they changed to canister style.

I don't know about the 4-Runner,but my 2002 V-8 Tundra is simple.Six bolts to drop the skid plate.Put a drain pan under the oil pan and remove the plug.Once it's done draining,put the plug back in,then I move the drain pan under the oil filter and remove the oil filter.I use those pliers designed for removing filters.They fit most size filters.Once the filter is drained,lube the gasket on the new one with a little motor oil and install hand tight.Don't use a wrench or pliers to tighten it or your might play hell getting it off next time,just good and tight by hand.So now,the drain plug is in,new filter back on,your ready to add the new oil back to the engine.I buy my oil in 5qt jugs,it's much cheaper that way.A couple of other things I use it an oil funnel designed for the job and also I use a two qt clear plastic container that has a lid and graduations on the side.The one I use I bought in the kitchen section of WalMart.This way when I add the oil back to the engine,I can pour the whole 5qt jug in,then I put 1.5qts in the clear container from another 5qt jug.So the first oil change you will buy two 5qt jugs of oil and the next two oil changes after that you will only have to buy one 5qt jug and your filters because you only use 1.5qts each time from the second jug.Once you put your 6.5qts in,put your fill cap back on and your ready to start your engine.Start it up,check for leaks,after a minute or two,if no leaks,shut off the engine and put your skid plate back on.Really a simple job that you can do yourself usually in less than 30 minutes.Another bit of advice,keep your funnel in a clean plastic bag.Oil is a dirt magnet.Keep all your equipment used for adding oil clean because you don't want to be adding abrasive dirt into your engine.

My dealer was charging me 82 dollars to do a 2017 Tundra 5.7. Can't remember if it was 7/12 quarts or 8 1/2 quarts . You need to find another Toyota dealer or like you said do it yourself.

They might have gone to it when the specs changed to 0-20 weight oil.

I have a 2006 4Runner and a 2015 4Runner. Changing the oil in the 2006 is stupid-easy, and I've been doing it myself since the vehicle was new. The 2006 has a cutout in the skid plate to access the oil drain plug. The spin-on filter sits right out in the open on the top in the engine bay. As mentioned, my 2015 has a new cartridge-style filter, and the skid plate needs to be dropped in order to access both the filter and the drain plug. I believe 14 bolts need to be removed, including some that hold the lower bumper fascia to the skid plate, but don't quote me on that. I have my trusted independent Toyota master mechanic who owns his own shop change the oil in the 2015. I think he charges me about $60 for a synthetic oil & filter change plus lube job.

Both the 2006 and the 2015 have six grease fittings along the drive shaft that need to be greased. There is one fitting at the U-joint at the rear differential, one at the front of the rear drive shaft's slip yoke and one at the rear drive shaft's U-joint where it exits the transfer case, one each at the front drive shaft's slip yoke and U-joint exiting the transfer case and one at the U-joint at the front differential. They are a PIA, but I can hit all of them without lifting the vehicle. There are no chassis or suspension grease fittings.

The 2006's oil filter sits just behind the radiator on the driver's side. Toyota moved it when the re-designed 4.0L engine gained dual VVT-i timing. The 2006 (236 hp motor) has single VVT-i with one sprocket on the passenger side of the motor. The second VVT-i sprocket on the 2015 (270 hp) at the driver's side essentially occupies the same space where the oil filter had been located, so it was relocated.

Don't get me started on the 20 weight oil scam....

Looks like 2010 4Runners got Dual VVT-i. Was hoping it was later than that. We’ll probably replace this ‘04 in the next 2-3 years and we’ll look at 2012-2014 model years, before they made the grill look like something out of Star Wars. I was hoping to retain the spin on filter. Oh well.

At least they retained the single VVT-i engine in the Tacoma until 2015. Maybe I can find one of those for my son when he gets close to sixteen.

What’s your beef with 0w-20?

Probably just me being paranoid. 20 weight (and new 16 weight) oil is fractionally better for corporate average fuel economy ("CAFE") standards set by the government, but that does not mean that it is best for engine life. The first vehicle I purchased that spec'd 20 weight oil was my $17,200 2008 Honda Civic. That same year, high-end Ferarris and BMW "M" series performance vehicles were rolling off the assembly line with Shell Helix Ultra synthetic 10W-60 oil as factory fill. Am I to believe that my cheap Civic's motor was built to higher standards and "tighter tolerances" than a $400k Ferrari?

At that time I was a BITOG motor oil forum regular reader. Honda Accords being sold in the U.S. were specing 20 weight oil. Australian BITOG members posted pics of their Australian Accord owner's manuals with identical motors specing 15W-40 motor oil. If I lived in the American southwest, should I feel as comfortable running 20 weight oil as an Aussie living in the Outback running 40 weight oil? These examples also seem to refute the argument that the engineers who designed the vehicle know "which oil weight is best for the motor". Why would they have spec'd 20 weight in the U.S and 40 weight in foreign countries for the exact same motors? My guess is they were trying to meet ever-tougher CAFE standards.

Here is a link to a current website identifying which oils are approved by Mercedes Benz. Most are 40 weights, with a few 30 weights and 50 weights thrown in for good measure. None are 20 weights. I doubt my '08 Civic's motor is engineered to "tighter tolerances" than a modern six-figure $ Mercedes.

Mercedes Oil Specs

Chances are a motor will do fine with 20 weight oil, but I believe a thicker oil (at operating temps) of equal quality provides better protection, especially if pushed hard and/or in the heat. Modern heavier oils protect well at start-up, too. For the record, I run Mobil 1 0W-40 in my Civic, and it has 292,000 trouble free miles on the motor, and it's still going strong. The motor has never been touched other than to have routine maintenance.

I love Toyotas and I hate dealers. Passed on the two "free oil changes" and had my normal guy do it. Way easier lol.

yes....4.0L Toyota motor is so easy to change.......

my next two oil changes on my two Taco trucks....

going to test out this mega Wix filter.....good..bad or ugly ?

Tacomaworld has lots of info over there......

https://www.tacomaworld.com/forums/4runners.127/

Costco has Mobil One for <$30 /6 quarts.

Toyota brand filters on Amazon for $3-$6 in six packs.

2016 4 Runner dealer synthetic oil change $60.09 + Tax.
Includes multipoint checks.

Hey VernAK You can get full synthetic 5 quart jugs of Amazon oil 19.95 They tested it and its as good as any......

Wally world has Mobil 1 synthetic 0/20 for $22.00 in a 5 qt. jug. I replaced the cheezy plastic oil canister with an aluminum replacement from eBay. Much more better. And WIX filters from Amazon.

My wife has a Lexus GX460 which is the Toyota Landcruiser Prado that is available in Europe. Anyways, it has the 4.6L V8 and the thing takes 7.5 or 8.5 quarts of oil. It is scheduled next Wednesday for its second and final oil change from the dealership. I will have the wife ask the dealership how much an oil change is, as I might end up doing them myself if they are over $100.

My Owners Manual on the 4.6L 2UZ-FE with filter change, reads 6.4 quarts.

5.7 quarts with out oil filter...

Wal-Mart does a bulk full synthetic oil change for under $60 with either Pennzoil of Mobil 1, depending on the viscosity.

If you want bottled oil of your choosing, you can buy the oil and filter and the W-M TLC techs with change the oil for around $25.

I just got back from having W-M change the oil in my Son's 2003 Honda Pilot with 162K miles, $42.70 for bulk Mobil 1 5w-20 and a Fram filter.

The W-M TLC techs can and do screw up oil changes and you usually do get what you pay for, but changing oil isn't exactly rocket science, or is it?

I changed mine for years, but the independent mechanic I've been using for the last few years does it for $10 if I furnish the oil and filter. For $10 extra I let him do it. He greases any fittings and checks everything out while he has it and will apprise me of any issues. I buy 5 qt jugs of Mobile 1 from Walmart for $25-$27, filters are $4-$6 depending on the vehicle. I've also been going with 8K-10K oil change intervals for the last 15 years with synthetic. From everything I've read that is conservative.

I am amazed at the prices charged where some of you live. In western South Dakota they run about $40 for my GMC 5.3 and a little more for the SUV that uses Dexos rated oil.

The dealers standard price is around $45.

JMR40 is smart to let his mechanic change his oil for $10. I want somebody who knows something about cars looking mine over every 5000 miles or less.

Finding a mechanic around here that would charge 10 bucks for an oil change would be like stubbing a toe on a 600 lb gold nugget.