0W-8 Motor Oil: Too THIN to Trust? Let's Find Out!

[@themotoroilgeek]

Here's the link to the research report from Oak Ridge National Lab on the special 0W-12 oil. www.osti.gov/biblio/1798600

[@AmazonasBiotop]

Who has written that and nobody read it...?😂 In abstract: "up to 9.9% better fuel economy for the IL-containing SAE 0W-12 experimental oil compared with selected commercial SAE 5W-30 and 0W-20 engine oils." The 0w-20 had no info in the paper and the table just say "n/a". So there is NO measured benifits in this paper anyway that there is ANY fule economy savings to be had going from 0w-20 to 0W-12 with or without whatever additives (IL) in it. A misleading abstract and a assumption that is unverified by the report. (it probably has likely one but they can not claim something they have not tested!)🤔 💖

[@Eduardo_Espinoza]

Did this pass for turbo charged? :)

[@bobbygetsbanned6049]

Speaking of transmission fluid, the myth of ATF having miraculous cleaning abilities would be a great topic for a video. I personally think ATF doesn't have special cleaning abilities, and people just think it does because they don't understand transmissions don't collect carbon like engine oil does. But getting the facts from you could finally end or confirm this myth.

[@jalofanclub]

@@AmazonasBiotopagreed. My car calls for 0-W16 and I never saw more than 38.5 mpg around town. Funny thing is the oil change place didn’t have 0-W16 so I just told them use Mobile1 5-W20. Since the oil change I’m getting 40.5 mpg around town. 🤔

[@AmazonasBiotop]

​@jalofanclub Yes, yesterday I did a oil change on my 2010 Prius gen 3. Been using 0w-20 and decided to put 0w-16 in it for the first time.. The gen 3 have never been recommended in the owner manual to have a 0w-16.. There is a couple of reasons I did the switch to 0w-16 anyway: 1. It is not that far of a jump in viscosity to begin with. 2. The 0w-16 did not exist 2010. So Toyota could not specify it, when it don't exit.. 3. The same Prius gen 3 engine is used in gen 4 there they specifying 0w-16. 4. And and I am a oil geek since 30 years. 😅 It went well and it seams to work super and the gasoline usage seams to begin going down also. My take on it is that viscosity is not as important that it used to be..😅 In the old days the additives were not that many and as good as they are today.. So we needed then to more than today relay on viscosity so that higher viscosity at 100°C were that engine protection.. With higher viscosity. Today viscosity is less of an importance when the additives are far better that creates that protection that higher viscosity did on the old days. And the base stock oil today is probably that thin so that we can deliver the additives in a more timely matter. And probably that is more important than anything else nowadays.😅

[@greggc8088]

Toyota tech seeing Lake come in with his daughter's car-"Oh man, we better use that 0W-8 on his because he is going to analyze it for sure". LOL

[@Papparratzi]

Well I don’t think they could have stocked it because they knew he was coming. It had to already be there.

[@mevio4665]

😂😂 That's exactly what came trough my mind too. The garage knew that there was no time to play with the oil type

[@NorthlanderMN]

I’m not into conspiracy stuff like that. They may not even know who Lake is because they’ve got so many people working. The vehicle is in his daughter’s name. But who knows they may have something written in the notes in this vehicles file if they should find out. It’s a possibility. Yet I highly doubt it!

[@mrvwbug4423]

It comes down to the individual dealership. A lot of them will not use OEM oil and just use the cheapest synthetic oil they can buy in bulk or a different OEM oil from one of their other brands that is cheaper. Prime example, the Toyota dealer I bought my 2019 Tacoma from used Ford OEM oil because they were also a Ford dealer and that was the cheapest they could get. The Toyota dealer I use now since I moved uses Toyota OEM oil as they are exclusively a Toyota dealer

[@GT-mn3bx]

​@@mrvwbug4423 I think Motorcraft is still Citgo.

[@arthursmith643]

It’s always 10,000 miles when the dealership pays. It’s 5,000 miles when it’s on your dime.

[@themotoroilgeek]

Well said

[@GT-mn3bx]

You still paid for the 10K change. Why do you think these rigs have tripled in price?

[@acguy661]

Long service intervals look good when selling a car as low maintenance, though they may not be that great for the vehicle in practice. How many engines have timing chain wear problems these days? Changing oil at 5,000 miles may not guarantee you never have problems, but it is better for the engine than waiting for the oil light.

[@uninavas]

This is because when you pay, they usually sell you 'conventional' oil, which is a 5K mile oil. It's not the same they use when you are under the free oil changes. Unless you ask for Synthetic oil, then it will be 10k mile. But, it is more expensive.

[@dennisyoung4631]

Uh, use the good stuff, e.g. Mobil-1 or similar, and change it every four to six months? (NOTE: This is when you’re only driving a hundred miles or so per month, with at least one session per month where the engine gets warmed and stays warm for an hour or two, e.g. “bill-paying and groceries, about forty miles at 25-40 miles an hour on longish surface streets with little stop and go traffic.” Not quite the “ninety-two mile oil change” of mid-seventies Mad magazine, but under a thousand miles per instance.)

[@rodmorgan7041]

What a great dad you are, looking after your daughters car like this. 😊

[@themotoroilgeek]

😊 thank you

[@meeder78]

In the Netherlands the Toyota dealerships do not use 0W20 in the RAV4 Hybrid (2015-2018). They all fill them up with 5W30. 5W30 is also approved by Toyota but for the lowest fuel consumption the factory advises 0W20...

[@robertmaybeth3434]

Meeder78 - The Dutch are 100% CORRECT. After researching this for months, incl an email or two to OP, I've concluded I won't be using zero weight oils anymore.

[@dipro001]

Dont tolerate that. Take your own oil

[@meeder78]

​@@dipro001Why shouldn't I tolerate it? It is the recommendation of Toyota across Europe to not use the 0W20 oil for these engines. The engine loads are generally higher here especially when towing with the vehicle. The 5W30 oil is the better choice for it.

[@robertmaybeth3434]

@@dipro001 You're absolutely right, and that's what I do, for my preciouss Lexus LS 460. I worked in fleet automotive for a large west coast city for around 30 years, and it left me half a cripple (now I've had severe back problems from lifting bus batteries of 160 lb.). So now i mostly get the oil changed at a Valvoline quick lube. BUT I bring my own oil for them to use (Penzoil Ultra platinum). If they didn't allow me to do that, I'd go someplace else.

[@thedefenestrator2994]

Toyota tech here; The transmission has a special process to checking the fluid level at a specific temperature range after fill up. It’s VERY specific, so they don’t include where to find the plug because they don’t want the owner to mess it up, which would be very easy.

[@mobileterminaluzer1858]

My 2010 Kia Forte has the same, VERY specific "closed for life" transmission so they never include the transmission drain bolt. More like stealership sales & services tactics. Have been doing my own on my "closed for life" transmission fluid & fluids changes. Never had any problems.

[@garybaldwin1061]

Just curious. Why does the dealer say the transmission in mt 21 Tacoma auto is sealed? Thanks.

[@tomwagner4516]

One of your early subs. I love your videos. We bought a 2024 Corolla Cross and followed your advice. First oil change at 1,000, second at 3500. Going for our first dealer service and we will do an oil analysis and CVT analysis. Thank you so much!

[@rayRay-pw6gz]

What anybody tells you on any media channel is suspect. The vehicle manufacturer guides you on proper maintenance. They know more than anybody . That said , changing your oil more often will not hurt the vehicle. Just keep in mind that a new vehicle may have special oil to help break in the engine. I would not change the oil after 1,000 miles on a new vehicle. Any metal flakes will be filtered out by the OIL FILTER . JMO

[@GT-mn3bx]

Those first 2 are the most important. Same for trans and differentials. I do those around 12K. 10 if any significant towing.

[@bubbleman2002]

@@rayRay-pw6gz "The vehicle manufacturer guides you on proper maintenance." Wrong. They guide you on maintenance, not proper maintenance. Case in point, BMW recommending 5,000 mile oil change intervals in their engines that have disposable rod bearings. The results are not shocking, the bottom end comes apart at 60,000 miles.

[@rayRay-pw6gz]

@@bubbleman2002 Toyota has never let me down . 2018 Camry. The best build and engineering of any vehicle I have owned. 2.5 L. 203HP 8 speed auto/manual . Solid platform and perfect suspension. Fun and comfortable to drive. This is a drivers car. With great safety features. 6,700 redline . I change the oil at 5K or less.

[@richhauxwell7848]

I have 5w30 vehicles, Never ever had anything less than 10w30 in them. I have gotten well over 300,000 miles out of them without issue. No knocks, no smoke, just go

[@bigalbranim614]

I feel like you are the right person to ask this and I would love to see a video on this as it seems no one is in agreement. Techs believe 3-5k is max even with advances in technology while OE’s are pushing that 10-15k while aftermarket’s like Mobile 1 and Amsoil are pushing 20-25k. Obviously the question is quite load and dependent on many variables but with everyone is disagreement it’s hard to come to an educated opinion

[@RICHat22]

At 49 yrs old, and owning a shop, working dealerships, just 25 yr recert ASE Master +, having loyal customers nearly 20 yrs in my shop, I can give proven, experienced advise. Stick to around 5k miles. I tell certain ones with newer cars they can stretch a little if they have good driving habits. I get to see their oil when it comes out. Personally my vehicles all go 3-400k miles on original engines. I stay between 3-5k max. Because I know my driving habits. lol. 80's to mid 90's get 3k on the sticker. ALL others get 5k unless they demand otherwise. I generally rotate every time now. I switched to full syn oils back about 2010 (syn-blend about 2006) for all vehicles and never used cheap filters. Mostly OEM. Don't like it? Go somewhere else. I'm not an oil change shop. I only do oil changes for my regulars so I can monitor for other upcoming issues. A 5 quart oil change is running about $84 total May 2024. But how many have a $100/hr tech changing your oil and checking everything over at that time? Not many.

[@STSmithable]

Cars rust. 10k oil changes are fine. It will rust first

[@Nathan-xk7hm]

I work at a Toyota dealer in Ontario Canada, and we still fill cars that takes 0w-8 with 0w-16.

[@themotoroilgeek]

Thanks for sharing

[@justinandout]

so you're scamming your customers! people pay you to use proper oil but are not getting the right product for their money!

[@rodcros]

A word to the wise: Be careful running tubes down the dipstick. We had to take the pan off my son's Cayenne Hybrid to retrieve the tube.

[@willg.5168]

I bet THAT was fun🤦🏽‍♂️

[@petesmitt]

I use Castrol 10W-40 for my 1989 Mazda, changed every 5000 km's since new; just did a borescope of each cylinder after over a third of a million km's and the bores look like new, not a mark on any of them.

[@shawnkelly695]

Yes older cars used thicker oil. Not sure if using that oil in a 2020 car a good idea. My 05 says 5w 20. But ya i dont know shit about oil. I just use what the filler cap says. As a kid i thought thicker was better in summer and thinner in winter. Now use same oil yr round.

[@CoreMaster111]

Because there are no obvious visible marks on cylinder, does not mean that cylinders and piston rings are not worn out. For example one of my cars had nice smooth looking cylinders but after measuring it with bore gauge it was obvious that there were significant low spots on all cylinders and in order to put new piston rings in, all 8 cylinders had to be bored bigger. Another engine I had, piston rings were worn 30% out of maximum allowed specs only at 262 000 km ( 163 k miles ). Probably caused by fuel injectors that were pissing gasoline directly inbetween piston and cylinder. But cylinders looked good when borescoping them, not so much when I took the engine apart.

[@sigmamale4147]

"A third of a million km" dude just say 300 000km

[@petesmitt]

@@sigmamale4147 except it's 335 000 km's..

[@petesmitt]

@@CoreMaster111 If the cylinders and rings are worn out, the engine will be burning a lot of oil; no need for an internal check to diagnose that fault.

[@slyfox4564]

changing the cvt fluid at 10k miles is crazy

[@Arman-tm1kz]

Thanks for the video, appreciate the topic a lot because I personally feel very bad using thin oils. As a Toyota dealer technician in Europe, I can tell you we use 5W-30 in this exact engine, and on basically all the other common Toyota models and engines. We only have 0W-20 for the 1.2 4 cylinder turbo (8NR-FTS engine), thats as thin as we go. Oh and by the way, we don't even use OEM Toyota engine oil, just some generic brand (with Toyota specification approval) which is still mindboggling to me since the oil changes are not so cheap

[@theredscourge]

The Corolla Warranty and Maintenance Guide says that there is no scheduled CVT fluid change in the first 120,000 miles, however they do say that if your vehicle's usage falls under "Special Operating Conditions" which they define as that the >majority< of your use is that of a taxi/delivery/police vehicle, lots of towing, use with a car-top carrier, or heavy vehicle loading, then they say change it every 60k mi (simple drain and fill, no flush, no dropping the pan). Nissan added this same guidance to their manuals starting in about 2017 after they had huge problems with CVT failures (mostly due to heat) however Toyota had this same guidance since 2014 when they first put CVTs in their cars.

[@MassiveTrackHunter]

If those lower viscosities can still protect under load, the big benefit will be much faster pressurization and protection at startup, especially in colder weather.

[@jason200912]

That's the theory but then all gains would be lost as soon as you're in warm weather season. Plus all the thin oil just falls off where it needs to be. So yeah it pump up nicely but it fails to stay where it needs to be. 20 or higher is probably the best compromise. Europe only uses 30 and 40 despite being much colder than the u.s. weird places like Dubai use the thinnest even though they're burning hot climates and I'm guessing it's because rhey have a similar CAFE legislation to the us or something that fines them for not saving a drop of gasoline per mpg

[@dannyo6699]

Back on the farm, the combines we ran had variable drive on them as well, but it wasn't directly in the transmissions. Our International combines had a regular 3 speed transmission, then had a mechanically actuated belt drive on the side of the machine that gave almost infinite ground speed. Granted at top speed in 3rd gear, it maybe went 12 mph specifically for highway use, but the field speeds were pretty much miniscule adjustments. 1st and 2nd were the field gears and you operated the variable speed either by a hand lever on the floor or a foot lever depending on how old it was. It made for very easy forward motion control without changing the engine speed. The machine thrashing speed had to be maintained at a constant speed so changing ground speed has to be done separate from the engine speed and it's cumbersome to change gears. It worked fairly well. Our newest combine had hydrostatic transmission where the ground speed was contained within the transmission and actuated by a hand lever on the steering column. It used the same process to increase or decrease speed but it didn't have the big belt drive on the outside of the machine. It also didn't have a reverse gear, the hydrostat had the ability to move in reverse in whichever gear it was in by just pulling the lever back to the neutral position which stopped the forward motion, then continuing to pull backwards on the lever and the combine went in reverse. The variable speed combines did have reverse and the variable speed mechanism did operate in reverse too. It's kind of interesting that they modernized the process and put it into transmissions in modern cars. Subaru also has a CVT transmission too.

[@BillDike]

I have a 24 Tundra sr with the base turbo v6, I believe a lot of the Tundra engine issues are due to the first oil change at 10,000 miles. I did mine at 1500, 5,000 then I'll do them at 4-5,000 for the rest of its life. I use only Toyota oil and filters. I have 20,000 miles on it, purchased new on 1/21/2024. The Toyota filters are about the size of my lawnmower oil filters, even if I was doing longer intervals I'd probably change the filter at 5,000 miles. But oil is so cheap compared to engine failure

[@gabrieljosue2451]

A friend of mine works at a lexus dealership. They use oem lexus oil when available. If they run out of oem oil, you get whatever is cheapest at the nearest autozone

[@Freighttrain-yd4fz]

So I work at a Toyota dealership and I've done a good amount of oil changes with 0w 8 mostly on crowns with the 2.5. The first ever oil change I did with 0w 8 I was blown away by how thin is was, it almost feels like coolant. But my dealership doesn't cheap out with Toyota cares and dealership free oil changes, if it says to use 0w 8 that's what we use. But just being honest I am skeptical of 0w 8, mainly running it hot weather and running to low on oil I feel like it will thin even more than what it all ready is. I heard the main reason why Toyota uses 0w 8 is for better fuel economy but I feel that it's a bit of stretch to say it will do so. But how ever though I do see 0w 8 being great in very cold temperature weather where it will help the engine get lubed up faster. Really only time will tell how good 0w 8 will be, maybe it will be a good oil. 0w 20 is a good oil and I know people were skeptical of that when it first came out.

[@themotoroilgeek]

Thanks for sharing. I’m very interested to see the results compared to the 0W-16

[@AudriusN]

There's one paramater most people don't know or forget about - the Viscosity index. The higher it is the better will oil retain the viscosity with rising temps.

[@brianv.1300]

0W40 is as good as 0W8 in cold weather. 0winter40 is same as 0winter8 at cold temp startup.

[@MyerShift7]

In case anyone's curious- the oil selection for weights is Chef's Choice. That's why overseas cars have MULTIPLE grade options whereas the US only lists the thinnest for fuel efficiency. Not longevity. I've moved my 2016 Corolla from 0w20 to 5w30 at 200K miles. Virtually no difference in economy, quieter, and I don't have to add a quart to two quarts every 5K miles. This new stuff is too thin.

[@JimmyMakingitwork]

I don't want Toyota or Uncle Sam upset, butI like 5w-20 myself. Have not seen any adverse effects.

[@lonniebeal6032]

Be nice to know what your summer temperature is like. I rented a 300c hemi that knocked, clattered and ticked every morning at start up. The temperature never went below 90f and the oil cap said 0w20.

[@SimonTrent8000]

Funny how you turned your daughters car into a science experiment

[@jimlelan4906]

To be fair, he is the sensei of oil and oil change intervals. So he was actually showing US ‘best practices’

[@jason200912]

She'll crash it anyways on a telephone pole going 5mph trying to reverse

[@louisstennes3]

I don't think all dealerships use OEM oils. When I take my Titan in for service, in the waiting room they have a sign with brochures that says "We Use Valvoline Professional Services." So in my Titan it has all Valvoline oils in the transmission, oil , pwr steering, brake fluid, differential, etc. At least I know it is a name brand product with a good reputation.

[@camarokurt]

Man, for a second, I thought you really went over 10,000 miles without changing the oil! I've been doing mine every 5k with Mobil 1, but recently started doing it every 4k.

[@cje26]

A niche topic that would be awesome to see you dive into is the 0W-20 Dexos D rated oils recommended for GM's 3.0 liter LM2 and LZ0 Duramax engines. These trucks have a small but overly neurotic community of drivers and enthusiasts that obsess over every detail of the trucks (myself included) and oil is one of the top points of contention. You have the old school diesel enthusiasts that balk at the thought of a zero weight oil and dump Rotella into their trucks, and then there's the rest of us that are left to sit and ponder the various approved oils. As far as I can tell, the major factor that gives the oil the coveted Dexos D rating is the fact that it is low ash and therefore DPF safe. There are two main Dexos D rated oils, the factory AC Delco and the eerily green Mobil 1 ESPX2. Many people used Amsoil 0W-20 Synthetic Diesel, but it's not Dexos D rated. My question is, between the AC Delco and the Mobil 1, what are the differences? Lubricity, volatility, anti-wear packages, ash content, and detergents and dispersant contents would all be awesome topics to finally have some solid numbers behind.

[@alexandergunaka666]

0W20 esp isn’t only for diesels, all the newer gas vws take it.

[@cje26]

@alexandergunaka973 Right, but 0w20 ESPX2 is one of the only ones that is also rated for use in the 3.0 Duramax engines. It's backwards compatible with any gas or diesel that takes the regular 0w20 ESP

[@alexandergunaka666]

@@cje26 I’m sorry. I meant to say don’t worry about the green color and such. I have people in all types of gms running esp for a cleaner fuel system. Never had an issue and they are repeat customers.

[@cje26]

@alexandergunaka973 No worries, man. The color was definitely weird, but I'm glad to hear a lot of people are happy with it. I've been running it for a while with no problems

[@Jonnydeerhunter]

Thanks for sharing, Lake! I enjoy your content.

[@ejgrant5191]

I've been proactive on my 2020 Chevy ZR2 but, think that GM quality is rather suspect these days. When I went to change the transmission fluid & filter @ 32K miles (I do a lot of off roading in it) the "trick GM recommended" fluid has given me an occasional "shudder" that never existed before. Doing the differential fluids the front looked great but, the metallic sheen of the rear fluid @ 32K miles gives me a great concern that once again GM or Dana has assembly line issues in setting up differentials. My friend with a shop has seen quite a few issues with GM differentials these last few years. Maybe I need a Ford Raptor? GM under Mary B has been on a TERRIBLE PATH towards "self destruction" with her lack of vision & leadership. Toyota saw through the EV mandates BS and never wasted their engineering talent on this too soon to market technology....Maybe I need a Toyota?

[@johng4527]

The question is: would they still have used the "proper" oil If it wasn't the "Motor Oil Geek" dropping off the car and requesting oil samples, and even brought his own sample kit?

[@TechTimeWithEric]

I mean I know you’re an engineer and all; but some guy named Jim on Facebook says he would never trust oil that thin, so I’m just going to go ahead and use 20W50 on my car

[@themotoroilgeek]

LOL, best one yet!

[@lonniebeal6032]

Guess you don't know what a viscosity chart is...And ya, I know you're being sarcastic.

[@zedmadeamps]

According to their testing, Toyota installed 0W12 at the dealership. The numbers don’t lie. The chart only says 0W8 because that’s most likely what was written on the mailed in sample.

[@freddyhollingsworth5945]

Great video!! "Fill for life" is only 100,000 miles "under the table".. Lubrication science is very interesting and its really getting complex, but i'll just keep my old 2003 Grand Marquis(450,000 miles), it doesn't care about the oil, many times they only drain out less than a quart, or none at the oil changes, we do 10,000-20,000 mile changes and the cheapest oil possible...it still runs like new.. Of course if I got a new car, I guess I'll have to go by the book and spend the $$ on oil changes...

[@themotoroilgeek]

Thanks!

[@bobirving6052]

Thanks Lake Speed Jr! Really enjoy your “daughter’s Toyota saga”! Nice car btw! Yes, I was scared of the low viscosity 😅 Maybe I can put that 0-w 8 in a ‘95 powerstroke if it reduces wear even better that regular oil, due to it’s top secret super sauce! 😆

[@jason200912]

The data showed that 0w-8 performed worse than 16

[@jimbo5728]

10k interval is ridiculous

[@09AT101]

That tribology shirt is so sick on so many levels 😂

[@stavmiss2121]

2 days before i managed to get 08 in delearship they wanted to give me 020! greetings from Greece!

[@jakew9653]

I guess viscosity ISNT? Most important. The proof is in the pudding. It seems additives are just as if not more important than having proper viscosity. I had always imagined if an oil is too thin it just wouldnt stop metal on metal, but i guess you learn something new everyday. Cool video showing the wear trends in the oil from a new engine. 👍

[@themotoroilgeek]

Thanks! Stay tuned for more!

[@lonniebeal6032]

Problem is, he along with Projectfarms compared 0w20 to 5w30, and they both got the same results, 5w30 was better...

[@jefferypease3920]

Holy moly this is the first time I’ve hearing of these type of viscosities

[@paratrooperlane7022]

On my new 2022 Toyota Corolla, I drove 500 miles and changed the oil. I then drove 1000 miles and changed the oil. I then drove 2000 miles and changed the oil. Now I will change at every 5000 miles.

[@davefeil1522]

When I used to work for Kia/Hyundai, we would use 5w30 in the cars that call for 5w20 because the oil was too thin and would wear the bottom end out, causing knocking. The extra viscosity I think helped the engines stay alive longer. I couldn't imagine putting 0w20 in any of my cars even if they called for it, much less 0w16 or even 0w8, especially with a lot of the planned obsolescence baked into most everything made today.

[@jsomething2]

it depends on the cylinder wall finish. is it stone honed or the new spray on metal. if you right thick oil on the spray on type, it's said the rings don't seal and it burns a ton of oil and knocks killing the engines. the Ford GT guys ran into those issues not running the factory recommendations. it's a more expensive process thou, so I doubt most cars have it yet. sounds like those kia's need more oil pressure or a better quality oil with better wear quality at the same weight?

[@exstinkeddave9109]

@@jsomething2it wasn’t the rings, it’s the bearing material and the oil pressure in the journals. The bottom end knock is a pretty hearty noise

[@maxgrind438]

Dealerships dont use the original oil they use anything they get their hands on. Eo your own oil change.

[@westdr1dw4]

Would be interesting to see how the oil change intervals pan out through analysis. His baseline is 3k mile. Toyota recommends 10k. Which I think are two extreme ends of the spectrum. Having kept 2 cars with one over 250k the other >150k. Changed oil once a year. Consumption never exceeded 0.5 qt in 3k miles. I think we are wasting resources to change at 3k. We did this back in the 60 - 70's. There are variables like turbo, GDI, heat, cold, drive habits . . .

[@PetrolHeadBrasil]

The "Owner's manual" of my 2017 Toyota Etios, here in Brazil, give me 3 options of oil to use in my car! That's insane! They don't have a clue about wich one to use and now they're "gambling" using 0w8 oil!

[@Unfilteredthoughts5150]

I’ve been watching all this time and just realized you’re in nc so am I lol how would one get into your line of work? I’m 29 and love geeking out about this stuff and I’d like to get away from being a mechanic and be more into the development and research side of things

[@emmettdibble8404]

Jesus... bless this dude and people watching hearts... wow.

[@utpharmboy2006]

car care nut shows exactly how to do transmission oil changes on toyotas. the eCVT (which is actually a brilliant planetary gear set) in hybrids is SUPER easy. the CVT in the non hybrids with a standard take off gear is more difficult but still pretty easy as a DIY as long as you have a way to keep the car nice and level when you do it. thats the type of transmission in this guy's daughters corolla.

[@39impala]

Filled for life means until it breaks. I'd still change the trans oil every 30k.

[@bradhuffjr777]

On a CVT, I AGREE!!!

[@AlbertoGonzalez..]

💯💯💯💯

[@cutandcleanwi6947]

Filled for life means until the warranty expires.

[@themotoroilgeek]

LOL

[@jackradzelovage6961]

i have a 2000 ford ranger, 4x4 auto with the 3.0 engine. i bought it in NC with 189,000 on it and it was being used as a farm truck for 12 years prior after OP crashed it at low speed into a tree and set the airbags off. it went 3000 miles in 12 years at some unknown point between then and when i bought it a decade later, the oil pressure needle started wigging out at warm idle and tapping the peg loudly. the guy had put a small hole in the glass presumably to physically stick something in there and make it stop moving. i bought it and drove it like that for another 20,000 miles over two years. i replaced the sensor, changed the oil several times sometimes with thicker stuff, etc. and just sorta forgot that filters existed. brain fart to the extreme eh? so one day it finally had enough and rusted through the filter casing and started peeing oil on the ground. i found that one nice and quick and went "...oh yeah that thing XD" ...i popped a new filter on there and suddenly the needle quit wigging out. in short, my truck had been running for at least 23,000 miles with less than 5psi oil pressure at warm idle, and above idle it had been pushing oil through a wall of sludge to get into the engine. its at 213,000 and counting right now and it still starts and runs flawlessly. purrs like a kitten. it almost sounds like all the cars that are super picky about oil specs are the ones that shouldve been avoided in the first place.

[@brandonpetrilla1731]

Government MPG oil, I take it out right at the first oil change and 5W30 goes right in, Excessive oil consumption and bearing wear occurs with this light of an oil.

[@johndeere1951a]

Lake, at the end you just touched on the point of Life Time fill of the CVT. I bet you had to wrestle with the Service Writer to get them to change that oil. Your lucky they had that oil in stock.. lucky they didnt tell you there wasn't a drain plug. Its disgusting when you hear about dishonest deslerships. They are also the ones that the home office need to audit their Warranty Claims records for cashing in on false repair claims. Thats another topic. I worked 48 years for first Mercrdes Benz and BMW , with some Rolls Royce, Jensen, Delorean and SAAB thrown in for short prriods . I had fun. Love your concise presentations 👍👍💦🛢️✌️

[@robertm7957]

Light weight oils starting under 20 weight below 0 weight and not going to stay on the bearings in spring and summer with full synthetic is just water flowing fast at the bottom in the oil pan.

[@ddalby4013]

I’m not convinced that ultra-thin oil in a GDI engine is the best idea. Carbon deposits are hugely accelerated by blowby/EGR. I will need convincing that the thinner oil seals just as well.

[@markharrison9622]

Thank you for all the information, I have two newer Honda's and a lot of what you're saying makes sense. You have probably been asked a million times by now, but could you put out some information for antique engines? I also have a '54 Dodge M37, I believe the odometer to be true. It has a little over 8k on the original engine. Because it's a flat tappet engine, I have to search high and low for oil. This engine is governed to 3600 rpm. The filter only filters the oil to the camshaft. After 2k miles, the oil is still clear. But when it comes time to change it, I have to start the search over again. Right now I run a lawnmower engine oil because it's made for low rpm engines and has extra zinc. Yes, lawnmower oil! But I don't have a lick of problems with it. Original specs call for SAE 30. Could you please make some recommendations for us old car (and truck) enthusiasts? Thanks.

[@themotoroilgeek]

Will do

[@wsbill14224]

I say trust your ears. If the engine is noisy with 0W-8 or 0W-16 try 0W-20 or 0W-30 and keep using it if your engine gets quieter. I don't trust thin oil and I don't live in Florida or Texas. If I did I REALLY wouldn't trust thin oil!

[@timdiver53]

I'm confused on the CVT fluid Lake said it should be thick and low viscosity ?

[@huyduong7202]

Lake, please do a research before stating that Toyota CVt used a chain to drive the gears. Weber Auto would be a great site. Just to simplify, Toyota CVT does not use belts rather they use increment voltages in hybrid battery to drive planetary and reduction gear. Let's say the voltage of the hybrid battery is 300V, the inverter/comverter applied 150V to the electrical motor inside the transmission, it spins slow, that's translated to 1 st gear, applied a 160V it spins a litter faster, 2nd gear 170V 3 gear or 165V or somewhere in between hence the terms electronic continuous variables transmission eCVT is much more reliable due to less moving parts and little or no friction for better MPG.

[@buggerlugz6753]

One would think as an engine gets older and its tolerances increase a thicker oil would be better. The issue now is (if you keep up with the oil changes) that your engine doesn't wear because the motor oils of today are so good.

[@reubenmorris487]

I would have loved to had a pump like that in the Navy when taking hot oil samples from jet engines after missions.

[@tonyt.5316]

Since discovering this channel, I’m binge watching. 😂 So my sons Kia calls for 5w20. However Kia dealer uses 5w30, which I agree with more as well. My Touareg TDI changed the oil spec 3x since we bought it 8 years ago. We are now at a specific 5w30 which imo is not for a diesel. I still have extended warranty (due to diesel gate) so I have to do what they say. But I know other counties are using 5w40. 🤷‍♂️ and my timing chain tensioner rattles upon startup. They say “that’s normal” 🤬

[@themotoroilgeek]

Thanks for watching!

[@lonniebeal6032]

My 2014 Optima started knocking on start ups, Kia took me to 10w30 from 5w20. It's EPA and CAFE' standards BS for 1 mpg more.

[@Fam.B.Nugteren]

I like this video and testing method very much. But I am a bit dissepointed about the technical description of the automatic transmission. Toyota doesn’t use the ‘normal’ CVT with belts. They use the the so called E-cvt. That one is way different and uses a planetary gear set with electrical motor/generators. The wear in this transmission is way lower than the one with belts. Therefor the advice of Toyota here in the Netherlands is just checking every 60.000 km, not changing. Personaly I prefer changing at that time, just to be sure.

[@Wekotin]

Toyota in the video is not a Toyota Hybrid. Hybrids have eCVTs. This is probably Toyota Corolla (w/o hybrid) and those have regular CVTs.

[@jjm2948]

I still use 5w-30 not matter what. 80,000 and engine is smooth and quiet. Ow-16 sounded like crap in my engine

[@armedprophet3321]

Toyota does NOT make their own oil. They use Exxon/Mobil. Same for the cvt fluid.

[@billf4429]

Ok. I really like your videos because you really know what you are talking about. I heard there's already 0W0 motor oil being used already in some cars. Do you know which cars uses that or it's just BS?

[@michaelrocole7174]

So what are the impacts of how that car is driven. Example city vs highway ? Heavy foot on the gas pedal vs easy driving. Pulling a trailer? Driving in the mountains etc etc……

[@100pyatt]

Say NO to all 10k oil intervals ⚠️☠️⚠️

[@ethanmckibbin]

It's a Toyota it's not gonna kill anything especially if you live in warmer climates. My Rav4 was only done at 10k and made it to 130k miles but was totalled in an accident and still ran afterwards. I sure don't buy a Toyota to change my oil every 2500 miles.

[@geertterharmsel]

20k is the norm in europe. not a single problem.

[@100pyatt]

@@ethanmckibbin 5k intervals are reasonable, 10k are not. Unless you have ADDED Bypass filtration. Most modern vehicles would achieve 130k easily but on the same note the condition inside the motor will be sacrificed of you've used 10k intervals. It's going to be a filthy mess compared to 5k intervals where the motor will outlast the vehicle and oil related failures are virtually eliminated. The amount of vehicles that come into the shop for oil related issues is very significant these days because of those ridiculous intervals where manufacturers sell reduced maintenance knowing it will yield bigger profits on repairs parts AFTER warranty expires

[@100pyatt]

@@geertterharmsel lol unless you want the vehicle to last and you look at the oil analysis that doesn't normally support your opinion

[@ethanmckibbin]

@@100pyatt you didn't even read my comment did you 🤡

[@travispeoples]

We've always called those Vampire pumps... 🤣

[@ShionWinkler]

Odd, most CVT fluid is blue or green, so they can tell it from normal ATF. Update: I looked it up, Toyota use red CVT, weird. Nissan and Honda use green, Jeep use yellow, and european cars normally use blue.

[@berniemadoff7837]

I'll only use 0W-16 on the 2025 Camry in the winter and 0W-20 in the spring, summer, and fall here in South Texas. I want my Toyota to last 300K miles.

[@rachelgreen1368]

Use 0w40 Euro spec oil with Porsche a40 approval.

[@hjc0706]

What about the new add pack for "universal" atf/cvt? It's used by castrol and vavoline.

[@payrocoin]

There is this ongoing debate about how with today's engines being manufactured with tighter tolerances, would an oil change at or before 1,000 miles be necessary? Honestly? I'm from the old school days of car mechanics/maintenance and I definitely would still do it. I was also told, most likely incorrectly, that the very first oil that goes into a newly assembled engine is given a special additive that assists with the break-in period. My question is, with your testing of these new oils they showed great results in hot temperatures but, did you conduct any tests with these same oils at negative degree temperatures? I mean, surely an oil lighter than air (sarcasm) at 0W 8 would have no issues pouring/lubricating at extremely cold temperatures.

[@westy373]

I just bought a 2025 Toyota Camry Hybrid that calls for 0w-8. Owners manual says if 0w-8 is not available, you can use 0w-16 temporarily till you can swap it out for 0w-8. The engine A25A-FXS, called for 0w-16 a couple years ago before 0w-8 existed. I respect your findings about 0w-8, but want to run Pennzoil Platinum 0w-16. What oil and weight are you going to run in your daughter's Corolla? Do you prefer Pennzoil Platinum over Mobil 1? Pennzoil doesn't make Ultra Platinum for 0w-16. Thanks for all your great Videos!!

[@BB..........]

0:14 I've seen 0w8 oil from a few brands on the shelves at Walmart.

[@mboemmels]

my 5 old 2001 ram 1500's 60 year old tech 318cu 5.2l v8 gets the lowest quality cheapest oil and filter every 3-4k miles sometimes conventional 10-30 sometimes 5-20 because i had bought extra for my other car and sometimes 15-40 rotella because i have 55 gal drum of it of my generator repair business. this truck was pulled off the lot, driven locally for 500 miles and then a 1st oil change with conventional to continue break in and then trailer attached and not taken off except for maintenance for the last 23 years towing 5k lbs for the last 330k miles and a couple are near 400k and still start and run fine, burn 1qt every oil change but no smoke and pass smog fine. frequent oil changes is more important than expensive oils that dont get changed as often. i also had a 1988 bronco and 88 mustang with same oil change schedule with whatever was on sale and both of those made it over 300k

[@Peter-Du]

I Really miss the autumn leaves, the rain drenched streets , Rhododendrons, Azalais. Colorado sucks.

[@johneury5908]

Hey Lake, thanks for all the info you are getting out. I live just outside of Concord. I’ve been catching up on all your videos over the past couple weeks. I am extremely interested if all these same principles apply to diesel engines. If no or even yes do you think you will come out with a video on diesel engine oil?

[@themotoroilgeek]

Diesel oils are on the agenda, neighbor!

[@johneury5908]

@@themotoroilgeek excellent! I will stay tuned.

[@trollingdirty8910]

My hybrid Corolla has a first gear then CVT, surprised that one doesn’t either.

[@3xEvyx3]

@themotoroilgeek please do a series or video comparing the amsoil levels like you did Pennzoil! I love seeing these details so I can make the best decision on my 2019 Civic Si. I plan to do big mods with it but for right now it's been my daily since I got it brand new in May of 2019. Thank you for your videos and science behind these oils!

[@MaxNakfoor]

What about performance? Engine Masters dyno'd more power out of their engine with thicker oil vs thinner in a pretty controlled environment.

[@themotoroilgeek]

Stay tuned!

[@bobmcbobface1602]

I believe in the case of the Toyota hybrid CVTs, they are planetary gear types, and calls for normal WS fluid - at least that's how it is in the '13 prius

[@wk7060]

30,000 miles on CVT fluid is perfect for good maintenance. As long as you don’t run it hard and/or tow and 30,000 miles change, it should last 200,000 miles or more.

[@rjbiker66]

That corollas CVT has a real first gear to takeoff.

[@scottpearce7466]

CVT keeps the engine at high RPMS & my jeep was first engine to scorch MOBIL1 oil while on 2500mile vacation 2000 mile being highway!

[@johndeere1951a]

I hope Rick Hendrick watches this video because his name is on the building, and it speaks well of the people operating this operation. Lake, Any conflict there with you working for years with Lake Speed Sr Racing ?🤣. Good stuff. I'm glad nothing fishy happened at that dealership. 💦🛢️👍✌️

[@PeterHernandez-lg2eh]

Just watched you on Dave's engine shop in utah. Great advice

[@raymondreiff8170]

Me too, Two High achieving individuals 🇺🇸👍

[@charleshenderson9058]

Saw Lake there too!

[@themotoroilgeek]

Thanks!

[@mr.mr.3301]

Everyone should watch that.

[@rsc9520]

Me too !!!

[@Nickrioblanco1]

As far as I know the CVT Transmission fluid cannot be completely drained from the drain plug. Additionally from the evidence I've seen the transmission fluids only last about 60,000 miles at most. They go from red to black so I don't believe the story about them never needing to be changed. I also believe there should be a law against making the fluid level so difficult to check it's almost impossible for the owner.

[@TexasVexes]

Planned obsolescence Baby…. they got a big lobby

[@bradhuffjr777]

VERY few people even know that a CVT needs frequent oil AND filter changes. Some manufacturers recommend servicing between 30,000 and 60,000 miles, depending on driving conditions. I don't know of anyone who rebuilds them, and they all have very short warrantys!!

[@DavidSmith-tu1nd]

​@@bradhuffjr777 Nissan infinity cvt transmissions had issues.

[@thisisyourcaptainspeaking2259]

Maybe the fluid is more expensive than the transmission?

[@adm7812]

@@thisisyourcaptainspeaking2259 it isn’t. i have diy serviced my toyota cvt along with the filter change. The fill port is behind the wheel and getting the right level is bit of a process but still easy enough.

[@johnroberts4823]

I’d never wait for 10,000 miles! Agree!

[@ryanb5189]

I have the same 0W-8 spec’d car that I took to the dealer for the free ‘Toyota Care’ service and I asked the service advisor what oil they put in it. She didn’t know and had to ask her colleague who said 0W-20. I said “Are you sure, because the sticker on the engine says 0W-8.” She said “We don’t have that but can use 0W-16 if you want” So I walked over to the dealer parts counter, who had 0W-8 sitting on the shelf. Thankfully he told the service advisor they could use it for my car. I’m guessing the average customer gets whatever oil is most convenient for the dealer. When someone comes in and hands them an oil sample bottle to use I bet they call the boss, who tells them to make sure and use the good stuff on this one!

[@themotoroilgeek]

LOL, good point.

[@GT-mn3bx]

Dealers aren't as bad, but Most places are hacks and give everyone 5w30 dino oil. Most don't even change the filter.

[@ΔημήτριοςΚαραβασίλης-ω5λ]

Using an oil with higher viscosity, will increase fuel consumption, right?

[@LAP1050]

Good thing you were smart enough to check with parts dept and not accept what the, clueless, Service Writer had to offer.

[@taz4100]

I would imagine they have a pump and dont even normally use oil from jugs.

[@TheRichardF10]

No speculation on this channel, all science. So many myths that have been engraved in our minds for decades regarding engine oil and you are dispelling them. Excellent work Lake.

[@themotoroilgeek]

Thank you!

[@ethermal1]

Still a little, to be truly scientific you needed a control, where you did the changes exactly per the mfg and compare the results

[@rayRay-pw6gz]

I can not comment on his knowledge of oil but, I can on the vehicle mechanics. Toyota specifically states 0-w8 or 0-w16 for a reason. The engine , computer and sensors are calibrated for that specific grade of oil. If you do not follow manufacturer instructions and use a different grade , you may damage the engine long term. Since he does not let the vehicle go over 5K with the wrong oil, I think he is OK. I would have ran the new engine 5K with the original oil and then change the oil but not the filter. The filter will work fine and you can change it every other oil Change. JMO🇺🇸✌️

[@BVN-TEXAS]

All this thin oil is about CAFE standard and not what’s best for the engine. Just look at the same engines sold in other counties without an epa. They don’t mandate those ultra thin oils. They have the classic oil weight recommendations by outside temp charts. So don’t trust that it’s what’s best for your car. It’s what’s best to boost the epa numbers.

[@lonniebeal6032]

I saw a comment from someone in Austrailia, they use 20w50 in their Kias and aren't having near the problems the US is having.

[@LamNguyen-dy5ep]

I have the 2024 Corolla Hatch. The American manual states to use 0w-8 and 0w-16. However the Australian manual says that you can use 0w-16, 0w-20, 5w-20, 5w-30 and 10w-30. From what I read, the lighter oil slightly increases fuel efficiency which is required by US law

[@themotoroilgeek]

You are on it!

[@TassieLorenzo]

Interesting! Is it a myth then about the different API starburst symbol on 0W-8 & 0W-12 products to show it is not backwards compatible with 0W-20 through 20W-50? I heard that engines designed for 0W-8 and 0W-12 have different bearing finishes. So that's not true?

[@wolfeadventures]

This. It’s strictly a tactic to meet CAFE standards. Has nothing to do with longevity or “tight oil passages” engineered for 0w-8. It’s not. Thicker oil is fine.

[@summerforever6736]

You better of using 5-20 or 5-30

[@summerforever6736]

I agree They are not manufacturing different engine with different tolerances in 2.0l f example for Europe and for USA! That would cost alot..

[@mkroach59]

I'm still sceptical of any filled for life claims.

[@themotoroilgeek]

Me too!

[@cup_and_cone]

Life of vehicle is usually only 100,000 miles for most manufacturers, so... 100k is what you can expect.

[@bobbygetsbanned6049]

It just means the life isn't as long. The oil life didn't get longer, the transmission life just got shorter.

[@tradingnichols2255]

@@cup_and_cone Or change the transmission fluid every 30k miles and the car may last 50% or 100% longer...

[@alexandergunaka666]

Why. There’s no legal length on life. They’ll just say sorry that was its life, but you can change the fluid now based on our specs lol. I think in the manual by the lifetime fills they should have to put estimates of their interpretations of lifetime at the very least.

[@ElPants21]

Some Toyota hybrids take regular Toyota ATF. They use 2 electric motors and a planetary gear set to change the gear ratios rather than a belt or chain. Super reliable and durable

[@AB-yc1np]

Ok you’re talking about the Hybrid not the gasoline motor only

[@ElPants21]

@@AB-yc1np as far as I know, yes. The eCVT trans is for sure belt/chainless, but I'm unaware of Toyota's gas only trans construction.

[@deboralacreta]

eCVT

[@91CavGT5]

@@ElPants21 the two are different. The eCVT in the hybrids is incredibly reliable with countless examples having well over 200,000 miles. The CVT in the standard gas powered vehicles on the other hand, I have not seen any that are known for their reliability regardless of the manufacturer. Subaru, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Honda, Toyota, it doesn’t matter. Some are slightly better than others, but none carry the same reliability as the eCVT.

[@VuickB6]

This. My 07 Prius uses the same Valvoline MaxLife ATF that my 07 GX470 uses with no issues. ✌️

[@ThePolerbearproducts]

At this point I’m convinced we’re gonna go back to straight weight oils since I’m sure they’ll eventually make 0W-0 Oil

[@yournightmare9999]

Just use water

[@themotoroilgeek]

LOL

[@PinkFZeppelin]

As far as I know 0w16 can already be a straight weight oil since it’s representing two different scales. The Valvoline offering seems to be close.

[@bobbygetsbanned6049]

Yeah that's the weird part, one of the benefits of synthetic is having a larger viscosity range. But 0W-8 is 1/3rd of conventional 5W-30.

[@johnfranklin5277]

You made me laugh. Thx.

[@463570joe]

It would be very interesting to get your take on the new Valvoline restore and protect. It claims to be the only oil that actually removes deposits. If it does what it claims, it would be great to clean coking from oil control rings on DI engines.

[@stephenh8092]

I would bet that adding something like Marvel Mystery Oil to your engine oil achieves the same deposite removal results at a cheaper price point.

[@Tradrnq]

I've asked in another video for him to do this as well! I hope he does

[@kenj.8897]

​@stephenh809l2 lol

[@mrvwbug4423]

It's not going to clean deposits from the intake ports on DI engines. And coking on oil rings is not just a DI thing that is most modern engines as they all have low tension oil rings now. I've only seen two design solutions that reduce or eliminate the intake deposits on DI engines, either dual DI/port injection like Toyota D4S and the newer Ford EcoBoosts or water jacketed intake ports like Mazda has on the SkyActiv engines.

[@themotoroilgeek]

Stay tuned! We are going to do an in-depth video on the Valvoline Restore & Protect.

[@dontderockmerizz3211]

I will never go 10k between oil changes. I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night. Oil is cheap, engines aren’t.

[@pleasedontwatchthese9593]

I feel like my issue is if there is a oil/coolant/gas leak into the oil you will not find out until its way too late. So even if the oil can last that long there are still other issues. A good user will check and find those things but I feel like a lot of people will be lazy and never know until their next oil change.

[@volvo09]

He didn't

[@GT-mn3bx]

​@@pleasedontwatchthese9593Just smell it on the dipstick each time(fuel) any significant water would make it milky.

[@TassieLorenzo]

Sure thing. You can see why van operators push it out to the 20k miles / 30k km though that Fiat (Dodge), Mercedes, Ford, Renault etc say (with e.g., 2.0L turbo diesels), as they want to keep the costs down. Plenty of people see that this is what it says for their passenger car Mercedes C300 diesel or Renault Talisman diesel as well and just follow it too. In theory this should be OK as long as the oil stays in spec and doesn't get diluted with fuels, though these Euro engines following these schedules do tend to be varnished up when they are opened up.

[@wirebrush]

It really depends on how you drive it. Long haul trucks will go tens of thousands between changes and hundreds of thousands or more between engine overhauls, but they don't put them through many heat cycles between oil changes. The typical soccer mom mobile that gets started, run a few miles and shut off multiple times a day should probably have oil changed every 2-3 months even though it's only getting maybe a thousand miles on it in that time.

[@TheCRTman]

0W0 coming up lol

[@CurlyFromTheSwirly]

😂 I was going to say the same thing

[@hithereperson8137]

Wamter

[@CoreMaster111]

I want some -20W-60

[@dannyo3317]

We have a high mileage oil burning truck at work. They like to use really thick oil (which probably increases wear and oil burning). This is me at the auto parts store: "I need some oil". Salesman: "What kind?". Me: " The kind that pours".

[@dennisr.farmer7114]

At least 0W0.5 anyway 😅

[@chrisbarnes2823]

I still remember using W20-50 Duckhams Q in early Minis in the 60’s, the oil was green in colour.

[@cameronwood1994]

You can still buy Duckhams Q 20W-50 (it's now API SJ in the UK) and it's still green in colour! They do a Q 10W-40 too, which replaces the old Q 5500 (10W-30) oil.

[@eoghanhennessy443]

My box goes on about this all the time he said it was recycled oil

[@thisisyourcaptainspeaking2259]

You mean gear box lube?

[@chrisbarnes2823]

@@thisisyourcaptainspeaking2259 the Mini gearbox lived in the engine oil pan, so it was engine and gear oil.

[@thisisyourcaptainspeaking2259]

@@chrisbarnes2823 Makes sense. I only had the opportunity to spend quality time with an mg that had no roof, chrome bumpers and no rust. I really wanted that car.

[@markaruski]

CVT note: if you have a planetary gear-type CVT, it may call for ATF, instead of CVT fluid, just be sure to check the owners manual.

[@michaeldurrett8388]

I stick to oem fluids for CVTs. Not going to risk a 5k trans to save 40 bucks.

[@VuickB6]

Not sure what type of CVT my 07 Prius has, but it can use plain old Valvoline MaxLife ATF. Same stuff I use in my 07 GX470 which has an A750.

[@EatMyYeeties]

​@@VuickB6The Toyota hybrid CVTs use a planetary gear set. It's pretty cool! The engine drives either the ring gear or the planets, the electric motor powers the other, and the output comes from the ring gear. So, depending on the speed of the electric motor, you can set the engine RPM and essentially have any output speed you want. The belt CVTs are the ones that need the special fluid, but since yours is fully geared, it takes ATF.

[@HR-wd6cw]

Best to stick to whatever the manufacturer says to use, and in fact, would just buy it from the dealer. It's the one thing I would say you're best off just paying the extra money for the OEM stuff. Besides a few quarts of CVT or trans fluid in general is far cheaper than a new transmission down the road. I mean how often do you change your trans fluid? Maybe once every other year if you have a CVT (say every 30k-50k miles) and perhaps every 5 years (or 60-90k) if you have a manual or traditional (geared) automatic. And if you have a CVT you should be changing your fluid about every 30-50k miles anyway for best longevity.

[@robertjackson7590]

@@michaeldurrett8388 OE's don't make a lot of things under the hood, spark plugs, belts, bearings or oil. Many of the aftermarket are far superior and I'll pay more for them. The most cost effective way a customer can extend the life of their transmission is the OCI and the product they use. Do what works for you but this is what I do. Retired Ind Allison Trans specialist. Find the top tier oil manufacturer you can afford and use their product. It's what they do, it's all they do and the OE might be piurchasing from them already. They have guys like Lake that geek out on this stuff all day, every day. Just a suggestion.

[@tomtom255]

It's truly a breathe of fresh air to see someone with a channel that has actual scientific data to explain what is happening instead of speculation and conjecture. Would you ever do an episode or maybe even a series on engine oil additives? Specifically Liqui-moly Ceratec. Thank you : )

[@sledgenwedge]

Hells yeah

[@snapon1974]

That CVT has a first gear. The engine uses Toyotas D4S system, it has both port and direct injection.

[@volvo09]

Seems like the most reliable way to do it, by using a standard gear set for getting the car moving to eliminate stress.

[@BubblesTheCat1]

Toyota is the KING of making cars that work well and last long. I ❤️ Toyotas 😀💕🚗

[@Resistculturaldecline]

I do like the toyota method of having an actual first gear. With that said, my wife bought a 2013 Accord in 2016, with 25k miles. Ive changed the CVT fluid every 35k ish miles since. Its a bit of overkill, the fluid is still clean at that point. Only slightly different color than bottle-new but its dead simple and easy to change. Always with Honda oem fluid. At 140k miles, it still drives exactly like it did 125k miles ago. Im sure the toyota with 50k mile cvt fluid changes will go a long, long time.