zz-fe/e12 1.6 service intervals question.

[logaljones44]

https://i.imgur.com/eSfLWJF.png

Noticed that Haynes Pro has 3 different points when an oil change should be carried out.  

10k miles for UK,   

9K miles for EU, 

4.5k miles for "Severe Conditions"    

How often do you guys/gals change the oil changes for this zz-fe family of engines?  

Also, just realised the aux belt is supposed to be changed every 60,000miles ish, woops. Currently at about 100,000 since last one

[FROSTYBALLS]

Service intervals are:

UK - 12 months or 10,000 miles, whichever occurs first 

Europe - 12 months or 15,000 km, whichever occurs first

We don't have severe conditions in the UK (eg. very hot, very dusty, etc)

 

[oldcodger]

Hi,

Yes, as Frosty says, every 10k Miles or 1 year whichever comes first , with 5W/30

Don't forget the brake/clutch fluid ,every 2 years and gearbox oil, every 4 years or 40k miles, and coolant at 100k miles.

Aux belt, seems to last ages anyway, timing chain on this model so little to do there .

[avetoy]

I think there is no harm even if you change the oil a little more often than 15k.

And forget about cheap oils! I have just repaired the vvt-i actuator less than 200k driven 3ZZ engine.

Local Mr T workshop boss told me that cheap oils have likely caused the premature damage.

 

[Stivino]

1 hour ago, avetoy said:

I think there is no harm even if you change the oil a little more often than 15k.

And forget about cheap oils! I have just repaired the vvt-i actuator less than 200k driven 3ZZ engine.

Local Mr T workshop boss told me that cheap oils have likely caused the premature damage.

What if I get Castrol Magnatec cheap, will it be OK to use it? 

[avetoy]

Well, in my opinion cheap oils are less than 20 euro/ 4 litres. Magnatec is far more expensive?

[Stivino]

Last month I bought two 4lt bottles of Magnatec for £14 each. 

You said not to use cheap oil. Do you think I shouldn't use it?

[avetoy]

Castrol is good brand, I think...  Castrol Magnatec 5W30 local shop price here: €36,50 / 4 liters, so not very cheap.

I´ve used Mobil 1 ESP which is cheaper: €29,90 / 4 liter.  It was back then when I had   Avensis with 3zz engine

This vvt-i actuator issue I told above was in my friend´s Corolla. Its former owners have used those cheap oils.

[FROSTYBALLS]

There is a difference between using a cheap engine oil and getting a good quality engine oil cheap. £14 for 4 litres of Castrol is cheap for a good quality engine oil.

For Toyotas, the engine oil should meet API SL, SM or SN spec - the higher (eg SN) the better - and whatever C rating your engine needs.

[Stivino]

I know all the guff about engine oil.

The point I hoped to make is that you can't just make a statement like "don't use cheap oil".

Cheap is not an indication of its quality.

[logaljones44]

5 hours ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

Service intervals are:

UK - 12 months or 10,000 miles, whichever occurs first 

Europe - 12 months or 15,000 km, whichever occurs first

We don't have severe conditions in the UK (eg. very hot, very dusty, etc)

Awesome, cheers mate. I'll assume 10k is good enough then. I'm doing 25k ish miles a year so would rather not be doing changes every 5k if I can avoid it 😛 

[logaljones44]

4 hours ago, avetoy said:

I think there is no harm even if you change the oil a little more often than 15k.

And forget about cheap oils! I have just repaired the vvt-i actuator less than 200k driven 3ZZ engine.

Local Mr T workshop boss told me that cheap oils have likely caused the premature damage.

 

Close to that 200k miles on a 3zz? Doing well if you're getting that high up. Thankfully the only engine issues I've had is chain stretch at around 170k, been resolved now and currently at just under 200k. 

[avetoy]

14 hours ago, logaljones44 said:

Close to that 200k miles on a 3zz? 

Sorry, I meant 200k km (about 124k miles). But I know cases that 3zz has even more on the clock. For example my previous Avensis:

there was 375000km (about 233k miles) when I sold it last year and now there is almost 400000km (about 248500 miles). 

 

17 hours ago, Stivino said:

I know all the guff about engine oil.

The point I hoped to make is that you can't just make a statement like "don't use cheap oil".

Cheap is not an indication of its quality.

Cheapness is relative. For example: if you can buy Castrol Magnatex 4 liters for £14, here I have to pay  €36,50 (about  £32,50). 

For me that´s not cheap and at least not bad. Unfortunately the oil prices here are more expensive in general. 

Those cheap oils here costs 15 - 20 euro per 4 liters and I still believe they are not as good as Castrol Magnatex.

I might be wrong and did not want to make a statement. Apologies!

 

[Stivino]

It's not everyday that I'm able to get Magnatec at that price, it was an offer, probably to clear the shelf of old stock.

However, this is a low price oil that Home Bargains sell and it has the same spec as Megnatec for half the price.

Would that be considered a cheap oil?

[oldcodger]

Bear in mind that you need 4.2 ltrs to change the engine oil on the later 1.6. 

[gezhenry]

I think Stivino brings up a good relevant general point here, apart from buying an oil that "as long as it meet the specs for your particular car", which most can anyway, how do you insist on not buying a "cheap oil" ie. how do you differentiate between a "quality oil" and a "non-quality oil" when the price is just dependent on where you get from and on offers.

Also, most oils will have a lot of blurb on them about them, the expensive ones probably more so, and branding is also a feature of that.

I just get, and pretty much insist on a fully synthetic, usually just the supermarket brand when it's on offer which seems quality enough for me and change it fairly regularly for my zzfe engine.

But am I doing something wrong d you think?

[Stivino]

If you learn what the letters and numbers mean, you will then be able to recognise and select the recommended oil for your car without paying a fortune for it.

I think some people just buy a brand name because they trust in the name but supermarket oils also meet the specifications.