Age old question...which engine oil?

toyotacelicagt4

toyotacelicagt4

toyotacelicagt4

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Joined
1 Jun 2004
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Location
Derby
Good morning chaps,

Recently I purchased a 1996 Celica GT4 ST205 which has a rather high mileage(176k :D). I'm looking at changing the oil & filter this weekend but am struggling to find the correct oil. On my previous gt4 I used 10w40 semi and to be honest I didn't really have any issues with it. But with the high mileage on this one and the plan for me to never get rid of this I would prefer to use an oil that will keep the engine running tip top. So people of OCUK what would you recommend?

10w40 fully
10w40 semi(Toyota's own brand)
5w40 fully(this type seems common)

Cheers
 
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The main dealers spares department usually sell very good oil, assuming it was serviced in main dealers and got to 176K miles then the oil must have been good stuff. That is very heavy mileage for a petrol, must be solid cars.
 
dave28 said:
The main dealers spares department usually sell very good oil, assuming it was serviced in main dealers and got to 176K miles then the oil must have been good stuff. That is very heavy mileage for a petrol, must be solid cars.
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I'll try and call the main dealers when they open. My only fear is that they'll just sell my the standard stuff where really I want something that's tailored for higher mileage performance engines
 
I think it totally depends on the car, and if you are talking Celica GT4 (is that the pop up lights, 1990s one - if so i dreamed of owning that car for years...... I finally got to go to look at buying a carlos sainz limited edition one then i sat in one and nearly broke my neck on the ceiling so had to change plans :( ) edit...... no i am thinking of the one before yours ST185 - yours is still fantastic however.

i would post on a more tailored forum for that car. My fait coupe i took the generic advice when i bought my 1st one and got a really high performance fully syntheitc thin oil and regretted it...... it was the owners club forum who put in in the right direction.

i wouldnt trust a main dealer myself on that car.... chances are that car will be older than many of the people working there and you may just get some generic advice on some really expensive oil which may not be suitable - like happened to me.

(if i had to guess 5w40 will be too thin)
 
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Yeah i think a more dedicated forum may give better advise on that specific engine, but do beware of the circular logic within some owners groups regarding stuff like that.

It only takes 1 or 2 people to be taken in by some oil salesman and then they all start spouting the same stuff, take advise off actually garages and specialists in the cars if you can.
 
I'll try and head over to some specialised forum for the GT4's. Years ago I used to me a member of the GT4 owners club (gt4oc iirc) but it looks like the forum no longer exists. I completely agree with people taking the words of a oil salesman as gospel. No doubt that some of the oil that is being advised probably didn't exist when the GT4 rolled off the production line.
 
bigmike20vt said:
i dont necessarily agree here..... a car with that milage may warrant a thicker oil than when the engine was in its prime.

also back in the 1990s oil tech was different than it is now.
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If the engine has worn significantly (which it won't have necessarily just because of mileage, but if its had a hard life or lack of regular oil changes it might) then a thicker oil might slow further damage but that's just treating the symptom not the cause, if the engine is worn significantly it needs a refurbish with some new internals (piston rings, liners, etc).

Oil tech hasn't moved on that much, minor incremental improvements but no great innovation or step-change in the basic technology. And any progress that has been made will not really be of any benefit to an engine from the 90s.
 
If anything go thicker rather than thinner with a higher mileage engine. You won’t go far wrong just using whatever the owners manual says.
 
www.opieoils.co.uk

Opie Oils - Automotive Fluids, Oils, Parts, Tools

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Search the above, I'd just go with whatever the OEM was and should be listed on this site.
 
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I assume these have gone up in price along with everything else?

I really fancied one 8-10ish years ago and they were very affordable for what they were then.
 
Great car OP. I still have mine, which I must have had 10 years now. Similar mileage to yours although I hardly use it anymore. Tax/insurance/MOT is under £500/year in total which makes it hard to justify getting rid of!

I'd just use any good quality (i.e not ASDA special) fully synthetic 5w40. Watch the levels depending on leaks/consumption, change it every 10k miles with an OEM filter & you won't go far wrong. With it being an old engine, probably best avoiding all the modern long life, DPF friendly etc etc oils.

I've used Millers Nanodrive the past few years, based on nothing more than the Porsche engine rebuilders Hartech stipulate it be used as part of their warranty terms on engine rebuilds, which is pretty unusual. They have lots of experience tho so must have a view that it's a decent oil: https://www.hartech.org/porsche-engine-rebuilds/rebuild-t-c-s
 
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