We have a 2012 V6 Toyota Highlander with the tow pkg, rated to pull 5,000#. We pull a 3,200# Casita travel trailer (loaded). Manual calls for 0-20 full synthetic engine oil, but mentions heavier oil might be wise for "severe conditions" without saying which weight oil. Toyota only stocks a 5-30 weight synthetic blend oil, and service tech couldn't say if we should use that or not. I'm thinking we should?

Send a sample of your existing oil out for analysis, indicate you use the motor for towing. If the lab report flags problems related to oil failure, then it's time to upgrade. Anything else is just guesswork?

Trailer pulling is a "severe condition" in my view. Don't others make fully synthetic 5-30 oil acceptable to Toyota?

I would go with 5w-30, personally.

You may want to consider 0w-30. The w is "winter weight", the lower the number, the better it flows at cold temperatures. This is important for engines with tight tolerances.The 0w30 will perform just as well as the 5w30 when hot.

Chris Bryant wrote:I would go with 5w-30, personally.Same here. Go with the heaviest oil the manufacurer recommends.

Heavier engine oil for pulling with Toyota Highlander?

Huntindog
Explorer
Aug 04, 2017
ShinerBock wrote:
FishOnOne wrote:

A lot of folks use the term weight when discussing oil viscosity.

A lot of folks up north call a taco a burrito or call grilled meat BBQ, but it doesn't mean they are correct.
I guess there is no such thing as a hair too thin to split.
BTW, I have several vehicles that use different weights of oil... Been doing that since I first heard the term in auto shop 44 years ago.
GordonThree
Explorer
Aug 04, 2017
Ductape wrote:
Unless you do comparative used oil analysis all else is religion.

X2
Ductape
Explorer
Aug 04, 2017
I move 26k all the time with 0W-20. Unless you do comparative used oil analysis all else is religion.
rexlion
Explorer
Aug 04, 2017
I towed 140,000 miles with my 2008 HL (185k total driven), Both business and vacations. I used 5w30. Pretty sure the manual mentioned that weight for severe use. Engine was doing great yet when I sold it. Mobil 1 in summer, but the rest of the year I used dino oil. 0w30 would be great if you have cold winters, but here in OK it is mild.
babock
Explorer
Aug 04, 2017
FishOnOne wrote:

A lot of folks use the term weight when discussing oil viscosity.
Yeah...that's like saying I have 80 weight in my tires.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Aug 04, 2017
I can't spell...viscostity, vescoastity,... Wait I can spell.
ShinerBock
Explorer
Aug 04, 2017
FishOnOne wrote:

A lot of folks use the term weight when discussing oil viscosity.

A lot of folks up north call a taco a burrito or call grilled meat BBQ, but it doesn't mean they are correct.
FishOnOne
Nomad
Aug 04, 2017
ShinerBock wrote:
The number is the oils SAE graded viscosity, not weight.

The "W" means winter to reference the oils graded viscosity at cold temps (usually around 0F) while the second number is its graded viscosity at normal operating temps around 212F.

A lot of folks use the term weight when discussing oil viscosity.
ShinerBock
Explorer
Aug 04, 2017
The number is the oils SAE graded viscosity, not weight.

The "W" means winter to reference the oils graded viscosity at cold temps (usually around 0F) while the second number is its graded viscosity at normal operating temps around 212F.
ScottG
Nomad
Aug 04, 2017
Chris Bryant wrote:
I would go with 5w-30, personally.

Same here. Go with the heaviest oil the manufacurer recommends.