2024 Tacoma Oil Change Guide!

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Alright everyone I just did the first oil change on my Tacoma and thought I'd post a guide since I can't seem to find a good one anywhere yet.
Instructions:
  1. Take both "skid plates" off. 4 bolts each.
  2. Take oil filter off and place drain pan underneath. My filter was wayyyyyy too tight from factory so you might have some trouble taking it off. I ended up putting a screwdriver through the end of it to get leverage and turn it off.
  3. Prefill new filter as much as possible and screw it on hand tight.
  4. Find the oil drain plug. I included a pic below of the location. Drain the oil and be careful. On mine no matter how I positioned the drain pan the oil would hit it and perfectly rainbow onto the ground. A filter mat placed in the pan would help this. Drain the oil completely, replace the blue washer on the drain bolt and put it back in. The official factory torque spec is 30lbs but that felt like way too much so i just did 15lbs which has been fine and felt plenty tight.
  5. Put 6 quarts of Toyota SAE 0W-20 in.
  6. Check the dipstick to make sure the oil is in and at the proper level
  7. Start the truck and look under it to make sure theres no leaks and everything working correctly
  8. Turn the vehicle off and replace the skid plates
  9. Enjoy your new oil change knowing you're taking proper care of your vehicle!
  10. Change the oil every 5k miles!! I know Toyota says every 10k but if you plan on having the truck for over 100k miles especially with a turbo engine 5k is the way to go. This debate is endless but the car care nut and the motor oil geek on youtube both know more than you and agree that 5k miles is the correct interval.
Relevant: If you bought your truck new do the first change around 1k miles! Again Toyota says 5k but if you want this thing to last forever it's best to do the first change at 1k miles. Go to the motor oil geeks youtube and watch his videos on this (Do you need a break in oil change video) . He goes in depth on why this is important and backs it up with real oil test evidence on multiple vehicles.

Update & Edit: I'm actually going to change my oil interval recommendation to 3-4k miles or every 6 months based on the new "The Car Care Nut" (Video Link) video on YouTube where he specifically talks about the new Toyota turbo engines. I've also done a deep dive into the science of oil changes and why they're so important and this recommendation adds up. I'm just a moron on the internet though so I'll explain my logic.

Oil is used not only to lubricate the turbo but to also cool the turbo along with the coolant. This higher heat degrades the oil faster so turbo engines generally need more frequent oil changes. Cold starts on direct injected engines also allow more gas to seep past the piston rings which again degrades the oil faster.

Think of how well gasoline cleans up an oil spill. It breaks down oil very fast. That's also why if you don't reach 3-4k miles in 6 months you still want to change your oil. The gas and oxygen in the oil are still breaking it down over time.

Now for everyone saying "I'm going to follow what Toyota says and do the 10k oil change intervals, they know best"...

Recommended oil change intervals are regulated by the EPA nowadays to be better for the environment not what's best for your truck. Fewer oil changes mean less waste oil and supposedly better for the environment. So in summary Toyota recommendations don't mean squat for making your truck last forever.

As for the environment, if more oil changes mean you get 100k extra miles out of a truck that carbon tax was paid off decades ago that sure seems better for the environment than buying a new vehicle which creates a ton of extra carbon. Actually, 5.6 metric tons to be exact😂.

Also good to remember on any turbo vehicle that if you're doing fast driving like highway driving or especially spirited driving/off-roading to let the car sit for a minute or two before shutting it off. The turbo gets extra hot during these periods and if you immediately turn your engine off it'll bake the oil in the turbo oil lines.

Over enough time this will clog the passages just like clogged arteries and destroy the turbo. In my 24 Taco owners manual this is actually mentioned and recommended. Alright, I think I've made my case. Happy oiling!

Step by Step Photos:

IMG_3061.JPGIMG_3063.JPGIMG_3064.JPGIMG_3065.JPGIMG_3066.JPGIMG_3067.JPGIMG_3059.JPG
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Alright everyone I just did the first oil change on my Tacoma and thought I'd post a guide since I can't seem to find a good one anywhere yet.

Oil filter: 90915-yzzn1 otherwise known as the N1 filter
oil: 6Q of Toyota SAE 0W-20

Instructions:

1. Take both "skid plates" off. 4 bolts each.
2. Take oil filter off and place drain pan underneath. My filter was wayyyyyy too tight from factory so you might have some trouble taking it off. I ended up putting a screwdriver through the end of it to get leverage and turn it off.
3. Prefill new filter as much as possible and screw it on hand tight.
4. Find the oil drain plug. I included a pic below of the location. Drain the oil and be careful. On mine no matter how I positioned the drain pan the oil would hit it and perfectly rainbow onto the ground. A filter mat placed in the pan would help this. Drain the oil completely, replace the blue washer on the drain bolt and put it back in. The official factory torque spec is 30lbs but that felt like way too much so i just did 15lbs which has been fine and felt plenty tight.
5. Put 6 quarts of Toyota SAE 0W-20 in.
6. Check the dipstick to make sure the oil is in and at the proper level
7. Start the truck and look under it to make sure theres no leaks and everything working correctly
8. Turn the vehicle off and replace the skid plates
9. Enjoy your new oil change knowing you're taking proper care of your vehicle!
10. Change the oil every 5k miles!! I know Toyota says every 10k but if you plan on having the truck for over 100k miles especially with a turbo engine 5k is the way to go. This debate is endless but the car care nut and the motor oil geek on youtube both know more than you and agree that 5k miles is the correct interval.

Relevant: If you bought your truck new do the first change around 1k miles! Again Toyota says 5k but if you want this thing to last forever it's best to do the first change at 1k miles. Go to the motor oil geeks youtube and watch his videos on this. He goes in depth on why this is important and backs it up with real oil test evidence on multiple vehicles.
View attachment 423View attachment 424View attachment 425View attachment 426View attachment 427View attachment 428View attachment 429
Great post. I just got 2024 trd OF. New to Toyota. Where do I even order these parts ?
 
Great post. I just got 2024 trd OF. New to Toyota. Where do I even order these parts ?
Thank you! Congrats on the new truck! You can get all OEM parts from your local Toyota dealer. With the oil change though if you're not mechanically inclined I would start elsewhere. If you mess up the oil change you need a new engine which would not be fun on a brand new truck.
 
Thank you! Congrats on the new truck! You can get all OEM parts from your local Toyota dealer. With the oil change though if you're not mechanically inclined I would start elsewhere. If you mess up the oil change you need a new engine which would not be fun on a brand new truck.
So I have about 1200 on it. Pulled into a jiffy lube to get it changed. Im military and traveling from ga to ny. They put new oil in it but was so new they didn’t have a new filter to put on it. That’s why I originally found your thread. I was like I’ll do it myself. I ordered the exact oil and filter you have above and I’ll just do it again myself. I’m assuming that the truck running idle you want the digital gauge to be dead middle. This obviously jumps higher when you driving and hit the gas. I’m extra because as I’m in line getting oil changed someone with a tundra came in swearing very upset that they over filled his tundra the day before and his truck was smoking etc. thanks for everything brotha.
 
Alright everyone I just did the first oil change on my Tacoma and thought I'd post a guide since I can't seem to find a good one anywhere yet.

Oil filter: 90915-yzzn1 otherwise known as the N1 filter
oil: 6Q of Toyota SAE 0W-20

Instructions:

1. Take both "skid plates" off. 4 bolts each.
2. Take oil filter off and place drain pan underneath. My filter was wayyyyyy too tight from factory so you might have some trouble taking it off. I ended up putting a screwdriver through the end of it to get leverage and turn it off.
3. Prefill new filter as much as possible and screw it on hand tight.
4. Find the oil drain plug. I included a pic below of the location. Drain the oil and be careful. On mine no matter how I positioned the drain pan the oil would hit it and perfectly rainbow onto the ground. A filter mat placed in the pan would help this. Drain the oil completely, replace the blue washer on the drain bolt and put it back in. The official factory torque spec is 30lbs but that felt like way too much so i just did 15lbs which has been fine and felt plenty tight.
5. Put 6 quarts of Toyota SAE 0W-20 in.
6. Check the dipstick to make sure the oil is in and at the proper level
7. Start the truck and look under it to make sure theres no leaks and everything working correctly
8. Turn the vehicle off and replace the skid plates
9. Enjoy your new oil change knowing you're taking proper care of your vehicle!
10. Change the oil every 5k miles!! I know Toyota says every 10k but if you plan on having the truck for over 100k miles especially with a turbo engine 5k is the way to go. This debate is endless but the car care nut and the motor oil geek on youtube both know more than you and agree that 5k miles is the correct interval.

Relevant: If you bought your truck new do the first change around 1k miles! Again Toyota says 5k but if you want this thing to last forever it's best to do the first change at 1k miles. Go to the motor oil geeks youtube and watch his videos on this. He goes in depth on why this is important and backs it up with real oil test evidence on multiple vehicles.
View attachment 423View attachment 424View attachment 425View attachment 426View attachment 427View attachment 428View attachment 429
I appreciate this
 
I am new to this site but I thought I would throw in my 2 cents.

I have 1300+ km (800+ miles) on my TRD Sport Premium and did my first oil change yesterday. Because I have heard all these stories of possible shavings or metal bits in the oil I ran the old oil through a fry pan splatter screen (very fine mesh) as I drained it. Seemed to be all clear.

Fortunately, both filter and plug were easy to remove - not overtightened at the factory. I will probably wait to do the next change at 5000 km. Then every 6 months or 5000 km. (I don’t drive a heck of a lot) Yes, it might be overkill but I’ve been doing this type of oil change schedule on all the vehicles I have owned for over 50 years and it’s always done me well.

IMG_3908.jpeg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I am new to this sight but thought I would just throw in my 2 cents. I have 1300+ km ( 800+miles) on my TRD Sport Premium and did my first oil change yesterday. Because I have heard all these stories of possible shavings or metal bits in the oil I ran the old oil through a fry pan splatter screen ( very fine mesh) as I drained it. Seemed to be all clear. Fortunately both filter and plug were easy to remove - not overtightened at the factory. I will probably wait to do the next change at 5000 km . Then every 6 months or 5000 km. ( I don’t drive a heck of a lot) Yes, it might be overkill but I’ve been doing this type of oil change schedule on all the vehicles I have owned for over 50 years and it’s always done me well.View attachment 577
yup that's the perfect interval. That wire mesh you have is to big to catch anything though. If there was anything big enough to be caught by that your engine would be blown haha. The material you're getting rid of in the first 1k mile oil change is small enough to make it through the paper oil filter. Very fine particles you can't even see with the naked eye. Glad to see you're on top of the maintenance though. Good luck with your taco!
 
So I have about 1200 on it. Pulled into a jiffy lube to get it changed. Im military and traveling from ga to ny. They put new oil in it but was so new they didn’t have a new filter to put on it. That’s why I originally found your thread. I was like I’ll do it myself. I ordered the exact oil and filter you have above and I’ll just do it again myself. I’m assuming that the truck running idle you want the digital gauge to be dead middle. This obviously jumps higher when you driving and hit the gas. I’m extra because as I’m in line getting oil changed someone with a tundra came in swearing very upset that they over filled his tundra the day before and his truck was smoking etc. thanks for everything brotha.
Yeah the filters shouldn't be hard to get because a lot of other engines share them but it just depends on local stock I guess. Would highly recommend not going to an oil change shop likee jiffy though. They can do questionable work at times. I would have toyota do it as they will always have the parts and if they mess up it's an easy warranty claim where as not so much with an oil shop. Or just do it yourself but agian be careful that you know what you're doing. If you mess up they probably won't warranty a new engine. Enjoy your new taco!
 
FYI the oil plug gasket crush washer is a single use part as well. I don't buy the Toyota filter or oil, so I don't know if it comes with the filter, so here's a link: https://autoparts.toyota.com/products/product/gasket-9043012031

There are after market options that are more reasonable for a aluminum washer...
Doesn't come with any of the parts, you have to pick it up at the dealer. You just ask for it though and I think it's something like 50-75 cents. What oil do you use if not toyota?
 
Doesn't come with any of the parts, you have to pick it up at the dealer. You just ask for it though and I think it's something like 50-75 cents. What oil do you use if not toyota?
Pennzoil Platinum full synthetic. It's done well for me in everything I've owned, and seems to keep the sludge/ build up down compared to other oils I've used.
 
Alright everyone I just did the first oil change on my Tacoma and thought I'd post a guide since I can't seem to find a good one anywhere yet.
Instructions:
  1. Take both "skid plates" off. 4 bolts each.
  2. Take oil filter off and place drain pan underneath. My filter was wayyyyyy too tight from factory so you might have some trouble taking it off. I ended up putting a screwdriver through the end of it to get leverage and turn it off.
  3. Prefill new filter as much as possible and screw it on hand tight.
  4. Find the oil drain plug. I included a pic below of the location. Drain the oil and be careful. On mine no matter how I positioned the drain pan the oil would hit it and perfectly rainbow onto the ground. A filter mat placed in the pan would help this. Drain the oil completely, replace the blue washer on the drain bolt and put it back in. The official factory torque spec is 30lbs but that felt like way too much so i just did 15lbs which has been fine and felt plenty tight.
  5. Put 6 quarts of Toyota SAE 0W-20 in.
  6. Check the dipstick to make sure the oil is in and at the proper level
  7. Start the truck and look under it to make sure theres no leaks and everything working correctly
  8. Turn the vehicle off and replace the skid plates
  9. Enjoy your new oil change knowing you're taking proper care of your vehicle!
  10. Change the oil every 5k miles!! I know Toyota says every 10k but if you plan on having the truck for over 100k miles especially with a turbo engine 5k is the way to go. This debate is endless but the car care nut and the motor oil geek on youtube both know more than you and agree that 5k miles is the correct interval.
Relevant: If you bought your truck new do the first change around 1k miles! Again Toyota says 5k but if you want this thing to last forever it's best to do the first change at 1k miles. Go to the motor oil geeks youtube and watch his videos on this (Do you need a break in oil change video) . He goes in depth on why this is important and backs it up with real oil test evidence on multiple vehicles.

Update & Edit: I'm actually going to change my oil interval recommendation to 3-4k miles or every 6 months based on the new "The Car Care Nut" (Video Link) video on YouTube where he specifically talks about the new Toyota turbo engines. I've also done a deep dive into the science of oil changes and why they're so important and this recommendation adds up. I'm just a moron on the internet though so I'll explain my logic.

Oil is used not only to lubricate the turbo but to also cool the turbo along with the coolant. This higher heat degrades the oil faster so turbo engines generally need more frequent oil changes. Cold starts on direct injected engines also allow more gas to seep past the piston rings which again degrades the oil faster.

Think of how well gasoline cleans up an oil spill. It breaks down oil very fast. That's also why if you don't reach 3-4k miles in 6 months you still want to change your oil. The gas and oxygen in the oil are still breaking it down over time.

Now for everyone saying "I'm going to follow what Toyota says and do the 10k oil change intervals, they know best"...

Recommended oil change intervals are regulated by the EPA nowadays to be better for the environment not what's best for your truck. Fewer oil changes mean less waste oil and supposedly better for the environment. So in summary Toyota recommendations don't mean squat for making your truck last forever.

As for the environment, if more oil changes mean you get 100k extra miles out of a truck that carbon tax was paid off decades ago that sure seems better for the environment than buying a new vehicle which creates a ton of extra carbon. Actually, 5.6 metric tons to be exact😂.

Also good to remember on any turbo vehicle that if you're doing fast driving like highway driving or especially spirited driving/off-roading to let the car sit for a minute or two before shutting it off. The turbo gets extra hot during these periods and if you immediately turn your engine off it'll bake the oil in the turbo oil lines.

Over enough time this will clog the passages just like clogged arteries and destroy the turbo. In my 24 Taco owners manual this is actually mentioned and recommended. Alright, I think I've made my case. Happy oiling!

Step by Step Photos:

View attachment 423View attachment 424View attachment 425View attachment 426View attachment 427View attachment 428View attachment 429
Did u have to reset the maintenance light so it doesnt come on when due?
 
Pennzoil Platinum full synthetic. It's done well for me in everything I've owned, and seems to keep the sludge/ build up down compared to other oils I've used.
Would highly recommend staying with the Toyota oil. Any full synthetic meets the standards there's does but Toyotas oil is specifically formulated for their engines with particular additive packages. The motor oil geek on youtube has some great videos on this. Just food for thought.
 
Just preformed my first oil change at 885 miles on my October '24 manufactured SR5. I'm happy to report no visible shavings in the oil and the filter seemed pretty clean too when I dumped it out; although I did not cut into the filter to check. Will probably change again around 2500 and 5000 just to play it safe.

No mechanical issues to report as of yet either so that's good. I do have a pretty annoying squeek that seems to be coming from my tailgate however, so I'll probably bring it in to have that checked out soon.
 
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