’09 Sienna (2nd owner, 245,000 miles) ... the closer I get to an oil change, the louder and longer the startup clatter is (~ 2 seconds, then it fades away). To additive or not to additive? Does it really matter? Thanks.
An additive isn't going to help.
Thanks. Would anything help, or does even matter? Once she's got fresh oil, the clatter is minuscule.
@pork-chop-sandwiches Are you using the correct viscosity an type of oil? How long between changes?
As per the manual, conventional 5W-30... 3-4,000 miles between changes.
@pork-chop-sandwiches The clatter is probably the VVT hardware not getting enough oil at startup when it's dirty. You could try synthetic oil since it flows better.
Thanks... perhaps a 5W-30 blend or? Keep reading that using synthetic in an engine that was designed for conventional oil may lead to leaks, etc. Any truth there?
I'm using synthetic oil in cars that are 50-60 years old with no problems. If your seals and gaskets are in good condition they won't leak. The reason for synthetic oil having that reputation is because it flows better than conventional oils and if your seals are worn they're more likely to leak.
Thanks. I do have a mild oil leak, which is why I hesitated using synthetic. Would you recommend 100% synthetic or just a blend?
I would use full synthetic. If it leaks any worse than it does now you can always try a blend or go back to conventional oil.