6th Gen 4Runner Engine Oil Change Guide

[Trail4R]

2025 (6th Gen) 4Runner Engine Oil Change Step By Step Process on Hybrid TRD OR​

For a reference on oil change intervals and details from the owner's manual, check these threads:

• Recommended Maintenance Intervals (pg. 520)
• Engine Oil Type & Capacity (pg. 616)

We changed the oil at 1700-miles because there were a few other people on the Facebook group who claimed to have seen an abnormal amount of metal shavings in the oil at around 500-miles. I figured, why not change it now while I had all the supplies and had a weekend free. We used AMS oil SAE 0W-20 because I had it on hand from a previous purchase, although it's definitely overkill for this oil change. Regular TOYOTA SAE 0W-20 motor oil is just fine and is much more affordable than AMS oil - but that's a conversation for another day. We're also going to be testing the oil with an oil analysis kit from https://www.speediagnostix.com/ to check the overall contamination (if any) in the oil. At first glance, we didnt see anything wrong with the oil, it looked clean and clear to the eye but we'll see what the oil analysis has to say. We should get our results back in about a week, so check back in for the results on the oil.

What mileage are you planning to change your oil at, for the first change?

What intervals are you planning to change?

What oil do you use?


Tools and Materials

• TOYOTA Oil Filter: Oil Filter 90915-YZZN1 Same as 90915-YZZF2
• SAE 0W-20 - offers ideal performance for fuel economy, engine protection, and cold-start reliability
• AMS Oil 0W-20 - superior protection, performance, and fuel economy benefits
• Drain Plug Part Number: 90430-12031 (Thread Size: M12 x 1.25)
• Washer Size: 12mm aluminum crush washer (Toyota Part #: 90430-12031)
• Crush Washer (comes with product link above)
• Oil Grade: ILSAC GF-6A
• Viscosity: SAE 0W-20
• Drain Pan
• Tarp or Cardboard
• 3/8 Drive Wrench & Metric Sockets
• Torque Wrench
• Oil Filter Wrench
• Foldable Oil Drain Funnel (optional)

0W-20 Synthetic Oil and Toyota Oil Filter​

Again, this oil is overkill for the 4Runner, but if you want the highest-end oil on the market, AMS Oil makes a great product. If you're looking to save some money, just grab the TOYOTA SAE 0W-20 linked above.

1. Prepare Oil Catch Pan & Oil Change Materials​

Warm up the engine. Let it run for 5–10 minutes. Warm oil flows better and carries contaminants out more effectively. Park on a level surface. This ensures even draining and accurate refilling.

Gather your tools. You’ll need a drain pan, socket wrench (14mm for 6th Gen 4Runner), gloves, funnel, and rags.

Start by loosening the oil fill cap first, this helps oil drain faster by allowing air in from the top.

2. Locate Oil Filter​

Locate the oil filter. It's behind the radiator just above the front differential. It's very easy to access. I removed my skid plate so that I could take better photos, but if you have an access port in your skid plate, you should not have to remove your skid plate. It's pretty cool that the new oil filter on the 6th Gen 4Runner has a drain shroud around it, but it still doesn't work as well as we hoped. Because the drain shroud is so small, the oil still drains all over the crossmember. Because of this, we used a foldable oil drain funnel to pour the oil into the catch pan.

3. Remove Oil Filter​

Using an oil filter wrench, crack the oil filter loose and then prep the oil catch pan.

4. Drain Oil​

Drain the oil until you don't see any oil coming out. It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes for the motor to fully drain. As we were draining the oil, we didn't notice anything unusual. The oil was clean and for the most part, very clear, which was to be expected at 1700 miles.

5. Prepare New Oil Filter (90915-YZZN1)​

Take a bit of the new oil and coat the bottom of the oil filter to ensure a better seal and to make future removal of the oil filter easier.

6. Screw On New Oil Filter​

Screw on the new oil filter and-tighten only, after the gasket makes contact with the engine, tighten the filter an additional 3/4 to 1 full turn by hand. This ensures a proper seal without over-compressing the gasket. Do not use a wrench to tighten the oil filter, as overtightening can crush the gasket or damage the housing. Always check for leaks after starting the engine.

7. Drain The Oil Pan​

Now, drain the oil pan. Position the drain pan slightly back from the plug towards the passenger tire, oil will shoot out at an angle when the bolt is first removed.

Remove the drain plug slowly while applying inward pressure until it’s ready to come off, then pull it away quickly to minimize splashing. Let it drain completely, give it several minutes until it’s down to a slow drip.

Inspect the drain plug and crush washer. Replace the washer with your aluminum crush washer provided with the filter you bought.

 

[Trail4R]

8. Inspect the Drain Plug & Remove Old Crush Washer​

Clean the drain bolt and wipe the area clean around the oil pan. If the crush washer is stuck to the oil pan, you can pop it off with a small flathead screwdriver.

9. Reinstall the Drain Plug and New Crush Washer​

Prepare the drain plug and new crush washer. Then torque it to 30 ft-lbf (40 N·m). Always install a new crush washer, reusing the old one can cause oil leaks.

10. Prepare New Oil & Funnel​

The 6th Gen 4Runner has a plastic baffle (splash guard) built into the valve cover. The baffle prevents oil splash-back during engine operation, reduces oil vapor and mist entering the PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) system, and protects internal components from debris or accidental tool drops during maintenance. That said, it makes fitting a funnel into the valve cover a bit difficult if you have a narrow tip funnel. You may have to have someone hold a funnel in place while you pour in the oil. If you have a wide tip funnel, it makes the pour easier.

Oil capacity on the 6th Gen 4Runner depends on whether or not the oil filter is replaced during the change:

• With Filter: 5.9 qt. (5.6 L)
• Without Filter: 5.6 qt. (5.3 L)

After you fill your oil, you're all set. Now, just reset the factory maintenance settings from inside the vehicle.

11. Reset the Factory Maintenance Settings​

 

[Trail4R]

We also have an oil analysis being done on the oil. Standby for updates on the oil analysis.

 

[4RunnerStan]

very good write up. I just changed my oil last week at 2k miles. I used the same oil filter (I couldn't get it off and didn't have an oil filter wrench, I'll buy one when I get and drop the old oil off at an auto zone). I'm not terribly worried about not changing the oil filter, I have a free oil change thru Toyota care at 5k miles so they will do it.

I also did not replace the crush washer (did not know I needed too until I saw your thread, but again I'm sure Toyota will do it at 5k so I'm not overly worried and there has been no leaking either).

When I drained my oil, it looked very clean. I looked reasonably hard for any particulates and didn't see any. I used Toyota genuine motor oil and bought the Toyota filter which I didn't end up using as I didn't get the other one off.

 

[RockymtnCole]

8. Inspect the Drain Plug & Remove Old Crush Washer​

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Clean the drain bolt and wipe the area clean around the oil pan. If the crush washer is stuck to the oil pan, you can pop it off with a small flathead screwdriver.

9. Reinstall the Drain Plug and New Crush Washer​

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Prepare the drain plug and new crush washer. Then torque it to 30 ft-lbf (40 N·m). Always install a new crush washer, reusing the old one can cause oil leaks.

10. Prepare New Oil & Funnel​

View attachment 2484
View attachment 2485

The 6th Gen 4Runner has a plastic baffle (splash guard) built into the valve cover. The baffle prevents oil splash-back during engine operation, reduces oil vapor and mist entering the PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) system, and protects internal components from debris or accidental tool drops during maintenance. That said, it makes fitting a funnel into the valve cover a bit difficult if you have a narrow tip funnel. You may have to have someone hold a funnel in place while you pour in the oil. If you have a wide tip funnel, it makes the pour easier.

Oil capacity on the 6th Gen 4Runner depends on whether or not the oil filter is replaced during the change:

• With Filter: 5.9 qt. (5.6 L)
• Without Filter: 5.6 qt. (5.3 L)

After you fill your oil, you're all set. Now, just reset the factory maintenance settings from inside the vehicle.

11. Reset the Factory Maintenance Settings​

View attachment 2486
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Today I learned that there is such a thing as a flexible oil funnel... Amazon, here I come!

 

[Trail4R]

6th Gen 4Runner Hybrid Oil Analysis Results​

How to Read the Results

Here’s a breakdown of the oil analysis from SPEEDiagnostix on our 6th Gen 4Runner with 1,700 miles on the factory 0W-20 oil.

The viscosity came in low at 6.0 cSt (For SAE 20-grade oils, the cSt at 100°C should fall between 6.9 and 9.3 cSt.), which is below the minimum spec for 0W-20. I think this is pretty common on factory oil during early break-in but after seeing this, we might have changed the oil sooner. Maybe 1000 miles.

Wear metals were slightly elevated but within expectations for a new engine. Copper was at 32 ppm, tin at 17 ppm, iron at 23 ppm, and aluminum at 11 ppm. I'm not 100% what those mean in the bigger picture, but obviously, they are coming from initial wear-in of engine components; bearings, cylinders, etc..

Silicon showed up at 25 ppm, but from my understanding, that's also pretty common in new motor oils. That could be from residual sealants used during engine assembly. If it’s from sealants, it should drop off on the next sample. If it stays elevated on the next analysis, it might point to dust intrusion, so it’s worth checking the intake, filters, and airbox seals at that time.

No fuel, water, or glycol contamination was detected. That means the fuel system and cooling system are working fine, and there are no red flags for leaks or injector problems.

The wear metals and silicon should start trending down as the engine seats and clears out any leftover manufacturing residue.

Overall, nothing stands out as being too horrible, given this is a break-in sample, but the viscosity was on the thin side compared to what it should be sitting at.

After seeing these results, I would recommend changing your oil during a break-in period before Toyota's recommendation of 10k if you haven’t already. Some do it around 500 miles. Is that overkill, maybe... but it can't hurt. 1000 miles might be the sweet spot for a better safe than sorry oil change.

We will send in another sample at around 5,000- 7,500 miles with the AMS oil and see where we're at. It will be interesting to see where the viscosity falls on another round of testing.