# 2001 Toyota Tundra - do I need SJ oil?

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-toyota-tundra-do-i-need-sj-oil/125254>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** toyota, tundra\
**Created:** [September 18, 2018, 8:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-toyota-tundra-do-i-need-sj-oil/125254 "2018-09-18T20:31:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![NickMcCann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f0a364/32.png) [@NickMcCann](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NickMcCann)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 8:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-toyota-tundra-do-i-need-sj-oil/125254/1 "2018-09-18T20:31:10Z")

</div>

my 2001 tundra calls for SJ…is it ok to use oil that exceeds SN or do I need specifically SJ

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pyrolord314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@pyrolord314](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pyrolord314)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 8:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-toyota-tundra-do-i-need-sj-oil/125254/2 "2018-09-18T20:42:12Z")

</div>

When you need SJ you can use any oil from SJ-whatever is current (SN I think). You just can’t use an oil **older** than SJ

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2018, 11:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-toyota-tundra-do-i-need-sj-oil/125254/3 "2018-09-19T23:33:34Z")

</div>

Yes.

The rating is the latest improvement in the motor oil formulation agreed to by the American Petroleum Institute, and the Society of Automotive Engineers.

This means it meets the specs of today’s vehicles, and those built in prior years.

Going below the SJ rating, ie SI, SH, etc…is not advised.

Tester

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cwatkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@cwatkin](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cwatkin)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 6:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-toyota-tundra-do-i-need-sj-oil/125254/4 "2018-09-20T18:26:43Z")

</div>

For this engine the new oils are probably fine. This doesn’t apply to all engines though.

See: [https://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/ot-modern-oil-bad-old-engines-213669/](https://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/ot-modern-oil-bad-old-engines-213669/)

A suspect that the offroad motor oils marketed for use in ATVs and motorcycles still contain larger percentages of anti-wear additives that would foul modern emissions systems. I ended up with a couple gallons of these that were given to me in some junk and I just used them in lawn equipment.