The 2018 Toyota Tundra holds 8.5 quarts of oil. It’s important to change your oil every 3,000 to 5,000 miles if you use conventional oil, or every 7,500 to 10,000 miles if you use synthetic oil.

The hulking 2018 Toyota Tundra is beyond capable of hauling back-breaking loads and traversing the toughest roads, but it comes at the cost of poor fuel economy and regular maintenance. These can quickly take a toll on your wallet—so why not do some DIY maintenance yourself?

Oil changes are one of the simplest maintenance tasks that can be done from home. Hang tight as we teach you all about the 2018 Toyota Tundra’s oil capacity needs—from the type of oil it requires, its oil change schedule, and the step-by-step instructions for an oil change. Let’s go!

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2018 Toyota Tundra engine oil capacity

The 2018 Toyota Tundra’s engine oil capacity is 8.5 quarts.

A quick note: Engine oil capacity is different from

engine displacement

, the liter measurement associated with engine types (for example, the Tundra’s 5.7-L V8 engine). Engine displacement refers to the total volume of an engine’s cylinders and is a general indicator of how powerful an engine is.

In contrast, engine oil capacity is the amount of motor oil required to lubricate an engine’s parts.

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What kind of oil does a 2018 Toyota Tundra need?

Toyota recommends Toyota Genuine Motor Oil or ILSAC GF-5 multigrade engine oil with a viscosity of SAE 0W-20, such as

AMSOIL’s Signature Series 0W-20 Synthetic Oil

. However, if you can’t find SAE 0W-20 oil, you can use SAE 5W-20 until your next oil change.

To better understand engine oils, let’s learn how to read them! Here’s how to decipher engine viscosity:

SAE is simply a stamp of approval from the Society of Automotive Engineers, the organization that sets the standards for engine oil.

The first number-letter pair refers to an oil’s viscosity when the engine is running in cold-to-freezing temperatures (“W” stands for “winter”). The lower the number, the easier it will be to start the engine when it’s cold.

The final double-digit number refers to the oil’s viscosity when the engine is in hot, operating temperatures.

The lower the number, the thinner the oil consistency!

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How often to change the oil on a 2018 Toyota Tundra

Oil changes must be done on a regular basis to keep your engine squeaky clean and your drives smooth.

Toyota recommends you change your 2018 Toyota Tundra oil every six months or 3,000 to 5,000 miles, whichever comes first. If you’re using synthetic oil, you can go longer between oil changes around 7,500 to 10,000 miles.

Lucky for you, you won’t need to drive on eggshells, waiting for your odometer to hit a certain mileage—you’ll be notified via your instrument cluster with a “MAINT REQD” message, which is triggered when you’ve driven 5,000 miles since an oil change.

You can also check your oil yourself and look for the following signs that mean you need an oil change:

Black, amber, or milky oil (clean oil looks like tea, while dirty oil looks like cola)

The texture of the oil is gritty or grainy

You smell smoke or burning from your engine

Your vehicle is slow to accelerate

Abnormal noises are coming from the engine

MORE: Recommended maintenance schedule for a Toyota

How to change your oil and oil filter

Now that you know everything about the 2018 Tundra’s engine oil and when to change it, it’s time to do the real work!

Gather these tools:

Funnel

Socket wrench

Drain pan

Filter wrench

Replacement washer

Replacement oil filter

8.5 quarts of SAE 0W-20 engine oil

Dipstick

Sealable container for used oil

Follow these steps to perform a successful oil change:

Park your vehicle on level ground, turn the vehicle on, and let the engine warm up for five minutes. This will ensure the engine oil is at an even consistency and can be expelled smoothly.

Position the drain pan under the oil drain.

Use your socket wrench to unscrew the drain plug carefully, then remove the plug to let the oil pour out until it is empty.

Now position the drain pan under the oil filter.

Remove the oil filter bolt and allow the oil to drain out.

While waiting, install the drain plug with the replacement washer and plug the oil drain closed—but not too tightly!

Once the oil filter has completely drained, you can remove the oil filter.

Install the replacement oil filter and screw it back into place with your filter wrench.

Finally, you can head over to the hood and remove the oil filler cap.

Place the funnel into the engine and pour in 8.5 quarts of SAE 0W-20 oil.

Check that you have the proper amount of oil with your dipstick, twist the oil filler cap back on, and you’re done!

Allow your engine to run for a few minutes to warm up the new oil, reset your maintenance reminder, and ta-dah, you’ve just changed your oil!

Make sure to deposit the used oil in a sealable container to bring to your local recycling center, Toyota dealer, or auto parts store.

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