lexus114

hi fellow lexus enthusiasts. as some of you may know i traded my 05 rx in last may for my 15 rx. so far, we like it very much. here is something im pondering and need your advice (although im pretty sure already of your answers) my dealerships sales dept. was awesome, how ever the service dept. not so much. they have consistently managed to over fill the oil as much as almost a quart. took it back in, they drained and still managed to over fill it. so here is my thought re; this. i am thinking of changing the oil myself, i know it calls for 10k oil changes but i do a LOT of short trips! and in the winter i know this is not good. i am considering doing 5k service on pyb 5W20 because i think the 10k on syn. is pushing it with my short trips, yet i cant see doing 5k on synthetic. what do you guys think? do an oil analysis? and go from there?

thanks
ryan

ericsan13

I'm using mobil1 0w-20 advanced fuel economy full syn and Toyota oil filter and doing my own oil changes at 10k intervals. My work commute is 6 miles which I consider a short trip. Haven't noticed any issues.

I did this with my last car too (a mazda where the manual called for 3k oil change intervals) and didn't have any problems before I got rid of it at 120k...I think you'll be fine with 10k. My two cents.

-Eric

fastnoypi

oil analysis is your best bet. Considering the short trips, id start with the 0w20 synthetic and send a sample at a 5k-6k interval. They should be telling you your fuel dilution percentages and wear characteristics due to the short trips. If it looks high, i would lean towards using the 5w20 with intervals at 5k or otherwise recommended by another analysis.

ericsan13

and if you go the analysis route, please post back

Would also be good to know how short your trips are!

Clutchless

Folks at www.bobistheoilguy.com may have already posted UOA reports for Lexus/Toyotas running the 0W20 synthetic. I use it but change it at 7,500 as a compromise between the 2 extremes. I think you should stick to the oil viscosity grade recommended by the manufacturer as the tolerances are very close in this motor.

NateJG

...has been my schedule for the 17 months that it has taken me to run up 30K miles on my '13 RXh.

I worked on the development of Synthetic gear oils ( http://www.roadranger.com/rr/Product...ants/index.htm ) in a former life for products where our company enjoyed a huge market share; and while I'll be among the first to admit that there are significant differences in the environments of engines vs gearboxes - what is clear to me is that clean oil is the easiest to control and afford - and is also one of the most important systems in anything with moving parts.

While "good enough" may be exactly that; why, unless cost is prohibitive/painful, wouldn't you simply want "the best available" considering what's at risk?

lexus114

thanks for the replies guy`s. i think i will stick to the 0W20 oil. my short trips are from my office to my in laws house for lunch etc. which is only around 3 blocks away, but im not walking that in 20 degree weather haha

luckyJ

hello all...our family just purchased an 2015 RX350...car is awesome...


just had a silly question re synthetic 0W20 oil brands....read somewhere that Lexus recommends Penzoil...is there much difference in Penzoil vs Mobil1 or Castrol 100% synthetics for these cars?


thank you

Clutchless

I have never heard of such a recommendation and find it hard to believe considering that the Toyota 0W20 synthetic oil is made for them by ExxonMobil per Toyota specifications. It is a somewhat more robust additive package and oil as compared to regular Mobil 1 0W20. Having said that, both are excellent oils as is Pennzoil. I do not know about the Castrol synthetics, but you can do some research at www.bobistheoilguy.com where I found this similar thread on 0W20 oils http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...mi#Post3753931

RealWing

I agree that an oil analysis is your best bet. I've been doing this on all my vehicles. It paid off on my BMW K1200LT, when I did an analysis on the first oil change and found a trace of coolant in the oil. Next analysis confirmed it. BMW didnt believe there was a problem, but I showed them the analysis and they removed the head and found a defective head gasket that was allowing a slow seepage of coolant into the oil.

One of the key analysis parameters to look for is the "BN" - This is the total Base Number and is a good indicator of how much life is left in the oil.

However, I'd suggest sticking with the 0W20 as specified by Toyota. Saves a lot of hassle if you ever have an engine problem down the road.

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1970 Plymouth Superbird 440-6bbl
1969 Plymouth Barracuda 340 S Fastback
1969 Plymouth Barracuda with a 6.1L Hemi transplant
2013 Toyota Venza AWD Touring
2006 BMW K1200LT