today i checked the oil. it looked golden,but smelt kinda burnt. so i took the oil cap off MUCH TO MY SURPRISE THERE WAS A BLACK ROCK(CHARCOAL LIKE) UP TO THE OIL CAP!!! YOU COULDN'T EVEN PUT A CONE INTO IT TO ADD OIL!! I DON'T KNOW IF THE CAR WOULS ACTUALLY TAKE OIL????? ANYONE PLEASE HELP!! ANY SUGGESTIONS,HAS THIS HAPPENED TO ANYONE ELSE? ANYTHING PLEASE!!!!
SHOULD IT SMELL BURNT UNDER THE CAP OR ON THE DIPSTICK?

 

I have the same thing, but it's not from engine sludge or build up, its something thats built in there, sort of a shield that defects the oil when you pour it in. My sister owned the car prior to me and always had the dealer do the oil change and now that I own the car, I switched over to synthetic oil and when I changed the oil and opened the oil cap to pour in the new oil, I noticed a black rock looking thing in there and thought the same thing, oil sludge, but then I got a screwdriver and poked at it and realized it was something metal and realized it was some sort of shield or cover. The oil has always been changed every 3000 miles, I figured if it was sludge, the dealer would of noticed it in Feb. 2009 when it was last changed by the dealer.

 

I'd pull the valve covers and check.

 

having it looked at wed. here are some pics really hard to get good ones,but i am kinda freaking. medic made me feel better but here are some pics tell me what you think. it is a 2000 es300. please any feed back so i can sleep, or not tonight. thanks all!

 

That is how mine is as well. So was my 99 Solara, and a Toyota Highlander that my dad wanted to buy at one point. Medic is right, its supposed to be there. When I pour in my oil, I don't use a funnel and it goes in just fine.

 

thank you guys for your replies, you have no idea how freaked it got when i thought there was this big rock thing under my oil cap!!! thanks soooo much all!!!

 

Dont worry, I was totally freaked out too, until I touched it and poked at it with a screw driver. Mine looks exactly like that in your pic. My oil was also clean looking and no burnt smell when I changed the oil 1 month ago or so. Glad I could help, thats why were all here, to help each other out. Ive learned so much about Lexus cars from all of you and glad I can share my experiences with everyone.

 

The correct name for that thing is a "baffle" ALL toyota's have it. It was easier to distinguish in earlier toyota's as it was stainless steel but then they changed it to a tar black one and a lot of people get confused. Nothing to worry about.

 

Maybe Seafoam it, for future 'relief' ?

I am doing mine this weekend.

 

Thank Kingofire, baffle is the word.