2006 GS300 oil burning?
09-05-20, 06:09 PM
#1
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
2006 GS300 oil burning?
Hey all, I'm new here. I bought a 2006 GS300 earlier this year with 49K miles. Been relatively a reliable vehicle with some basic maintenance that I've done over the past few months but overall was running good with no issues. Last month, I got a check oil light and when I checked it was below the line. I had an oil change previously but at around 6K, I got this message. So my mechanic looked at it and my oil pan had a leak and thought that was the issue. So he replaced the oil pan gasket and hopefully that fixed the issue. Well, after about a month, I checked my dipstick and it was below the fill line. I checked online and led me here to find that these cars have issues with burning oil. I've read one thread on here when Lexus was doing free repairs on this issue but I know this already expired. At this point, what are my options? Am I pretty much screwed? I love the car but was kind of heartbreaking to find out about this. Can I continue running the car as it is and just change/add oil for now? It is relatively low miles and it only has 58K. Previous owner was an older couple who didn't drive the car much other than going to and from their place of business. I would appreciate some help and directions if any.
09-05-20, 10:12 PM
#2
It's safe to drive IMO, as long as you check and top it up at least once a week (personally I would do it twice a week), but that is a bummer dude. I'm not aware of what the recall/Lexus offered fix was so can't advise there... Someone here will be able to give you the detail though. Newbie ish here myself, but welcome in any case, it's one of the better forums I have found about. Great cars!
The following users liked this post:
kolohe808 (09-05-20)
09-05-20, 10:27 PM
#3
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Thanks for the welcome and response. I'm just concerned that driving this daily would have any adverse effects to the performance of the car. It might cost me an arm and a leg to fix this issue and may not have the funds to do so. But just wondering if someone on here can enlighten me about my options.
09-06-20, 04:58 AM
#4
6k miles or kilometer oil changes? If you are changing the oil at every 6k miles then that maybe the result of your oil consumption. Plus that your cars super low mileage it may have had old oil sitting, creating sludge. Sure the GS300 does have a flaw with carbon buildup, but that usually comes after 100k mile cars. What happens is that the carbon builds up on the intake valves and seeps into the pistons locking the piston oil control rings.
Im betting your oil passages in the block are clogged from old oil. Sure high dollar oils you buy now a days are very good and will last over 20k miles after breaking down. But with that much use, fills up the oil filter, stains the inside, and coats the internals with sludge. What I would do buy some seafoam and pour into the oil half a bottle, and drive around for about 300 miles then replace the oil. Do this twice, and start replacing your oil at 2500-3000 miles. Any decent "cheap" oil is fine, I like to replace at the toyota dealership there basic oil changes. Many will use standard castrol oil! Theres no need for top of the line synthetic oil, its not a high revving turbo engine.
Im betting your oil passages in the block are clogged from old oil. Sure high dollar oils you buy now a days are very good and will last over 20k miles after breaking down. But with that much use, fills up the oil filter, stains the inside, and coats the internals with sludge. What I would do buy some seafoam and pour into the oil half a bottle, and drive around for about 300 miles then replace the oil. Do this twice, and start replacing your oil at 2500-3000 miles. Any decent "cheap" oil is fine, I like to replace at the toyota dealership there basic oil changes. Many will use standard castrol oil! Theres no need for top of the line synthetic oil, its not a high revving turbo engine.
The following users liked this post:
kolohe808 (09-06-20)
09-06-20, 08:44 AM
#5
Yes, it happens more often with the 3.0 than other engines... I must be lucky (regarding oil consumption at least) because I just changed mine at 9,000 km, and my engine didn't burn any oil. And I have about double your mileage (154,000 km). I took the risk to switch to synthetic oil though, which can cause issues. But so far I hadn't any problems on several vehicles so this is why.
09-06-20, 10:29 AM
#6
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
6k miles or kilometer oil changes? If you are changing the oil at every 6k miles then that maybe the result of your oil consumption. Plus that your cars super low mileage it may have had old oil sitting, creating sludge. Sure the GS300 does have a flaw with carbon buildup, but that usually comes after 100k mile cars. What happens is that the carbon builds up on the intake valves and seeps into the pistons locking the piston oil control rings.
Im betting your oil passages in the block are clogged from old oil. Sure high dollar oils you buy now a days are very good and will last over 20k miles after breaking down. But with that much use, fills up the oil filter, stains the inside, and coats the internals with sludge. What I would do buy some seafoam and pour into the oil half a bottle, and drive around for about 300 miles then replace the oil. Do this twice, and start replacing your oil at 2500-3000 miles. Any decent "cheap" oil is fine, I like to replace at the toyota dealership there basic oil changes. Many will use standard castrol oil! Theres no need for top of the line synthetic oil, its not a high revving turbo engine.
Im betting your oil passages in the block are clogged from old oil. Sure high dollar oils you buy now a days are very good and will last over 20k miles after breaking down. But with that much use, fills up the oil filter, stains the inside, and coats the internals with sludge. What I would do buy some seafoam and pour into the oil half a bottle, and drive around for about 300 miles then replace the oil. Do this twice, and start replacing your oil at 2500-3000 miles. Any decent "cheap" oil is fine, I like to replace at the toyota dealership there basic oil changes. Many will use standard castrol oil! Theres no need for top of the line synthetic oil, its not a high revving turbo engine.
09-06-20, 10:31 AM
#7
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Yes, it happens more often with the 3.0 than other engines... I must be lucky (regarding oil consumption at least) because I just changed mine at 9,000 km, and my engine didn't burn any oil. And I have about double your mileage (154,000 km). I took the risk to switch to synthetic oil though, which can cause issues. But so far I hadn't any problems on several vehicles so this is why.
Trending Topics
09-06-20, 11:06 AM
#8
Yes of course its best to replace the oil filter with oem, each time you replace the oil. Mobil 1 synthetic is great stuff, I dont run it because it is costly compared to other oils. But like I said my opinion is that the length is not good to run at 6k miles. The majority I noticed who had issues with oil consumption are the guys who run their oils at high miles. Even guys with the GS350 and 460 have had oil consumption issues because of this. Because the GS300/350/460 all run the same pistons and rings. I think it has to do with the design of the piston oil galleries there to thin, so when you run your oil longer the oil thickens after time and use.
09-06-20, 12:22 PM
#9
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Yes of course its best to replace the oil filter with oem, each time you replace the oil. Mobil 1 synthetic is great stuff, I dont run it because it is costly compared to other oils. But like I said my opinion is that the length is not good to run at 6k miles. The majority I noticed who had issues with oil consumption are the guys who run their oils at high miles. Even guys with the GS350 and 460 have had oil consumption issues because of this. Because the GS300/350/460 all run the same pistons and rings. I think it has to do with the design of the piston oil galleries there to thin, so when you run your oil longer the oil thickens after time and use.
09-06-20, 01:26 PM
#10
I'll try your seafoam and see what happens. Would this make the car emit smoke or is this a different sea foam treatment? I'll also see if changing oil at shorter intervals will help. I have always used Mobil1 on all my cars and I am the one who keeps cars for a long time. I have a 2003 4Runner with over 258K miles and still runs like new and I have always used Mobil1 on this car. But I can see using regular oil at shorter intervals. Thanks for the insights.
My 08 GS350 has 190k miles with no issues
09-06-20, 02:33 PM
#11
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
09-07-20, 09:10 AM
#12
Switching to synthetic doesn't cause issues per se, but on high-mileage engines always run with conventional, it may do so. Depends on the engine. But your car isn't even high-mileage... At this point you can try ibidu1's solution. Maybe the fact the car wasn't used much made the oil's consistency change and it clogged something, which could be cleaned.
To give a better insight, my car had some oil changes every 5,000 km (previous owner has been extremely careful), hence, I think, no oil burning.
That's interesting. So the oil consumption issue on the 300 is not due to the pistons and rings but only to the carbon buildup clogging some pipes?
I like to change the oil when recommended by the manufacturer. Not later, but if the engine is well made, we shouldn't have to change it earlier either.
To give a better insight, my car had some oil changes every 5,000 km (previous owner has been extremely careful), hence, I think, no oil burning.
Yes of course its best to replace the oil filter with oem, each time you replace the oil. Mobil 1 synthetic is great stuff, I dont run it because it is costly compared to other oils. But like I said my opinion is that the length is not good to run at 6k miles. The majority I noticed who had issues with oil consumption are the guys who run their oils at high miles. Even guys with the GS350 and 460 have had oil consumption issues because of this. Because the GS300/350/460 all run the same pistons and rings.
I like to change the oil when recommended by the manufacturer. Not later, but if the engine is well made, we shouldn't have to change it earlier either.
The following users liked this post:
kolohe808 (09-07-20)
09-07-20, 02:33 PM
#13
Oil consumption happens on many of toyota engines, even corrollas and camrys. I think it has to do with the pistons design of the orfices that are inside the oil control rings. Remeber many of these engines are old design that have been proven and back in the days people changed their oils at 3,000 miles. Now you have people running their cars 5k 10k ive read some at 20k. The sooner you change your oil the cleaner your inside engine internals will be. The longer you let that oil sit, it breaks down not only oil, but it also cuts metals/dirt/sludge/carbon etc all that gets collected and bunches up in the tiny little oil holes and clogges them up.
The 2006 GS300 is plagued with the carbon, and that does allow the carbon to fall from the intake valves and onto the pistons clogging the compression rings and later the oil control rings. Once the compression get gummed up in carbon, they lock the rings in tight, allowing blow by, loss of power, oil burning, stalling, etc. My theory is Kolohe808 problem is gunk inside the engine. If you do have a high mileage GS300 and are concerned you can always remove just the intake manifold, and manually clean the valves from carbon. This process is way quicker, save you time and money.
I believe lexus recommends 3,000-5,000 oil changes
The 2006 GS300 is plagued with the carbon, and that does allow the carbon to fall from the intake valves and onto the pistons clogging the compression rings and later the oil control rings. Once the compression get gummed up in carbon, they lock the rings in tight, allowing blow by, loss of power, oil burning, stalling, etc. My theory is Kolohe808 problem is gunk inside the engine. If you do have a high mileage GS300 and are concerned you can always remove just the intake manifold, and manually clean the valves from carbon. This process is way quicker, save you time and money.
I believe lexus recommends 3,000-5,000 oil changes
The following users liked this post:
kolohe808 (09-07-20)
09-07-20, 03:37 PM
#14
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Oil consumption happens on many of toyota engines, even corrollas and camrys. I think it has to do with the pistons design of the orfices that are inside the oil control rings. Remeber many of these engines are old design that have been proven and back in the days people changed their oils at 3,000 miles. Now you have people running their cars 5k 10k ive read some at 20k. The sooner you change your oil the cleaner your inside engine internals will be. The longer you let that oil sit, it breaks down not only oil, but it also cuts metals/dirt/sludge/carbon etc all that gets collected and bunches up in the tiny little oil holes and clogges them up.
The 2006 GS300 is plagued with the carbon, and that does allow the carbon to fall from the intake valves and onto the pistons clogging the compression rings and later the oil control rings. Once the compression get gummed up in carbon, they lock the rings in tight, allowing blow by, loss of power, oil burning, stalling, etc. My theory is Kolohe808 problem is gunk inside the engine. If you do have a high mileage GS300 and are concerned you can always remove just the intake manifold, and manually clean the valves from carbon. This process is way quicker, save you time and money.
I believe lexus recommends 3,000-5,000 oil changes
The 2006 GS300 is plagued with the carbon, and that does allow the carbon to fall from the intake valves and onto the pistons clogging the compression rings and later the oil control rings. Once the compression get gummed up in carbon, they lock the rings in tight, allowing blow by, loss of power, oil burning, stalling, etc. My theory is Kolohe808 problem is gunk inside the engine. If you do have a high mileage GS300 and are concerned you can always remove just the intake manifold, and manually clean the valves from carbon. This process is way quicker, save you time and money.
I believe lexus recommends 3,000-5,000 oil changes
09-27-20, 10:49 PM
#15
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
I will be getting the seafoam this week and start the process and see when I could get an oil change as you recommended. i will be updating this thread and hopefully your theory is correct. i would love to keep this car for a while. just a bit of history when i got it, it was getting a P0505 Idle Control System malfunction (with the annoying Check VSC light). I replaced the gas cap with OEM and my mechanic cleaned my throttle body and it has been running smoothly eversince with no check engine lights. i do notice the idle play under 500 rpm when i put it in park or come to a stop, but its able to recover after maybe 2 seconds. other than that, the car runs great and i have been getting anywhere from 26mpg city to 30mpg on highway. any thoughts?