synthetic or not
Going Synth at 40k is probably just fine, however I seldom recommend switching to it above the 50 mark, and especially not if the car has been poorly maintained with infrequent oil changes prior to the switch. There are definite issues that can arise when changing to synth if you are not the original owner or lax on the regular oil change intervals.
Synthetic and non synthetic are completely, totally, 100% compatible.
Nor does synthetic "cause" leaks on high-mileage engines. It will occasionally FIND an existing leak that the thicker dyno oil doesn't, but to my mind the proper action there is fixing the leak, not band-aiding the problem with thicker oil.
You pay more but you don't gain many of the benefits of a true full synthetic.
IMHO the "best" thing to do depends on how you drive.
If you make a lot of short trips and the motor doesn't get to run at operating temp much, or you idle a ton, then change your oil with the cheapest stuff you can find on a frequent basis.
If your driving is less severe-duty then change it once a year with a good synthetic. Depending on mileage you might need to change the filter more often though (I'd very very comfortably go 20-25k or more miles on one fill of Amsoil, but I wouldn't go more than 10-12k on any oil filter they make for the 2IS since AFAIK nobody is offering synthetic-media filters for this car)
There's absolutely no reason to change more often with "normal" driving, as proven by every single used-oil analysis report I've ever seen on a 2IS.
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Texas
My dealer said $50 for non and $100 for syn. They said you can go 10k but you will need to reset the service light at 5k miles.
Do you guys recommend waiting till 50k miles? I am at 40k right now...
Do you guys recommend waiting till 50k miles? I am at 40k right now...
I'm putting in syn in my car. I started using it around 60k is when I did the switch. Now I change the oil every 7500 miles or every 6 months (whichever comes first because
I don't drive my car a lot) Saves you from going to the dealer every 3 months or 5000 miles. Personally, I just feel better using the syn just because it takes longer for it to break down and since I don't drive my car but once a week, its just better for me to do m interval like this.
I don't drive my car a lot) Saves you from going to the dealer every 3 months or 5000 miles. Personally, I just feel better using the syn just because it takes longer for it to break down and since I don't drive my car but once a week, its just better for me to do m interval like this.
Im putting in synthetic because i plan on keeping the car way past 100k miles. Talked with my service advisor though, and it seems like Lexus still wants to see 5k service intervals. Mainly because of the oil filter. So i think till my CPO warranty runs out ill just bring the synthetic in at 5k intervals, then once i'm out of CPO warranty i'll probably go to every 7,500 miles or 10,000 miles.
Mobil 1 0/5w-30 every 5k and let's call it a day! GEEZ!! you guys make everything so difficult!
note: reg oil is "OKAY" too if you change it every 5k but I love my car sooo Mobil 1 all day, everyday!
note: reg oil is "OKAY" too if you change it every 5k but I love my car sooo Mobil 1 all day, everyday!
Pole Position
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 327
Likes: 1
From: WA
Like what?
Synthetic and non synthetic are completely, totally, 100% compatible.
Nor does synthetic "cause" leaks on high-mileage engines. It will occasionally FIND an existing leak that the thicker dyno oil doesn't, but to my mind the proper action there is fixing the leak, not band-aiding the problem with thicker oil.
Synthetic and non synthetic are completely, totally, 100% compatible.
Nor does synthetic "cause" leaks on high-mileage engines. It will occasionally FIND an existing leak that the thicker dyno oil doesn't, but to my mind the proper action there is fixing the leak, not band-aiding the problem with thicker oil.
But seeing that you asked, let me clarify my position as to why I do not recommend switching to synth on a high mileage motor for those interested in understanding:
Most have heard the stories; "Switched and it ate my seals."
"Switched and my garage floor is now black" etc etc...Unfortunately, these stories although somewhat off target, held a lot of truth for many years. The problem however was clearly misunderstood by the shade tree mechanic.
Synthetics did not "eat" seals except perhaps for the rare occasion back during the intro of MobileOne in the late seventies where they struggled with formulations. At that time, some cars and motorcycle seals experienced swelling variation due to chemical incompatibility, but it was certainly not the "norm" and quickly overcome.
What was discovered was that introducing Synth to a worn motor actually exposed seals already damaged.
"How's this?"
many may ask.... Ahhh good question..... Let's picture a rotating shaft, protruding through a block. Around it is a typical seal, preventing the heated oil inside from escaping. Put on the magnifying glass for a moment, and look at the contact point between the shaft and seal. As the shaft spins, regardless of lubrication, it slowly wears at the seal, increasing the gap ever-so-slightly. But instead of springing a leak, guess what? Another oil "bad guy" comes to the rescue. Our arch nemesis "Mr. Varnish". Varnish is a hardened coating that adheres to the shaft, and builds up in micro layers. These layers actually begin to fill the gap created by the wearing seal, and in fact almost appears to help reseal the gap!
Alas it is not so, because the varnish too, wears on the seal, creating more gap, and more room for additional micro-layers of varnish to form and fill in. As you can suspect, over time the varnish buildup is measurably thick and we still have something akin to a "faults or fake seal" on the rotating part.
Now....
Along comes the switch to Synth.
Synth has phenomenal properties, and "cleaning" is one of them. Within the first to second oil change, your synth has begun to strip away ugly Mr. Varnish, and unfortunately, that "fake seal" along with it.
POOF! By any Shade tree mechanics view.... instant oil leaks..... "Damn stuff ate my seals"
!Errr .... riiiiight..............
Lesson: The seals in higher mileage cars are often already shot... Synth just exposed them for what they were.
Have things changed with time? I would guess so, as even crude based oils are much cleaner and more refined that those years ago. But varnish still exists today in even moderately well maintained engines, so I believe many will still experience the problem.
I still stick by my recommendation of not switching, unless you have low miles, a extremely well maintained car, or have just completed a rebuild.
I hope this helps answer Kurtz question.
Vince
As I said neither "incompatible" nor "damaging to seals", I’m left to wonder why you chose to take offense to my recommendations.
But seeing that you asked, let me clarify my position as to why I do not recommend switching to synth on a high mileage motor for those interested in understanding:
Most have heard the stories; "Switched and it ate my seals." "Switched and my garage floor is now black" etc etc...
Unfortunately, these stories although somewhat off target, held a lot of truth for many years. The problem however was clearly misunderstood by the shade tree mechanic.
Synthetics did not "eat" seals except perhaps for the rare occasion back during the intro of MobileOne in the late seventies where they struggled with formulations. At that time, some cars and motorcycle seals experienced swelling variation due to chemical incompatibility, but it was certainly not the "norm" and quickly overcome.
What was discovered was that introducing Synth to a worn motor actually exposed seals already damaged.
"How's this?" many may ask.... Ahhh good question.....
Let's picture a rotating shaft, protruding through a block. Around it is a typical seal, preventing the heated oil inside from escaping. Put on the magnifying glass for a moment, and look at the contact point between the shaft and seal. As the shaft spins, regardless of lubrication, it slowly wears at the seal, increasing the gap ever-so-slightly. But instead of springing a leak, guess what? Another oil "bad guy" comes to the rescue. Our arch nemesis "Mr. Varnish". Varnish is a hardened coating that adheres to the shaft, and builds up in micro layers. These layers actually begin to fill the gap created by the wearing seal, and in fact almost appears to help reseal the gap!
Alas it is not so, because the varnish too, wears on the seal, creating more gap, and more room for additional micro-layers of varnish to form and fill in. As you can suspect, over time the varnish buildup is measurably thick and we still have something akin to a "faults or fake seal" on the rotating part.
Now....
Along comes the switch to Synth.
Synth has phenomenal properties, and "cleaning" is one of them. Within the first to second oil change, your synth has begun to strip away ugly Mr. Varnish, and unfortunately, that "fake seal" along with it.
POOF! By any Shade tree mechanics view.... instant oil leaks..... "Damn stuff ate my seals" !
Errr .... riiiiight..............
Lesson: The seals in higher mileage cars are often already shot... Synth just exposed them for what they were.
Have things changed with time? I would guess so, as even crude based oils are much cleaner and more refined that those years ago. But varnish still exists today in even moderately well maintained engines, so I believe many will still experience the problem.
I still stick by my recommendation of not switching, unless you have low miles, a extremely well maintained car, or have just completed a rebuild.
I hope this helps answer Kurtz question.
Vince
But seeing that you asked, let me clarify my position as to why I do not recommend switching to synth on a high mileage motor for those interested in understanding:
Most have heard the stories; "Switched and it ate my seals."
"Switched and my garage floor is now black" etc etc...Unfortunately, these stories although somewhat off target, held a lot of truth for many years. The problem however was clearly misunderstood by the shade tree mechanic.
Synthetics did not "eat" seals except perhaps for the rare occasion back during the intro of MobileOne in the late seventies where they struggled with formulations. At that time, some cars and motorcycle seals experienced swelling variation due to chemical incompatibility, but it was certainly not the "norm" and quickly overcome.
What was discovered was that introducing Synth to a worn motor actually exposed seals already damaged.
"How's this?"
many may ask.... Ahhh good question..... Let's picture a rotating shaft, protruding through a block. Around it is a typical seal, preventing the heated oil inside from escaping. Put on the magnifying glass for a moment, and look at the contact point between the shaft and seal. As the shaft spins, regardless of lubrication, it slowly wears at the seal, increasing the gap ever-so-slightly. But instead of springing a leak, guess what? Another oil "bad guy" comes to the rescue. Our arch nemesis "Mr. Varnish". Varnish is a hardened coating that adheres to the shaft, and builds up in micro layers. These layers actually begin to fill the gap created by the wearing seal, and in fact almost appears to help reseal the gap!
Alas it is not so, because the varnish too, wears on the seal, creating more gap, and more room for additional micro-layers of varnish to form and fill in. As you can suspect, over time the varnish buildup is measurably thick and we still have something akin to a "faults or fake seal" on the rotating part.
Now....
Along comes the switch to Synth.
Synth has phenomenal properties, and "cleaning" is one of them. Within the first to second oil change, your synth has begun to strip away ugly Mr. Varnish, and unfortunately, that "fake seal" along with it.
POOF! By any Shade tree mechanics view.... instant oil leaks..... "Damn stuff ate my seals"
!Errr .... riiiiight..............
Lesson: The seals in higher mileage cars are often already shot... Synth just exposed them for what they were.
Have things changed with time? I would guess so, as even crude based oils are much cleaner and more refined that those years ago. But varnish still exists today in even moderately well maintained engines, so I believe many will still experience the problem.
I still stick by my recommendation of not switching, unless you have low miles, a extremely well maintained car, or have just completed a rebuild.
I hope this helps answer Kurtz question.
Vince
That seems like a really long repeat of what I already said.
Switching to syn on a high mileage engine doesn't cause leaks- it finds them.
And IMHO the proper action at that point is fixing the leak, not band-aiding it with thick dino oil.