Dealer put 5w-30 in my Ls 460, instead of 5w-20
#31
The manual for my 2013 LS does not specify OW20 synthetic, unlike gas which is specified for 91 octane. For the 2013 it says you can use either OW20 synthetic or 5W20 conventional.It does go on to say in the manual that synthetic will provide better gas mileage and is a better choice. I believe in LS’s newer than mine synthetic is specified in the the manuals. Oil change intervals will be different of course between the synthetic and conventional.
#32
Lexus Fanatic
The manual for my 2013 LS does not specify OW20 synthetic, unlike gas which is specified for 91 octane. For the 2013 it says you can use either OW20 synthetic or 5W20 conventional.It does go on to say in the manual that synthetic will provide better gas mileage and is a better choice. I believe in LS’s newer than mine synthetic is specified in the the manuals. Oil change intervals will be different of course between the synthetic and conventional.
#33
Pole Position
I am worried.....why it is so horrible. Other than checking and changing the engine air filters and oil, what else do I need to check? I've checked the tire pressure. I cannot get them exact to 33 (at least according to the TPMS but it is close. 32-36.... I am going to try to buy one of those DIY air pumps to see if I can get better results. Could bad/worn tires cause bad mileage to this extent?
#34
Lexus Fanatic
No, if you're truly getting 9MPG something is very wrong...
#35
Pole Position
well I calculated that from what I've driven which is 1/4 tank and what i had to fill to get it to full tank. Before that I was not monitoring that closely. I checked the oil level it is fine. I've had the car for close to 20 days...
#36
Lexus Fanatic
You should run a full tank and calculate it.
What does the computer say?
What does the computer say?
#37
Pole Position
#38
So I just spent an hour looking at Lexus LS460 Owner's Manuals from around the world. Only in the USA & Canada are the choices officially limited to 0w20 & 5w20. In Britain, Ireland & Australia, the owner is directed to choose the viscosity (appropriate to the operating environment) from among 0w20, 5w20, 5w30, 10w30, 15w40 & even 20w50. Even in ever-frigid Finland, Sweden & Norway, owners have access to all these viscosity options … and they were in fact all available in every Manual for the European Market that I opened.
As example, I've attached a copy of the relevant pages from the Irish-version of the 2011 Lexus LS460 Owner's Manual.
Very frustrating. Because of USA CAFE regulations that eternally increase MPG expectations, auto manufacturers are being forced to employ less viscous oil in order to gain greater fuel efficiency … at the expense of less actual engine protection. See https://bit.ly/3CtfrrM . The second graph at that website shows that a 30 upper viscosity oil (with a HTHS somewhat above 3.0) is maximizing engine protection … and at almost twice the rate of protection provided by an 20 upper viscosity oil (with an HTHS of about 2.5-2.7). And check out a few SAE Viscosity Temperature Charts; more than a few suggest that the protection of 20 upper viscosity oil begins to diminish after/around 75°F ambient, while the protection of 30 upper viscosity oil begins to diminish only after/around 95°F ambient. And Internet-searching on "5w20 5w30" brings up on-point many discussions, YouTube videos, etc. on this topic.
Perhaps if we had all been using 5w30 all along, those lower tension rings (also an artifact of CAFE standards) wouldn't be wearing out causing increasing oil consumption after 150k and such.
Last edited by DrQuality; 08-10-21 at 06:38 AM.
#39
Pole Position
This 20 upper viscosity constraint is yet another Lexus Murica!-only rule ... being tied to the US CAFE laws about auto manufacturers hitting fleet-wide MPG targets.
I just spent an hour looking at Lexus LS460 Owner's Manuals from around the world. Only in the USA & Canada are the choices officially limited to 0w20 & 5w20. In Britain, Ireland & Australia, the owner is directed to choose the viscosity (appropriate to the operating environment) from among 0w20, 5w20, 5w30, 10w30, 15w40 & even 20w50. Even in ever-frigid Finland, Sweden & Norway, owners have access to all these viscosity options … and they were in fact all available in every Manual for the European Market that I opened.
As example, I've attached a copy of the relevant pages from the Irish-version of the 2011 Lexus LS460 Owner's Manual.
Very frustrating. Because of USA CAFE regulations that eternally increase MPG expectations, auto manufacturers are being forced to employ less viscous oil in order to gain greater fuel efficiency … at the expense of less actual engine protection. See https://bit.ly/3CtfrrM . The second graph at that website shows that a 30 upper viscosity oil (with a HTHS somewhat above 3.0) is maximizing engine protection … and at almost twice the rate of protection provided by an 20 upper viscosity oil (with an HTHS of about 2.5-2.7). And check out a few SAE Viscosity Temperature Charts; more than a few suggest that the protection of 20 upper viscosity oil begins to diminish after/around 75°F ambient, while the protection of 30 upper viscosity oil begins to diminish only after/around 95°F ambient.
Perhaps if we had all been using 5w30 all along, those lower tension rings (also an artifact of CAFE standards) wouldn't be wearing out causing increasing oil consumption after 150k and such.
I just spent an hour looking at Lexus LS460 Owner's Manuals from around the world. Only in the USA & Canada are the choices officially limited to 0w20 & 5w20. In Britain, Ireland & Australia, the owner is directed to choose the viscosity (appropriate to the operating environment) from among 0w20, 5w20, 5w30, 10w30, 15w40 & even 20w50. Even in ever-frigid Finland, Sweden & Norway, owners have access to all these viscosity options … and they were in fact all available in every Manual for the European Market that I opened.
As example, I've attached a copy of the relevant pages from the Irish-version of the 2011 Lexus LS460 Owner's Manual.
Very frustrating. Because of USA CAFE regulations that eternally increase MPG expectations, auto manufacturers are being forced to employ less viscous oil in order to gain greater fuel efficiency … at the expense of less actual engine protection. See https://bit.ly/3CtfrrM . The second graph at that website shows that a 30 upper viscosity oil (with a HTHS somewhat above 3.0) is maximizing engine protection … and at almost twice the rate of protection provided by an 20 upper viscosity oil (with an HTHS of about 2.5-2.7). And check out a few SAE Viscosity Temperature Charts; more than a few suggest that the protection of 20 upper viscosity oil begins to diminish after/around 75°F ambient, while the protection of 30 upper viscosity oil begins to diminish only after/around 95°F ambient.
Perhaps if we had all been using 5w30 all along, those lower tension rings (also an artifact of CAFE standards) wouldn't be wearing out causing increasing oil consumption after 150k and such.
The low tension rings aren’t going to be saved by a higher viscosity oil because they aren’t actually wearing out, they become stuck in the lands on the piston. Because they don’t have enough tension to push themselves out against the wall of that cylinder enough, compared to regular rings, they become “stuck” into the land of the piston itself. The carbon that is a result of direct injection doesn’t help either, as it forces it right into those rings/lands, and they freeze the whole thing up. You can’t get these rings out even by hand when you tear down these engines. It’s amazing how badly they are glued in there!! And this is causing oil consumption across the brands.
Do away with low tension rings and most of your oil consumption goes away with it. Now, would a thicker weight oil stop this from happening? I don’t think it would, therefore I don’t think it would help much in oil consumption. But I DO think a thicker oil would help with bearing longevity, etc, and ring wear, obviously...it’s just that I no longer think the oil consumption issues are ring wear at all, but rings that can’t come out, press against the piston walls, and do what they were intended to do. And THAT is also VERY much apart of CAFE regulations.
The following users liked this post:
DrQuality (08-07-21)
#40
Pole Position
Photo of my engine cap clearly shows 5w30 is not a recommended option.I’m going to call the dealer this week and ask if there was a reason they deviated from one of the two recommended oils. The car has 36k and it is the first time it has seen conventional as I have all prior service records.
#41
Lexus Fanatic
5W30 is not going to hurt the car
#42
Pole Position
#43
Lexus Fanatic
#44
How so?
why are people putting in 5w-30 in their 460? car is spec'd for xw-20, and unless you live in the middle east, you should use what is spec'd for...
FYI.. toyota 0w-20 synthetic is one of the best 0w-20 in the market... great enough for other brand drivers to drive to a toyota dealer
why are people putting in 5w-30 in their 460? car is spec'd for xw-20, and unless you live in the middle east, you should use what is spec'd for...
FYI.. toyota 0w-20 synthetic is one of the best 0w-20 in the market... great enough for other brand drivers to drive to a toyota dealer
#45
Intermediate
Toyota dealer screwed mine up too on my ES350. They put 0w-20 in it and I took it back within 200 miles and had them put what was required back in (5w-30). I heard if you go to 0w that you can't go back to 5w. Had a Blackstone oil analysis report done, and it didn't show any significant damage. I just feel better running what it specified for it. I don't know why cars run 0w-20 here in the hot South. That's thin oil.