I'm going to start changing my oil myself and quit spending so much for some else to do it. But crawling under my wife's LX470......looks different than my vehicle. I've found the oil filter, but the plug to drain....that's another thing! The owner's manual does not show it and the dealer wants $190 for a manual!! I just want to make sure I'm using the right plug, I don't want to do what I read on one of the forum threads and drain the wrong one. Is there a simple diagram showing the right one?

 

look at the back of the engine, not the plug enclosed by the frame. Now have you decided what oil and filter you want to use. I use Mobil 1 5/30

 

Hi Retired12,

I am in Australia and do my own oil changes on my LX470. Presume that it is the same underneath. On the splash plates that cover the engine there are 2 plates that can be removed. The one closest to the front allows access to the oil filter and the one towards the rear is for the sump plug removal. I have done 220,000 kilometers and use Helix Fully Synthetic 5-40 weight oil. Do not use any oil between changes which generally happen between 15,000 to 20,000 K's depending on whether I have done much towing of the caravan. Oil still looks good when drained.

 

To access the drain plug if looking at the large composite lower engine cover you will notice a rectangular cover that has 2 8mm bolts holding it on. Take out those two bolts and the drain plug is just behind that cover. Hope this helps.

 

On the large, plastic skid plat that covers the area behind the front steel skid plate, there's a small (6 inch or so) oval panel. Removing that panel reveals the oil drain bolt. Another way is to pull off the big plastic skid plate and just get under the car. You know the oil pan is bolted to the bottom of the engine block and behind the engine is the transmission. So look at the oil pan under the engine. DO NOT by mistake remove the tranny oil drain bolt. That will be a big mistake!

 

I applaud your decision to do your own oil changes, it's almost becoming a lost art.

With that said I personally have succumbed to the force of Jiffy Lube...

 

If I had more time I would but it's hard to justify doing them myself when I only pay 30 bucks to do them with semi synthetic at a local place. Good for you for changing your own oil