hey there,

i have a 1999 LS400...well, its my dad's but he doesn't take the best care of it. i'm wondering what oil is most highly recommended for the motor...is it 5w30? how many quarts are needed for an oil change? he hasn't used synthetic in his car yet, so i'm hoping to make that change for him. any help or pointers would be appreciated! thanks

 

help anyone?

 

Look in the Owner's Manual.

 

a lot of folks here used Mobil 1 Full Synthetic 5W30, are you gonna change the oil yourself? if so, get 5-6 quarts of oil just in case, you need an oil filter also, I recommend the Lexus Oil filter.

I don't know exactly how much oil the LS use, but you can measure it with the oil dipstick to see if you need to put more oil in or not after the oil change.

 

400 should be pretty similar to the 430 so six quarts is going to be just fine. Plenty of discussions on synthetics here, maybe Mean Gene or one of the guys working in the oil industry will chime in. There has been some discussion about the change in synthetic feedstocks and some further discussion that Mobil has gone to be competitive and slid quality somewhat. Haven't seen any of the recent discussions so you may want to search here and elsewhere. Having said that, I am a strong believer in synthetics. Until things shake out a little more, I am using Red Line 5W30 in my cars.

As said above, the Lexus filter is very good (always has been, same can be said for all Toyota filters). I think the alternatives probably are the Mobil 1 filter (very unusual construction materials and high quality), K&N, and Purolator. If you do this yourself (most times I just take the oil into Lexus and they use my oil and their filter for oil changes), here is one thing I like to do. I think the 430 will take slightly under six quarts so after I drain the pan, I take one of the fresh bottles an pour a minor amount, a few ounces, in and wait for it to come out the drain hole. Just trying to persuade any crud that may have settled out to get out before I fill up. Can't think of anything more important to engine life than oil changes. Tell Dad it is really cheap insurance to keep that engine running a long time. Take a gander at the air filter when you change the oil just to cover the bases.

 

But don't overfill. Follow Owner's Manual recs, then check dipstick. Better to start a little bit low and add, even if you start a quart low, than end up with a quart too much. Overfilling can blow seals, which are MAJOR repairs from a money standpoint.

 

Use some Techron from Chevron to clean out those injectors.

 

wow thanks for your help guys!!

my dad usually takes his car into the dealership for maintenance so i'm pretty sure that a certified tech will be handling the oil changes. do you guys bring in your own synthetic? do you know what they use if you don't bring anything in by any chance? i really appreciate all your guys help! i'm new to toyota stuff, i drive a volkswagen myself. i just hate seeing my dad's car running so poorly

 

I would check with the dealer. My Lexus dealer has not synthetic so even if you ask for it, they can't give it to you. However, they have absolutely no problem with bringing it in for an oil change and saying the oil is in the trunk. While the dealership may not carry synthetic, all of the service writers I have had certainly understand someone wanting the extra protection.

If your Lexus dealership is like mine, they are going to charge 40 or 50 bucks for the oil change but that includes the free carwash so if Dad complains about the cost, remind him he gets the car washed at the same time, then it is not so bad a deal.

 

Very true,

Most dealers do not carry the synthetic. For the most part, I and my friends have noticed they carry regular Quaker State (must have a discount package with them), though some do carry the synthetic. They will generally put in the recommended weight, i.e., 5W-30.

Bring Mobil1 or if you can find it, Amsoil. Really good stuff, but expensive and difficult to locate it.

BTW, I also switched my Power Steering and Brake Fluid to Valvoline synthetic. Much better responses out of both systems.

The Lexus oil filter (really a Purolator One) or the Mobil 1 filter are not bad options. I have had very good experiences with the K&N air and oil filters. I would highly recommend him changing to the K&N air filter.

 

i was actually looking to get royal purple.

 

Royal Purple also top notch gourmet synthetic.

 

My Lexus dealership offers Mobil 1 syn.

sj

 

Forgot about Royal Purple. We use Red Line up here in Mexico City, too. However, neither Amsoil nor Royal Purple ever found its way south of the border.

 

also make sure if you are switching from regular to synthetic oil that you carry 1 bottle of the synthetic oil. The 1st time after I went from regular to synthetic i got the oil check light after about 1000 miles took it to a dealer and they said you will burn alot more oil the 1st 2 times after you go from regular to synthetic...

don't know if this makes sence but after 2 times no more problems with oil check light.