rayzer57

Past turbo engine designs highly recommended that before you start an engine after an oil change, that you first PRIME or crank the engine until the engine registered oil pressure. When changing the oil you drain out 99 percent of the oil out of the engine, oil galleries, turbo oil feed line, and oil filter. Upon engine start up after an oil and filter change, the engine takes 10....15 seconds ?? to fill the oil filter and eventually return pressure to turbo oil feed line and ultimately the turbo bearings. During this 10..15 seconds of time at idle, the turbo is spinning (20k...30k rpm) without oil pressure. I do not know of anything unique to this 2.0 Lexus engine/turbo that addresses this particular concern of mine.

Since LEXUS wants us to let the engine idle before turning off the engine (see page 168 in the owners manual), would it not make sense to pressurize the engine oil before letting the engine run after an oil change.

My question is this, is their a way to disable the engine from starting (pulling a fuse or relay) that would allow the engine only to crank so that the new oil has filled the oil filter, oil galleries, etc., prior to engine start? My Lexus mechanic is totally unaware of this practice.

Cheers,
Ray

Swacer

It would surprise me for it to take that long to feed the oil through the motor. Typically, you end up with a temporary over pressurization due to cold oil flowing through the engine. Your oil pressure should be registering within 1-2 seconds. These are high volume pumps.

Either way, this is a very interesting question.

I'm not overly sure which fuse you would pull... Additionally, a problem I see is that with a push button starter, it is going to continue to crank the motor until it times out. Its not as easy as it used to be that you turned the key, and let it crank 4-5 times before letting go of the key.

The best way to figure this out, would be to find what manufacturer makes the oil pump in the car, and see what the spinup curve is like. Even 600-1000hp pumps can spin up to full speed in 2-10 seconds.

GlenK

Glad you pointed that idle time out. Had missed that in the owners manual and my sales guy did not mention it.
Have about 800 miles already.

rayzer57

I have a feeling it will take longer than 1-2 seconds to register oil pressure after an oil and filter change. The Lexus oil filter is not the typical metal canister spin on type filter where by it can be pre filled before installing on the engine. The Lexus oil filter paper element will first have to be filled by the engine oil pump then the oil will be sent to the various engine internal components. At least that is my understanding.

I agree about the technical problem with using the engine start button. But since I will be under the car, how about just running a jump wire to the starter solenoid for about 10 ... 15 seconds to activate the starter so it can metallically crank the engine to prime the engine oil.

Swacer

While I am not a fan of dealerships, I would honestly leave this up to them while you're under warranty.

If you spin the bearing on the turbo, while under warranty, due to their oil changes, its on them.

Then, once the warranty is over, you can decide the best approach to take.

That is how I've handled the LS3 in my camaro. My mods are all supporting mods which can not void the warranty of the power plant itself. That way, if it gernaded at any point, GM was paying for my new motor. However, my warranty is up next month (woot!), and then its getting tore entirely down this fall/spring 2016

LexBob2

Good advice. It's not something I'd worry about while the car is under warranty. I believe the powertrain warranty is even longer than the bumper to bumper so you'll be covered for a fairly long time.

If a driver is still concerned, they could research the reliability of some other modern small turbo engines that have been on the market for a while and see if there are any issues related to oil starvation. Ford. Hyundai, Kia, VW, BMW, Audi etc. would be a place to start.

raylor4

I would think that the filter would be at the end of the oil flow path. In other words I think the oil flows from the pump to the turbo and engine first and to the filter last, thereby taking the filter fill time out of the equation. Anyone else?
Ray A.

rayzer57

Oil is pulled from the sump (oil pan) by the oil pump, then routes the pressurized oil to the filter, then to the engine / turbo (see accompany diagram). This flow ensures the engine always receives clean filtered oil.
My concern is the time interval it will take to fill the oil filter, without priming the oil system, the turbo will be operating (20k to 30k rpm) without oil until the oil filter gets pumped full of oil first. That typically takes 10 seconds or less with a dry oil filter installed. Other manufacturers, including diesels, aviation and aftermarket turbo providers instruct mechanics of this pre priming the oil system requirement when performing oil / filter changes. In speaking with my local Lexus dealership, they are not aware of any such procedure.
I agree with the other comments, just have Lexus do the oil changes, and if they mess things up, the warranty will take care if the damages.
But for those individuals that want to do their own oil changes at home or with their local repair shops be advised of this concern unless Lexus has invented a unique feature with their turbo engine designs that no one else has done to my knowledge.

raylor4

Rayzer57 - Thanks for clearing that up for me. Ray A.

GlenK

The only thing that concerns me is the idling thing. Need to get used to doing it..