Lexmex

Perhaps one of the most common things done on any vehicle is an oil change. What makes the RX300 interesting, as most of us know, is the unique location of the oil filter, which makes this job somewhat of a PITA compared to other vehicles.

This DIY is by no means exhaustive and is not the first to delve into this subject matter. Our old friend ederny has had this fine page on the RX300 oil change for some years, http://rx300how2.home.comcast.net/~rx300how2/oil.htm and his page was the inspiration for this thread.

As usual, if you have any comments, suggestions or additions, please feel free to add them to this thread, as I know some of the things I am about to show may differ from other perspectives and I will try to note those as we go through this.

For this exercise (in my humble opinion), one will need 5 quarts of oil. The RX300 calls for on a refill with filter change is 4.7 liters. Each quart is .946 l and .946*5 equals 4.73 liters, which is close enough. I am using Castrol Syntec 0W30 (a.k.a. German Castrol). I'll talk more on oil when we pour it in.

For an oil filter, I am using the larger than OEM sized, K&N HP-2009 filter. I'll talk more about filters when we get to their installation. However, the K&N and OEM sized filters have a 3 inch (or 76 mm) diameter (this is important to note).

Although the K&N filter has a 1 inch nut at the top that really negates the use for an oil filter wrench, I show one here. It is important to note that when you pick one up, you make sure that the range of the oil filter wrench includes 3 inch (76 mm) diameter filters, because some oil filters (for other vehicles) are fatter or slimmer.

You'll also need something to catch the oil in. Make sure it holds well more than 5 quarts of oil.

There are some optional/required tools, depending on how one wants to proceed.

Vise wrench- one that can cover 1 inch+ range (seen to the right of the blue funnel)

Socket wrench with 10mm (3/8th inch) socket + 14mm (9/16 inch socket) (seen to the right of the oil filter wrench, only 3/8th inch socket shown)

14mm (9/16 inch) wrench (hex or 12 point) with closed and open side (seen to the left of the oil filter box)

If you are planning on using a K&N filter, an option tool is a 1 inch open wrench seen on bottom row in the middle

Just to the right of that wrench, and also optional is a 10mm or 3/8ths in wrench (useful for removing bolts removing the plastic undercover off if without a socket wrench)

Engine Flush- Another optional product. I use Lubro Moly Engine Flush which is available at Napa Auto, though Amsoil also makes a great Engine flush product. I will get to the use of the Engine Flush shortly.

Optional, but probably required is a lot of paper towel (and not just to clean your hands).

Now let's proceed.

Lexmex

First, I generally don't like to drain the cold, especially as the vehicle gets older and even though I use a good quality synthetic oil. Therefore, I would do one of three things.

1. Drive the vehicle until the temperature gauge is no longer increasing (usually about 5 to 7 minutes)
2. Let the vehicle run for about 13 minutes from a cold start. 13 minutes is the time I have noted takes for the vehicle to warm up fully in park.
3. Use an Engine Flush product for the required amount of time.

This will be to help heat up the vehicle to get any particles, varnishes or other impurities out of the system as much as is possible under these methods.

In this case, I am going to use Lubro Moly Engine Flush for the required 10 minutes. This particular product I have used since living in Mexico when it went under the Liqui Moly name, http://www.liqui-moly.com/liquimoly/.../usa_2037.html

Amsoil Engine Flush is another good one, http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/aef.aspx

Below I am using the optional funnel.

The Lubro Moly product calls for 10 minutes in idle.

Lexmex

With the next step, I recommend waiting for a bit. The main reason being is that you want as much of the oil to drain into the oil pan, but also to help cool down the vehicle before you start putting your hands on to some very hot pieces of metal. I often will wait a full hour after doing the previous step.

Now it's time to drain the oil.

The oil pan is located underneath the front passenger side of the vehicle.

On the final photo you can see the oil drain pan bolt.

Note: if you are wondering why my oil pan looks like it has been punched in, that's a gift from the roads of Mexico. I hope none of you are as fortunate as I am to have such an oil pan.

Lexmex

Now before you forget make sure to put that oil bucket or whatever you are going to use to collect the oil underneath the oil pan bolt.

There's a few ways to remove the oil pan bolt, which is a 14mm (9/16 inch) bolt.

One is a vise grip wrench.
More preferable is a an open or closed hex or 12 point 14 mm (9/16 inch) wrench
Finally and beter yet is a socket wrench with a 14 mm (9/16) in socket.

If the bolt is on to tight, you may need a few LIGHT shots with a hammer to the wrench or other tool you are using to get it to move in a counterclockwise/left direction.

Lexmex

It takes a good while to unscrew this bolt. But pause every so often when you feel you can get it off with your hands only.

Lexmex

I might add that if you feel it necessary you can use gloves. However, I usually can turn the bolt off with my bare hands without issue. A paper towel might also be beneficial to turn the bolt loose and let the oil pour out as such.

I should note that Lexus lists there is a gasket that goes on the drain bolt, 90430-12031 is the part number with the drain bolt part number being 90341-12026.

I have not had that gasket to my knowledge for a long time, but it hasn't caused me an issue, but I have noted that some of you do replace it each time you do your oil changes.

The oil normally takes about 5 minutes or so to cease it's rapid dripping.

Lexmex

When you retighten the drain bolt to where it is flush with the pan, you can only tighten it say about from the 1/8 of a turn more. I usually take both of my hands and push the wrench or tool that much and then stop.

If you don't have a socket wrench and you are finding a vise grip or open/closed socket wrench a PITA, you can turn the wrench perpendicular to the bolt and then twis the bolt clockwise/right.

Lexmex

And here's that delicious oil.

Lexmex

Now it's time for our favorite part, changing the oil filter.

For this we need to remove the center plastic undercover. There are held in by ten 10mm bolts (3/8ths inch).

A socket wrench works best for this, though I also show the vise wrench and a regular wrench being used.

If you have a vise wrench or open/closed wrench, you can as I mentioned before turn the wrench perpendicular to the bolt (as shown in one of the photos) to help get the bolts off.

Lexmex

I should mention, and ederny notes on his site, that one can access the oil filter from the top with no need to remove the lower panel. That is indeed possible, but I have found that it usually leaves a bit more of a mess than going underneath, but I will show some pictures from the top perspective, though here I did remove the filter from the bottom.

Lexmex

The oil filter is located underneath the front exhaust manifold. This particular filter is a larger K&N HP-2009, http://www.knfilters.com/search/prod...x?Prod=HP-2009

The oem or original stock size in K&N is the HP-1002, http://www.knfilters.com/search/prod...x?Prod=HP-1002

The difference here is that the HP-2009 is a bit longer, 5.08 inches vs. 3.74 for the 2002, which means extra filtering capacity.

As ederny shows on his site, one can use a Toyota filter, but the advantage to the K&N is having a 1 inch bolt on the top that makes removal easier.

Cross reference applications for the K&N HP-1002 are shown here, http://www.knfilters.com/search/kn_c...x?part=HP-1002

and for the 2009, http://www.knfilters.com/search/kn_c...x?part=HP-2009

Mobil 1 and Wix filters are good possibilities.

The HP-2009 is shown in the first two photos with the HP-1002 shown in the second group.

lexus114

yeah that and I burn my hands a lot more,and it`s a tighter fit getting the filter out from up top.

Lexmex

Another advantage to the larger filter, the HP-2009, is one can get an easier grasp on the filter itself since it sticks out more, regardless of where you use an oil filter wrench or other tool.

Here I go after the filter from the top with a 1 inch wrench, though a vise grip wrench is possible or even a large 1 inch socket wrench.

The last two photos show the OEM-sized HP-1002 with the use of socket wrench with the 1 inch adapter.

Lexmex

Of course not everyone uses a K&N, which usually requires the use of an oil filter wrench. This is just one such wrench. This is from the top.

Will take a closer look at the operation of this wrench when he look at going at the oil filter from below. However, note that the filters for our vehicles are 3 inches (76 mm) in diameter and any oil filter wrench you buy should have that within its range otherwise it might not wrap around the filter tightly enough.

Lexmex

Here's the K&N HP-2009 being attacked at from below with a 1 inch end wrench and also a vise grip wrench. Will take a look at the oil filter wrench next, though I do initially show it in the last photo.