nautix

Hi All,

I own the only one RX300 in Israel. Naturally, the mechanics are not very much familiar with this model. It has 142,000km (92,000 miles)
Regular import of Lexus RX to Israel started in 2007. My RX 300 was specially imported from Germany.

Mechanics at Toyota and Lexus could not advise anything about Timing Belt replacement (one of them was not even sure the car has a Timing Belt that has to be replaced).
They also told me my RX300 is model UCF 10 ??
Please advise when should I replace Timing Belt and Water Pump ( ebay $90)
Also what's the story about Sludge issue? what should I do?

salimshah

First a warm welcome.

If Lexus service is not available, please visit Toyota. They are getting apart day by day, but the 99 model has Toyota printed all over.

First decide who will do the timing belt service ... Lexus (if they have a shop), Toyota or a mechanic. My guess is Lexus or Toyota may not work with the parts you bring in.

Please look through the the old posts and see the discussion on what to replace at 90kmiles service.

If good quality oil was used and changed regularly you should not have the sludge problem. You can have the valve cover removed to confirm it. Do not confuse the oil patina/varnish with sludge.

Salim

nautix

Thank you Salim,

Service will be done by Toyota.
What about water pump? needs to replaced at same time?
What type of engine oil is recommended?
Do U know what model: UCF10 means?
Average mileage I get is 13.5 Lit/100km (7.5km/Lit. is that OK?

Eli

salimshah

XU10 would be more appropriate ,,, but I am not well aware of European models.

Try search on 90K service.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...placement.html

for oil:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com

Make sure that you read the owners manual. Lot of good stuff there.

People report anywhere from 17 to 21 mpg [please do the conversion]. There are lots and lots variables that can affect that number.


Salim

carguy07

Kind of scary that the dealers are clueless when it is basically a Camry engine.

Lexmex

Welcome to the Club, I assume by the UCF10 designation it is a FWD vehicle, not an AWD, which would be a 15.

I had a friend several years ago who almost moved to Tel Aviv to follow his wife, a diplomat, and almost would have had the only Mazda RX7 in the country.

I can understand being in the middle of a place where no RX300s exist (I have been there myself in Mexico).

What brands of motor oil do you have in Israel in terms of synthetics that are regularly available?

Lexmex

I'm not sure what vehicles they would have had in Israel with the 1MZFE motor, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_MZ_engine#1MZ-FE

I was looking on Toyota Israel's site and didn't see any class of vehicle currently there whose family predecessors would have ever had that particular engine.

When I was in Mexico in 2002 and Toyota was just opening its doors the Camry they sold did have the 1MZFE.

nautix

Thanks for your comments,
It is 3.0 Lit. V6 AWD color Beige metal with black leather interior.
We have all major motor oil brands.
Do you recommend fully synthetic ? or 10W-40 SL or 5W-30 SL ?

Eli

PS,
How do I attach a pict.?

Lexmex

5W30 between the two you mentioned.

There is a type of oil that I like (though I frequently experiment with others), which is Castrol Syntec 0W30. You might see it there at a VW/Audi dealership. However, Castrol SLX 0W30 is also one I have heard might be over there.

Pennzoil Synthetic 5W30, if they have one called Ultra that would be the preferable one over the Platinum version, but in some places I have heard they just leave it as Pennzoil Synthetic. I am not sure if that may exist there.

On the oil filter, I like the larger K&N HP-2009, I know K&N exists there, but you might find it easier to use this cross-reference to find a brand name of filter that may more commonly exist there, http://www.knfilters.com/search/kn_c...x?part=HP-2009

K&N HP-1002 is the standard size that equates to the Toyota filter, but the HP-2009 fits on just as well.

To attach a photo (the way I do it), click REPLY (button on the lower left of my post) and then it will take you to a new page. On that big page you will see an area called ADDITIONAL OPTIONS and one of the options underneath is a button called MANAGE ATTACHMENTS. Click on it and then a box will come up prompting you to upload photos from your computer.