I have a '99 rx with 174,000 on it. Performed all of my own maintenance. Gave the car to my son 4yrs ago. He uses max life 5w-30w just like I did every 3000 miles. This past year he noticed a few times that he needed to add some oil between changes. It has not been driven as much during the past year also because of health issues. Last time he came home (315 miles) he used 1 1/2 quarts. No oil in the exhaust pipe. I changed out the ERG valve but still used 1 1/2 quarts on his return trip. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

 

Have you checked the PCV valve? Is there anything leaking? That's a lot of oil consumption. If the oil was changed every 3k miles, then sludge should not be an issue.

Read through these threads: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...lve-cover.html

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...750-miles.html

 

Also, check that the breather hose isn't plugged. If it is, the PCV hose will create a vacuum in the crankcase and cause excessive oil consumption.

Baetke

 

My daughter's '99 has had the same problem. Check some other threads on here. I've been running Mobil 1; some have suggested Pennzoil Ultimate (also 5W-30) will solve this problem and I plan to change brands when I have her car back home.

 

Pennzoil Platinum 5W-30

 

You're right -- I get those two mixed up. I bought the right one, but mis-remembered the name. Thanks for the correction!

 

You're welcome! I was sure you had it right, but I figured that someone else viewing this thread may go out and try to find that oil and never find it. lol

 

I am currently using Mobil1 5w30 sync so far so good RX01 got 177k, but likely I been using my RX on HWY daily to go to work 120miles round trip, so should I change to Pennzoil Platinum 5w30 sync? or just keep it with the Reg Mobil1 5w30 sync?

 

I have 221000 on my car and will tell you i NEVER added a court of oil to this car EVER. I purchased it with 110,000 miles. I do all my own oil changes and I log everything in a book. If I buy new wipers I write down miles, cost and where I purchased it.

Almost a year ago I spent a couple of thousand dollars on a complete tune up at Lexus: water pump, timing belt, ignition coils, spark plugs. I changed my oil 3k miles later and I was down 1 quart....I thought maybe it was the engine running hot with all the new items. Next oil change I want 5K miles and I was down 2.5 quarts.
Ever since this time I am adding atleast 2 quarts of oil between changes. I cant explain it and now I am starting to smell the oil burn when I am at stop lights. I have no oil on the ground, no smoke burning from oil leak. I cant figure it out.

I should have gone to Lexus right away when I noticed it, but I did not. It is too late to tell them now, been 8 months.

 

If you smell oil burning, then it may be the valve cover gasket. Although they wouldn't leak enough to cause 2 quarts to go missing. Did they change the cam seals?

BTW; I would start a new thread on this, just so the OP's thread doesn't get hijacked.