Buffalo777

Dear fellow Lexus RX330 owners:

I am not a licenced mechanic, I am just a very meticulous owner of everything, especially of my Lexus RX330, year 2004, with mileage: 220,000 miles.
I would like to give you my personal opinion on increased service intervals (compare to original Lexus manual) which would save you a lot of money on cutting UNNECESSARY expenses.
If you are disagree with my opinion, you are welcome to express your opinion.
If you know answers to my questions, I will really appreciate your input in our community knowledge database.

INCREASED SERVICE INTERVAL (COMPARE TO ORIGINAL LEXUS MANUAL):

-Replace engine oil & filter:
--Original interval: every 6 month/5,000 miles.
--Increased interval: every 12 month/15,000 miles. (IMPORTANT: Use Mobil 1: M1-102A (not M1-102) oil filter designed exclusively for fully synthetic oil, along with Mobil 1™ Extended Performance High Mileage Fully Synthetic 5W-30 Motor Oil)
For more info, go to: https://mobiloil.com/en/motor-oils/mobil-1/mobil-1-extended-performance-high-mileage

-Replace engine coolant:
--Original interval: every 48 months/40,000 miles.
-Increased interval: every 60 month/150,000 miles.
For more info, go to: https://www.carid.com/oem-antifreezecoolant/oem-premium-extended-life-red-antifreeze-coolant-mpn-86-384roemt.html

-Replace brake fluid:
-Original interval: every 24 months/30,000 miles.
-Increased interval: as long as BOTH moisture test, AND copper test are within the limits. In my case the brake fluid has been lasting for more than 45,000 miles, but every case is different! The decision is yours and your trusted mechanic.
For more info, go to: http://changebrakefluid.blogspot.ca/p/brake-lines.html

These are my research findings.
Now, I would like to hear your opinions, along with the hyperlinks, on the following questions.


What fluid or part brands to use, and what EXTENDED interval are for the following services:

-Replace automatic transmission fluid:
-Original interval: 72months/60,000 miles)
-Extended interval: ???

-Replace transfer case fluid:
-Original interval: 24months /20,000 miles
-Extended interval: ???

-Replace spark plugs:
-Original interval: 120,000 miles
-Extended interval: ???

-Replace timing belt:
-Original interval: 90,000 miles
-Extended interval: ???

-Replace engine air filter:
-Original interval: 30,000 miles
-Extended interval: ???

Lexuswiz

iTrader: (1)

Oil is a touchy subject, if you drive a lot, then extending it is fine alongside with proper oil and filter. But my 330 is used for mostly short trips so I will stick with 5K intervals with the cheapest full synthetic I can find as I'm correcting a sludge issue from the previous owner.

Coolant and brake fluid I am in agreement as my cars are about those intervals anyways....

-Replace automatic transmission fluid:
-Original interval: 72months/60,000 miles
-Extended interval: I go down to 40-50K using Valvoline MaxLife Import Full Synthetic ATF

-Replace transfer case fluid:
-Original interval: 24months /20,000 miles
-Extended interval: 40-50K with trans, I used whatever Walmart had: Valvoline 80W-90 Gear Oil

-Replace spark plugs:
-Original interval: 120,000 miles
-Extended interval: 100K, Denso OEM plugs, they are cheap online to buy but the back three are hard to get to, I'll change them early for peace of mind.

-Replace timing belt:
-Original interval: 90,000 miles
-Extended interval: 90K, don't push your luck, bought my car with only ~71K miles on it with original belt and it was in BAD shape, I could have lost the engine....

-Replace engine air filter:
-Original interval: 30,000 miles
-Extended interval: 50K, I haven't had an issue.

Buffalo777

Thanks for your input.

It looks strange that you DECREASED service interval for the automatic transmission, because modern Lexus cars are designed to keep fluid in AT without changing forever!
I would like to hear opinion on this point from other Club Lexus users.

And I have a question for you about replacing transfer case fluid.
You wrote that you change it after 40-50K miles.
How many times have you changed transfer case fluid using such intervals?

thomas1

The AT for life is a sales promotion, trust me it is still a transmission with wear. I for the life of me cant stand such garbage. I changed the fluid on my RX400h at 89k miles and it was black, which shows high levels of debris.

Lexuswiz

iTrader: (1)

I've been on a couple discussions in this sub-forum about it (a search can bring up some of them), opinion varies. But I have backyard wrenched my own cars longe enough to know there's no such fluid that lasts that long, regardless if it's synthetic. Speaking of which really annoys me as Toyota's costly and premier ATF Type WS isn't even full synthetic but a semi-synthetic.....

I have changed my Lexus ATF once (purchased used) and have changed many Toyota and Lexus vehicles (I maintain a fleet). Every time, the fluid comes out dark and almost burnt and the new fluids brings new life to the trans. But your mileage may vary.

I have changed the transfer case and differential once with the ATF as I purchased the car used with ~72K miles and zero records of any fluid changes besides the basics. Worth every penny, it fixed a slight jitter. Will be sticking to this interval.

This +100000

ToledoRX

"Sealed for life" or "no maintenance required for lifetime of the car" is just marketing lingo for "if it breaks you'll have to buy a whole new car"

It may be true for the original owner of the vehicle (who will be trading it in at the end of the lease), but if you plan on keeping a car beyond the warranty (more than 4 or 5 years), you definitely want to do fluid changes and perform maintenance on the mechanical and powertrain components