Should I use Mobile 1? My car has 147k miles on it. I don't know if the previous owner used synthetic oil.

 

It doesn't matter what the previous owner used, what's important is the condition of the various gaskets and seals. Synthetic oil is almost always better than conventional oil but can cause leaks, which will occur if the various seals are in fair to poor condition.

 

Mobil-1 is an excellent choice. It's never too late to switch to Synthetic. I use the same oil, and the OEM Lexus oil filter. Mobil-1 extended service, has more additives, but is slightly more expensive, and may be overkill.

Just make sure that you buy 5W-30, which is what's specified for your car, and change It, and the filter every 3,000 miles. Walmart usually has the best prices.

Phil

 

Synthetic oil will not CAUSE leaks, but may magnify existing problems with seals and gaskets. The reason being is that it flows much better than conventional oil, so it may find some places to leak out which conventional oil was just too thick to escape from.

One advantage of Synthetic oils however is that they cause gaskets and seals to swell, so typically after a few thousand miles such leaks just stop.

Phil

 

Semantics. Synthetic oil can get past seals more readily than conventional in some conditions. Better?

 

If you agree to add ..."past borderline seal" .... Than I'm good with that.

( just goes to show you that I'm not that busy today LOL)

Phil

 

I use Valvoline Max Life, which is much less expensive and is synthetic as well. The filter quality is also important, so I use Wix, or Purolator.

 

Here is an excellent video on conventional vs. synthetic oil

Phil

 

I don't usually worry about which type of synthetic oil. Walmart synthetic is about $20, and Quaker State Synthetic is a buck more so I've been using that. I've heard that as long as it has an SAE seal on it, it's all good.

Also use Toyota OEM filters since it's less than $5/ea and they come with a replacement gasket which is nice.

I switched at about 170k and haven't had any leak issues (closing in on 200k in a month or so)

 

This is a controversy... My ES has 145k, and rear main seal along with the upper oil pan (bottom end seal) sweats and has been since I can recall. I just don't trust changing so late since it will most likely seep further. Even "grey_es300" in another thread mentioned he went from synthetic to semi-blend since it will resolve the leak to a sweat in his es300 with 200k on it. This is my one hold-back thus far. I would do it, but don't want to go there and back...

 

My 2000 ES300 has 145k miles on it. I prefer Valvoline high mileage synthetic blend. Works like a champ!

 

mobile 1 extended performce says 15k mile oil change its true should change every3k miles if left longer still stays golden its freaky i have 150k miles in my 95 lex es300 and the car doesnt get babied i run down alot of cars its funny ran the new camry v6 down also from a dig and a roll only have intake exhaust 93 octane .. brand new auto tranny oversized all aluminum solara radiator upgraded tranny cooler ..but really the oil stays golden for ever that is the best oil i have ever seen hands down not debaitable lol but for real used in my sr20det made around 500whp on built blacktop 30-33 psi gt30 used royal purple it was like water made a bunch of **** leak .. i have a 500+ whp gto 04 ls1 built auto right now using royal purple only because it came with that oil and i havnt got a chance to change though i am running 10w30 btw in my 1mz-fe mobile 1 extended performce

 

Okay thanks will switch to synthetic when it time for an oil change

 

WTF?

 

i have 180K and i have stuck with traditional oil and never changed any gaskets and no leaks. Just keep with what ever oil it was originally and keep changing @ correct intervals = you will be fine