scubapr

I like numbers and facts. It's a fact that wear-in metals in an engine oil can accelerate engine damage and oil consumption. By how much metal & for how long I do not know; that's for debate.

For me, expecting to keep the car long term, a < $100 investment on additional oil change is a well worth insurance & peace of mind on a $57k+ car.

Based on my results as of February (6mo into ownership) and only 2,694 miles, If I hadn't made the changes, I would have the following concentration of metals on my engine oil:

• Aluminum: 9 + 3 = 12 (universal avg. 5) *The most common source of aluminum in engines is from the piston
• Copper: 64 + 16 = 80 (universal avg. 4) *Copper comes from plain bearings, bushes, thrust washers, worm gears.... it can be a little disturbing to see several hundred ppm of copper in a
  sample.
• Iron: 14 + 8 = 22 (universal avg. 9) *In engines, the cylinder liners and the crankshaft are the major wearing components along with timing gears, shafts and valves.
• Silicon: 224 + 80 = 304 (universal avg. 27) *Silicon carbide is sometimes used in the construction of pistons to reduce their coefficient of expansion. Greases contain silicon (particularly bentonite greases) and assembly compounds often contain silicone based chemicals that easily leach into the oil.

It will be very interesting to see those numbers at 10,000 miles with no previous oil change since new. I'll try to keep analyzing until that 10k mark to add them all.

*Source: Technical Bulletin, issue 47, WHERE DOES ALL THAT METAL COME FROM? by John S. Evans, B.Sc.

StefanoS

I concur on the @1K mi and every 5K mi thereafter. As Grandma used to say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

grp52

For those interested, WHERE DOES ALL THAT METAL COME FROM? (pdf) is a link to a copy of the source reference.

Shaboom

One of the endless, eternal conundra on this forum…

scubapr

A follow-up to that video! As an Engineer, numbers, data & analysis are my daily drivers. Really liked the use of William Edwards Deming quote: "Without data you're just another person with an opinion."

lexsc4

This is on my wife new NX350h.
1K miles 1st oil change on my dime, cost me $40 labor with my long time mechanic.
5K miles or every 6 months after, whichever comes first.

Did the same routine on my wife's old 08 RX350 (now my teenagers' SUV) 165K miles as of today and my 17 ES350.
Will continue this routine no matter what Lexus recommends.

Wilson2000

Two questions for the oil change experts on CL: I'm approaching 500 miles on my 2024 ES 300h, and plan to change the "break-in" oil soon. I put "break-in" in quotes because I have yet to find any information as to whether or not Lexus/Toyota use break-in oil at the factory. Most people on the internet claim "no," but don't cite any references (for all I know...they're guessing). A true break-in oil is not synthetic and does not have friction-modifier additives to allow controlled wear between the rings and cylinder wall. If Lexus doesn't use break-in oil, I have no qualms about changing it early and often before the first free change at 10K. First question: Anybody know for sure about "break-in" oil in new Toyota/Lexus vehicles? Is it formulated different from the oil they sell you at the dealers? If it is different, I will leave it in longer for the break-in benefits.

I'm also looking for information on alternative oil filters. The OEM specified filter, 90915-YZZN1, is super small. I'm wondering if there is a Toyota filter that has the same specifications, but is longer? Too, since this will be my first oil change, I'm not sure if a longer filter would even fit. I found several similar Toyota filters that might work. The 90915-YZZD1 and 90915-YZZF1 both look longer, but I'm not sure their other spec's match up to the "N1." Second question: Has anybody experimented with larger filters, and if so, do you have any recommendations?

My general plan is to change the oil at 500-700 miles, then at 5K miles, and then let the dealer do their free 10K oil change.

scubapr

I'm no expert; and not 100% sure. But 99% positive it's the same 0W/16 they will use at OCI. Note that there's is concrete LAB evidence that the greatest amount of metal suspended in the oil will be at this very first oil change be 500, 1,000, 5,000 or 10k. But how much amount of this wear-in suspended metals it too much, as to cause future engine damage, is unknown. So don't fuss about it. I personally prefer these metals out of the engine as I plan to keep the car for long; and don't mind the extra cost $ for changing it.

I'll recommend keep with OEM filter. No need for a better one unless you plan to go over 10k without changing the oil (not recommended).

If you plan to keep the car long term, this looks like a good plan. Specially for the first year. After that. unless you drive under the manual "severe/special conditions" you can keep the 10k interval IMHO.

Denzlex

The oil that comes in our cars is the same oil you’ll get at the dealership. OW-20 of any random major brand. Mobil, Valvoline, whatever…. This was confirmed by The Car Care Nut in at least one of his videos. My service dept. told me the same thing.

E46CT

Yep. Changing your oil at good intervals is massively more important than brand. Always do the break-in change 500-800 miles, then 5k thereafter. done.

xmlstarks

I'm changing the oil filter to the High Performance - Premium Guard Extended Life for my 2023 Lexus ES300h - Oil Filter #PG4476EX and motor oil to the Idemitsu 0W-16 IFG 5 fully synthetic oil. This motor oil is from a Japanese company that refines motor oil for Japanese vehicles. Recommended by my Independent Lexus Mechanic, he owns his service shop.

I tried to get the new Idemitsu IFG 7 motor oil, which is specifically made for hybrid vehicles; however, I could not find it anywhere in the United States, not yet. If anyone knows where to obtain this oil in the United States, please let me know.

https://highflow.com/products/lexus-...-2023-pg4476ex

IFG 7 0W-16

IFG 7 raises the bar as our new top-of-the-line flagship oil with Septet Guard™ – seven ultra-protective advantages to optimally complement high-precision engines for the ultimate in fuel efficiency, power, performance, and protection with minimal friction. IFG 7 0W-16 SP/GF-6B is a fully synthetic, ultra-low viscosity formulation for hybrid and fuel-efficient gasoline vehicles with robust additive technology for OEM-specific extended drain intervals and emission system protection.

Wilson2000

Amazon sells Idemitsu 0W-16 SP/GF-6B, but not with the "IFG 7" identifier. It must be the same or it wouldn't have the same SP/GF-6B spec, right?

BTW...Your "Premium Guard Extended Life" filter was new to me so I did a little research. It seems well made, but didn't see any performance reviews online. It's about the same cost as the Fram Ultra Synthetic, which is what I plan to use after warranty. I like the Amsoil filter better, but it is $20! Unfortunately, Purolator doesn't make their "Boss" filter for the 300h, or I would go with it regardless of cost!

xmlstarks

Yes I bought the Idemitsu IFG 5 0W-16 from Amazon, the 5-quart container for $39.95 plus tax. It's not the same but still has 5 additives, thus the 5 designation. About PGI

Premium Guard Inc. (PGI) specializes in designing, manufacturing, and distributing products for automotive, diesel, power sports, and specialty filter markets. Headquartered in New York City with a main distribution center in Memphis TN, Premium Guard Inc. is keenly focused on providing customers with industry-leading service, complete solutions, best-in-class-quality products, and leading application coverage at compelling prices.

PGI also offers a platform for a turnkey private label solution, including product and packaging design, engineering, quality control, supply chain management, distribution, logistics, marketing, and professional field support.

ESh

The factory oil in these engines is the same TGMO 0W16 that you can find at the dealership. It is called break-in oil because it happens to be inside the engine while break-in period.

scubapr

Just saw this. I know some people don't like him. But to me, he appears to be an honest mechanic trying to help others by transferring his knowledge and experience; even if he make profits from those videos.
I hate when people say they don't care because they don't keep the car for long; then this happens to the next owner.

Those last 5min (from 41:25) should be a sticky for people asking about this topic.