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Unsure where you are but http://www.blackdiamondauto.com/ has two GS 350s on their lot, one is a 13-14, the other is a 15 IIRC. Both had extensive body damage but not at the front.
my daily work commute is 115 miles. I didn’t change the oil for about 12k miles either. Both of those is probably why it was low. Hence the lesson I learned.
Not changing oil for 12k miles is not going to cause any engine damage. Double that mileage and there is still nothing that would cause an immediate damage like what you are suggesting with rod knock. Total loss of oil from oil pump failure or loose drain plug could be a likelihood. You have something else going on beside stretching out oil changes that needs attention.
I can't imagine the OP's engine burned oil that much. That would one hell of an oil-burning cloud behind that GS!
Not really. Combined with a leak it won't be hard to lose 4 quarts in 12,000 miles. Especially in a poorly maintained engine the oil control rings get gunked up and don't work anymore.
2013 Car, 140k miles, 12k oil changes, not knowing the previous history, my guess is Sludge created the oil related that led to the failure. More than a few IS350 and GS350 from 06 up have this problem in the 120k plus range. They can use a quart low a month or more. Not keeping the oil level up. You guys keep on thinking 10k plus oil changes are ok if you want to make it to 140k plus. It's a chance you may or may not with oil burning. The 2GR is not self healing. It can have some oil leak problems from 2-3 places. A leak along with internal burning leaking to low oil, could easily cause a failure.
Go search the 3rd Gen GS forum, or 2nd Gen IS forum. You will find the same oil related problem conditions.
I have the basic idea and means, but specific instructions are nice.
I've done lots of engine swaps on older cars and pulled heads, intakes and oil pans on later model engines but I would really dread swapping the engine in my GS 350 AWD simply because of the front differential, half shaft and tight spaces.
If you've never swapped engines before, do you even have the equipment needed like an engine crane and engine stand?
Find a decent, well-respected import shop that is familiar with Lexus/Toyota and get a quote to do the work.
@BlackMambaGS350 - I'm having trouble analyzing and evaluating these circumstances! To be candid, much of what you are reporting doesn't make sense when it comes to diagnosing and identifying the problem.
(1) A few mins into my drive a "low oil" light came on... 'Low Oil' could indicate a low oil level or low NO oil pressure.
There is a BIG difference between the two! A temporary low oil level is NOT a damaging condition.
(2) As I was getting ready to pull over, the car shut off. Something other than a low oil level caused your car engine to shut off.
A temporary low oil level will NOT cause the car engine to shut off.
(3) At first I didn't think I was actually low on oil since the light has came on before and I had enough oil in the car... So now - this has happened before and the engine was NOT low on oil. Do say!
That's a really good indicator that the current situation may not be a matter of major engine damage.
(4) I tried to jump start it - that didn't work... That's more likely an indication of something else other than major engine damage being the problem; something like a failing sensor that is acting up.
(5) I got it towed home and checked the oil which was empty. Are you sure about that? Was it really 'empty' of oil or was the oil level just 'low'?
The oil level sensor activates the 'low oil' indicator light when the oil level is a bit too low, which is usually 1.5 to 2 quarts low.
Your engine oil capacity is 6.7 quarts. Being temporarily low on oil by even 3 whole quarts is NOT going to damage the engine.
(6)I filled her up and it started right away. Adding oil to the engine crankcase is NOT going to just magically allow it to start up!
A low oil level is NOT going to prevent the engine from starting.
(7) As soon as it started, I had a rod knock right away. What you likely heard to make you think the engine had a rod knocking was in all likelihood a condition that caused the engine not to run correctly - like a spooked horse bucks and kicks!
That condition could have been due to a failed sensor causing the engine timing to malfunction or a host of other conditions that would cause the engine to stumble, knock, act weird and make some loud and strange sounds.
The Lexus GS 350 engine is a real proven brute and rarely ever needs to be replaced or rebuilt due to engine damage - be it minor or major damage...and this is true regardless of the mileage. I think you are mistaken to think your engine has a rod knocking. For an engine to produce rod knock, either the rod itself is bent (which is highly unlikely with rev limiting) or the rod's bearing on the crankshaft journal has enormously excessive clearance due to tremendous prolonged wear of the bearing - - or the rod bearing has slipped/spun within the rod bearing cap which prevents the bearing from being properly secured to the crankshaft journal due to the cap bolts being damaged/stressed/stretched (which is highly unlikely).
My advice to you is have an experienced senior tech at Lexus dealership's service department take a look at your car to diagnose what the problem is. For your information the car has numerous sensors and at times one of them can fail, causing the engine not to run correctly or to even shut off due to the signal it sends the engine's ECU (electronic control unit). My guess is your car's problem is nothing serious and your car does not have any engine damage at all. That's my
Last edited by bclexus; 11-05-23 at 05:53 PM.
Reason: orthography
@BlackMambaGS350 - I'm having trouble analyzing and evaluating these circumstances! To be candid, much of what you are reporting doesn't make sense when it comes to diagnosing and identifying the problem.
(1) A few mins into my drive a "low oil" light came on... 'Low Oil' could indicate a low oil level or low NO oil pressure.
There is a BIG difference between the two! A temporary low oil level is NOT a damaging condition.
(2) As I was getting ready to pull over, the car shut off. Something other than a low oil level caused your car engine to shut off.
A temporary low oil level will NOT cause the car engine to shut off.
(3) At first I didn't think I was actually low on oil since the light has came on before and I had enough oil in the car... So now - this has happened before and the engine was NOT low on oil. Do say!
That's a really good indicator that the current situation may not be a matter of major engine damage.
(4) I tried to jump start it - that didn't work... That's more likely an indication of something else other than major engine damage being the problem; something like a failing sensor that is acting up.
(5) I got it towed home and checked the oil which was empty. Are you sure about that? Was it really 'empty' of oil or was the oil level just 'low'?
The oil level sensor activates the 'low oil' indicator light when the oil level is a bit too low, which is usually 1.5 to 2 quarts low.
Your engine oil capacity is 6.7 quarts. Being temporarily low on oil by even 3 whole quarts is NOT going to damage the engine.
(6)I filled her up and it started right away. Adding oil to the engine crankcase is NOT going to just magically allow it to start up!
A low oil level is NOT going to prevent the engine from starting.
(7) As soon as it started, I had a rod knock right away. What you likely heard to make you think the engine had a rod knocking was in all likelihood a condition that caused the engine not to run correctly - like a spooked horse bucks and kicks!
That condition could have been due to a failed sensor causing the engine timing to malfunction or a host of other conditions that would cause the engine to stumble, knock, act weird and make some loud and strange sounds.
The Lexus GS 350 engine is a real proven brute and rarely ever needs to be replaced or rebuilt due to engine damage - be it minor or major damage...and this is true regardless of the mileage. I think you are mistaken to think your engine has a rod knocking. For an engine to produce rod knock, either the rod itself is bent (which is highly unlikely with rev limiting) or the rod's bearing on the crankshaft journal has enormously excessive clearance due to tremendous prolonged wear of the bearing - - or the rod bearing has slipped/spun within the rod bearing cap which prevents the bearing from being properly secured to the crankshaft journal due to the cap bolts being damaged/stressed/stretched (which is highly unlikely).
My advice to you is have an experienced senior tech at Lexus dealership's service department take a look at your car to diagnose what the problem is. For your information the car has numerous sensors and at times one of them can fail, causing the engine not to run correctly or to even shut off due to the signal it sends the engine's ECU (electronic control unit). My guess is your car's problem is nothing serious and your car does not have any engine damage at all. That's my
Wow, they really ruined that engine. They had to have heard it lose power and seen it coming and kept driving anyway through Death Valley or something.
Interesting, I didn't know these engines had such a splayed rod arrangement. Most V6 engines I've seen apart are slightly offset to a much lesser degree but then again, they are 90° Buick V6s.
Wow, they really ruined that engine. They had to have heard it lose power and seen it coming and kept driving anyway through Death Valley or something.
Interesting, I didn't know these engines had such a splayed rod arrangement. Most V6 engines I've seen apart are slightly offset to a much lesser degree but then again, they are 90° Buick V6s.
Nothing in that video posted by @LeX2K had anything to do with @BlackMambaGS350 's car or engine.
It looks like that 'bad engine' being torn down in the video had been severely overheated and destroyed itself...
Nothing in that video had anything to do with @BlackMambaGS350 's car or engine.
From now on we'll only talk about the exact engine and parts in a specific car. No comparisons to other cars and engines will be allowed that is completely irrelevant. Every engine failure is 100% unique.
I've got an interesting situation where a "low oil level light came on" and then disappeared. This happened a couple of times on the highway, over one particular stretch.
I was certain that the sensor is faulty, as I always change oil every 7000kms and the engine is like new.
However, I checked the oil and indeed it was low, to my surprise.
No i find that the oil level seems to drop over time, (i guess it is being burned, although I am still doubtful).
Bought 0W-30 oil this time. Will put that in and see if this situation persists.
11-02-23, 08:33 AM
That's my
