Any thoughts on using Mobil 1 Extended Performance 5W-30 in the GX470 since the oil changes seem to be a little more involved? I ran Mobil 1 w/SuperSyn 0W-40 in all my Mercedes but never let it get over 7,000 miles. But Benz has the FSS indicator which basically tells you it's time.

Do you think you can actually break the mental "miles on oil" and go beyond 10,000 with this oil safely? Everything I have read says no problem? I just can't feel the love for going over 10,000 on motor oil.

Thanks in Advance,

Rich
2005 RX330
2003 GX470

 

There is a owner with your same engine on www.bobistheoilguy.com used oil analysis that has good UOA on 5w30 Mobil 1 out to 12K miles and it still comes back that he can go further. The experts on this oil site has determined that the Toyota 4.7 liter V8 is one of the easiest on oil made. You should be great just using the Mobil 1 5w30 for 1 year or 10K miles without any problem. Check out the site I listed and do some research.

 

I don'y worry about today's oils breaking down (dino/synth). I believe that either of them are great. However, I do have concerns about particulate matter in my engine. Eventhough oil may last long, I never go past 5000 with my synthetic. I want to make sure that I get all the particulates out of the engine. That is what keeps it running smooth.

CV

 

I tried the Mobil 1 10w30 at Walmart and was not impressed...it decreased my fuel economy by 5-10% in both cars I tried it on (was using Mobil 1 Delvac 5w40 [commercial-grade synthetic oil]). The Mobil 1 5w30 is even thinner. BTW, the Mobil 1 motor oils at walmart are ACEA-1 (for domestics). I'm currently using the Mobil 1 0w40 (ACEA-3, for benz/bmw) and it's a lot thicker, same fuel economy as the M1 Delvac. The M1 delvac isn't cheap, even more than the 0w40...about $115 for a 4 gal case (2 gal per change for the V8).

 

i use IGOL Symbol Ceramic 5-30W it's quite good but ican't compared to other brand as i never try others yet.
Anyway from my point of view is better to use "middle end" oil and change frequently than use "high end" oil but to change it less frequently.

i always change my oil every 5000KM that;s equal to about 2500Mil

 

What makes the oil changes on the GX 'more involved'? Our 05 4Runner V6 is about the easiest oil change to date, IMO. It sits up high enough that I don't necessarily need to put it on ramps (though I do sometimes just for the comfort factor of not having mechanical crap 3 inches away from my face)... the drain plug is very easy to get to because of the 'trap door' in the skid plate, and the filter is accessed from in the engine bay without any tricks required (though I do have to clean up the 'spill tray' with a rag after I remove the filter, which kinda sucks).

So is the V8 4runner and/or GX more difficult?

FWIW, I prefer Mobil 1 synthetic 5w-30 and have used it in all of my vehicles I've ever owned (the leased Audi gets whatever the dealer puts in it for free).

It's great stuff from everything I've read, especially when paired with a quality filter such as the OEM Toyota filters or a Mobil 1 filter or one of several other quality and potentially less expensive options.

I go about 8k miles per oil change on regular synthetic mobil 1. The extended drain stuff is more or less identical to the regular stuff, albeit with 50% more of their "super syn" formula which includes detergents and antioxidants.

I'll probably move to the extended drain stuff and a 10k-12k mile interval once I use up the last of my regular mobil 1 that I had stocked up on.

That is of course assuming I can get it for close to as cheap as I get regular mobil 1 for - $19 for 6 quarts at Costco. (at autozone the regular stuff is $30/6quarts, and ~$34/6quarts for the extended stuff... not gonna pay that much!)

 

the 2UZ-FE (4.7L V8 in the LX/GX/4Rnr/Tundra) has the oil filter on the bottom in the front left (driver's side) corner. There should be an access panel (there is on the LC/LX) for both the oil filter and drain plug.

 

It's not hard at all to change. Just drive into the Lexus dealer and say change the oil/filter go in and have a cup of coffee or take out a loaner car so you can run some errands. I've also crawled under my 99 LC, sits high enough and very easy to access everything but I enjoy letting the Lexus dealer do it a lot more. Also when a Lexus is under warranty and you need to do the Oil/filter every 5K miles it just not worth it to do it myself. Once out of warranty and you go to the extended changes using synthetic then its no big deal once a year on a nice sunny day. The 4.7 V8 gets such good UOA that this engine will last forever using dino oil and 5-7K mile changes, synthetic makes the car nut in us feel good but other then extending the change interval I doubt if it makes the engine last any longer. At least I've never read any proof it does.

 

You can use synthetic oil with extended change intervals from the from beginning... it won't void your warranty unless the extended interval caused the problem, and by law they have to SHOW that it caused the problem in question before they can void your warranty. Not to mention as long as you stay reasonable with your intervals, you shouldn't have any problems at all, and most lexus dealers are pretty accommodating anyway.

Waiting until the powertrain warrant is over before you start using synthetic kinda partly negates some of the benefit. The wear patterns from dino oil are already established, so you could even experience some leaks switching to synthetic... though probably not if you do it at only 60k miles. Still, I'd switch immediately.

My local lexus dealer just uses generic dino oil of unknown name which is really poor, IMO, considering they charge ~80 bucks for an oil change.
The Acura and Audi dealer here use synthetic blends with the VW/Audi and Honda/Acura brand names attached to them (though I'm sure they don't actually make it they probably ensure it meets their specifications and uses the right additives). But still seems kinda gimmicky to me as most synthetic 'blends' are made up with the large majority of the contents still being dino oil. People assume it's a 50/50 blend... more like 15/85 is more like it. Though I dunno if that's still the case with those Acura and Audi 'branded' oils...

It irks me that if I bring in my mobil 1 oil to the lexus dealer I don't receive even the slightest bit of credit for not using their oil. It's still 80 bucks, plus my 20 bucks that it cost me to buy the oil! Most other oil change places are like this, too, despite the fact that they conveniently charge extra if your car needs more than a certain number of quarts of oil... I hate it when places will charge extra for something extra but not credit you when the same thing happens in reverse. Like when I go to the local sub sandwich shop and they want to charge me extra for black olives yet I asked for no bacon - I happen to know the food cost on bacon is 50 times that of the black olives I added so I tell them if they want to charge me for black olives they can credit me for the bacon. lol
OK enough ranting off topic.

 

That would be nice. I've seen a engine problem that a guy had that used extended drain intervals with synthetic. He had a engine failure. First thing the dealer did was ask for proof of maintance that conformed to the manufactures recommendation. When he showed them his extended intervals with synthetic they voided his warranty. He had to prove that his extended interval with synthetic did not cause the engine failure. He won after about 14 months and expense on his part. If you can live without your car for 14 months then have fun with not following the OCI recommendations. Just not worth the hassle to me. Plus there is no proof that using synthetic for extended intervals will make your engine last any longer then using the correct grade of dino oil and the recommended interval. Now if you are driving a race car with extreme conditions the synthetic might be a plus but were talkin about one of the best engines made that is proven to be very very easy on oil.

 

The burden of proof is legally supposed to be on the dealer/manufacturer. I forget the name of the law but it very specifically states that - I think the Magnusson Moss Act or something like that?

I mean if the oil sludged up and that caused the failure then yeah, it's his fault, but so long as you check your oil and are confident it is performing as well or better than the OEM solution, then more power to you as far as I can tell.

I know that using an oil that doesn't MEET OR EXCEED Toyota's specifications for that engine will void the warranty, but almost all high quality full synthetic oils will meet or exceed the requirements for any manufacturer today with the exception of some Honda/Acura products that require you keep the OEM oil w/ some special additive for the seals in for at least the first 5000 miles and some other non-OEM oil would not be appropriate for this requirement.

 

I hear what you are saying but it is you agains't a huge corporation that doesn't want to spend money and looks for every reason not to. After what I've seen it just ain't worth the hassle.

 

Right, I understand, I guess you've seen it happen... I haven't, so I have a little more confidence that it wouldn't happen to me. I'm sure if it did, even if I won, if it took any sort of battle I'd never do it again.

 

I just hate companys screwing with me and since Toyota makes one of the best V8's in the world and the oil is changed every 5K miles it just isn't worth giving them a shot at my butt I'm even willing to pay their over priced 5K mile service charges because I'm lazy and I figure since I bought a Lexus I want to experience their excellant service

 

The manual said change your oil every 3000 to 7500 miles, it doesnt say change every 10000 miles if you are using synthetic. So I guess the the burden of proof is legally on the consumer in this case.