I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

I use 5w30 or 10w30.

StanVanDam

A March 29, 2006 TSIB says 5W-20 is the new Toyota standard for all UZ-series engines. See https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es3...23-2006-a.html.

My last 2 dealer oil changes were done at 2 different Lexus dealerships. Both put in 5W-20 by default, quoting slightly higher fuel efficiency as the reason when I asked after the fact.

JimsGX

When my 91 LS400 was new, the oil change interval recommended by Lexus was 7,500 miles. Do you think this interval could have been too long? I have all the mantenance records on the vehicle since new and the oil was being changed at 7,500 mile intervals. Not 3k or 5k...

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

IMO, and that of Blackstone Labs, Toyota, and pretty much any other outfit that doesn't have an overriding vested interest in wastefully-frequent oil changes, 3K mile oil changes are simply a waste of money and resources in all but the most extreme driving and engine load conditions (which would not apply to any of our LS cars here). Even on old-school engines that contaminated the oil much faster (GM small-blocks from the '80s or '90s) some extensive taxicab testing in New York City revealed that there was minimal benefit to changing the oil before about 6K miles. I wouldn't have any concern over an LS400/430 engine that was changed at 7500 miles, and wouldn't expect it to be dirty on the inside due to that interval. IMO, 7500 miles or 1 year is a good interval, assuming normal use.

Dirtyd210

i use penzoil ultra on mine and still change it every 5k..... anyone else try the ultra yet....... smooth ride for me

Chillymorn

Mobile 1 , mobile 1 filter.
in all my vehicles. Just made the switch last week. They all seem smoother at idle and my 06 highlander got 16 mpg instead of 15mpg.

no leaks or burning oil. So far I like it.

Johnhav430

my understanding is that unless you are driving a ~ 1990 car or older, there is no worry about using synthetic when the vehicle did not come with it. And today, with oils such as Costco being 2 5 qt jugs for $25, or Mobil 1 being $24 with now a $10 rebate (reduced by $2), there really isn't a strong argument to not use it. At the same time, our cars didn't come with it, so not using it isn't going to matter that much either. They used to say that synthetic lacks mineral spirits and so rubber seals would dry out and start to leak. If I had a 1984 Porsche? I may consider not using synthetic. But a 2001 LS430? There is nothing to worry about. It's interesting how myths or outdated concepts perpetuate. I myself, until 10 years ago? Believed that one should always keep tires on the same side of the axle, even if the tires were not staggered nor directional. I saw a diagram of how Costco rotates and thought wth are these people doing? I realized my grandfather taught me that and his thinking was correct, but outdated. I can still see people driving with hands at 10 and 2, nearly 30 years after it's been taught to never do that (28 officially). So old ideas do linger...

warminwisc

The 2 times in 150 k miles I ran dino oil from the dealer over Penzoil synthetic I noticed no difference in my 04 LS.

I ran synthetic in my 2005 Camry when I got it once at 240k or so and the puff of bleu in the am after sitting was increased only moderately. I went back to dino and less smoke on start up. At 3000 k oil changes it uses negligible oil currently. There is 270k miles on Camry runs absolutely perfect.

BaconLS430

I don't know much of the oil change history of my 05 LS430 but after buying it at ~171000 miles, I changed the oil with Mobil 1 5W-30 Extended Performance High Mileage oil and a Mobil 1 filter. I didn't have any issues with leaking or consumption. I put in nearly the exact amount of oil to bring it to the full line, approximately 5.5 qts, and when I checked the oil level before changing it, the level hadn't dropped an appreciable amount after 5,802 miles. I also collected a sample of the oil and attached below is the analysis from Blackstone Laboratories. I plan on pushing this oil change out to 7500 miles and based on how it looks with the next analysis, I may go for a 10,000 mile oil change on the following one.

That said, I have mixed opinions on pushing out oil changes that far. Synthetic oils do have the advantage of not breaking down the same way as conventional oils but their additives are consumed over time, hence the need to change your oil still when using synthetic. I want to believe the claims from Mobil 1 for 15,000 mile oil changes from their EP oil or Amsoil's 25,000 miles, but at the same time I really don't want to risk destroying an engine and having to replace it myself or pay someone to replace it.

Let's assume a good used engine is $1000. If I spend an $35 on oil and a filter every oil change and I changed the oil every 7,500 miles, $1000 in oil and filters would take me to almost 215,000 miles. That means to save the price of an engine by extending oil change intervals to 15,000 miles, I would need to drive the car 430,000 miles. Easily doable for these engines and vehicles but how many people are actually taking their car there? The average car is driven 15,000 miles per year so if that was consistent, we're talking 29 years of driving. It's really a matter of perspective.

Of course, I still think a 3,000 mile change interval is ridiculous for all but the most severe of circumstances and even with my first car, a 2006 Sebring with a 2.4, I changed the oil every 5,000 miles using 5W30 Conventional in it. And I wouldn't push a conventional oil much further than that except for a case-by-case basis of vehicle/engine.

Lavrishevo

iTrader: (1)

I'm surprised nobody is talking about cold start protection. This is one of the most important aspects of high quality synthetic oil. Particularly with high Moly content. Up to 90% of engine wear comes from cold starts. This is absolutely one of the best reasons why to use high quality synthetic vs regular oil. Mobile 1 extended performance is my brand of choice. Then I use MMO to help clean both the engine and fuel system.

Jabberwock

If you wait and stock up on brand name full synthetic oil when there are rebates, which is about 2-3 times a year on average, you can buy name brand full syn oil like Pennzoil Platinum for about $12-14 for 5 quart jug. At that price it is silly to use anything but full syn oil.

weldthedif

do you have any data or articles to support this?

430SLOwner

You waited for over 10 years to ask the poster that question...?