I have a 2007 LS460. Will it damage the engine if I use a thicker engine oil? The car is over 140,000 miles and may be burning oil. No leak has been detected. Thank you

 

Some people claim to use 5W30 but I have not seen any reports after extended use.

 

It won't lubricate all the moving parts as engineers intended. While it might help with the ring wear, other parts aren't worn down to the same degree.

 

Are you saying that a thicker oil should not be used in the 2007 LS460?

 

I took a gander at my home country's Lexus forums and whilst in Europe/Poland they write 0w-20, apparently the service centers recommend 0w-30.

 

No. I'm pointing out that rings are made of different materials than other parts and that the wear rate is different. Just trying to get you to think it out. No one has the one right answer. Another choice is to find a high mileage oil that matches Lexus recommended weight. They are recommended for over 75k miles. Or just do as you asked about. All perfectly good options. Only replacement will correct worn components. Even though you don't have any leaks (yet) high mileage oils can help delay them.

 

I just watched a great video about this issue with Toyota engines. There's a third piston ring that keeps the oil out of the cylinder. When sludge builds up over time this ring doesn't expand and contract like it should due to the buildup. Toyota recommends using an oil cleaner treatment. If sludge is the issue, this may remove it, allowing that third ring to expand and do it's job. You add treatment, run for x miles and do an oil change. Check for lower oil consumption and if needed, do a second treatment. This is an actual fix for the sludge problem. Also mentioned that catalytic converters clean/mask any blue smoke from oil being burned. That's why we don't see smoke. Hope you have success.

 

I have a 2008 LS460 and burns 1 quart every 1,600 miles on the dot. Burns the same when I switched to 5w30, still consumes the exact same amount in the exact same miles. I have tried everything and here is what works:
What I have found to proven to work is put 2 bottles (500 ml per bottle) of Rislone engine treatment into your next oil change, say the engine takes 9.2 quart total with filter change, put in 8 quarts of oil, then 2 bottles of Rislone engine treatment, and then top off with 0w20 oil to the dipstick full mark. I have done this for the past 100,000 miles and this drastically reduces oil consumption. My car is now 188,000 miles and using my method, it only burns 1 quart every 4,000 miles or so.
Also I can achieve the same results by using Toyota OEM full synthetic oil, it's also proven to reduce oil consumption when I tried it, but that oil is expensive and my other method with Rislone is cheaper.

 

0w-30 would be fine if you go by engine internal bearing and pump clearances and flow requirements for the oil jets, VVTI, and chain jets quantity requirement. I would always use a 0w oil to make sure when it's freezing or worse oil can make it quickly to the lifters/valvetrain and to prevent as long a time in boundary lubrication at the bearings as possible.

XX-20 weight is used for CAFE ratings, look no further than the 2GR V6s having a mid life oil weight change with zero mechanical changes solely to bump mpg up a hair to meet regs and the fact that the older 1/2/3UZ-FE engines all hold tighter clearances than any UR engine at the pump and bearings. At least that what the FSM says for checking them over for overhaul

I may be getting a 460 soon since I made the mistake of letting my wife take the 430 on a road trip. I haven't gotten it back since and have resigned myself to having to get another one. I'll be running 0w-30 in it if I do get a 460 instead of another 430