wing0

Thanks for the great information!

So the rear uses 75W90? Does Toyota supply the oil/synthetic? My friend said Mobil doesn't make 75W90....weird......it's even harder for me to find royal purple...

Since i'm at 32000km. Should I bother with the rear diff if this car is front wheel biased?
I'm more concered with my tranny...
If i loosen the drain plug for front diff, how many bottles of ATF should i get from Toyota?

Lexmex

It actually uses an 85W90, but 75W90 has been the preferred aftermarket use and most other RX owners that I know have switched to the 75W90 synthetic with no issues.

This is the Mobil 1 75W90 gear oil, http://www.mobil1.com/USA-English/Mo..._75W-90LS.aspx

I couldn't find this stuff anywhere in Mexico, but the very likely have in Canada.

Toyota uses I believe Castrol in their dealerships but it is not a synthetic from my memory.

I went to 107K miles and you saw the pictures. I have heard of some going over 200K miles, but for where you are now, you can probably wait a lot longer.

The front differential kicked out about .5 liters and for my AWD that meant 5 bottles total.

wing0

How come it says to change the rear diff at 24000km then...my friend was asking the same question.

Tomorrow, I'll be grabbing the following:

Motor Oil (Castrol or Valvoline, more biased on Valvoline now....)
oil filter from Toyota 08922-02011(same as highlander)
5L of long life coolant from toyota
5 bottles of ATF Type IV for tranny and front diff.
oil filter wrench? I think I'll drive my car on the ramp I have since I gotta do ATF anyways. Do I still need a wrench if i'm opening the engine cover on the bottom?

Any problem with the above?

Lexmex

I think I posted it somewhere about when they inspect and/or replace at certain mileage figures with regard to rear differential among other things. To my knowledge, Lexus didn't do anything to the rear differential or transfer case since I have owned my RX at about 40k, but I don't know about any bit earlier.

Everything looks ok. With regard to the oil fitler wrench, I also do it from below (though I have done it on top on a few occasions (a little messier if you're not careful), but you will still need that wrench as is it hard to reach in their and get a good grab otherwise. I use a K&N HP-1002 oil fitler since it has a nut on top that makes it easier to get off and on.

wing0

To keep inline with Lexus warranty. Is it still better to stick with their filter?
This sludging issue is making me worried about doing it myself and adversely affect repair later on.

What pattern is the bolt for the engine cover?
I know the bolt for the ATF drain is hex 10mm, but what pattern is the front diff drain bolt?

If i can use my friend's torque wrench, there is no risk at stripping the thread right on the oil pan right?

Tammy

You don't have sludge concerns if you change your oil. That's it !

90915--YZZD1 is your latest part number for a toyota filter. The filter is 74mm across, the cap wrench is a 74mm size. The plug seal or gasket is a 12mm id size. The seal is needed to space out the plug so it's threads don't bottom out in the pan, damaging the pan nut inside the pan..

I use only K&N, Mobile One or in a pinch, the standard toyota filter. They all are warranty supported.

The engine cover has three 5mm allen sleeve nuts and rotate counter clockwise the L emblem at the center of the cover. I tighen them snug, but not tight since it's plastic and will crack if over tightened.. The "L" , I tighten just to the point where there is no play in the cover. You'll feel it detent into the cover as you snug it up.

Below, to remove the oil filter, you need to remove the "cooling cover", behind the front bumper.
There are eight 10mm machine bolts, two 10mm sheet metal screws that locate the outer corners and two push center lock locater pins. Two small screwdrivers are needed to pop out the center of these locator pins. They lift out of the cover, one on each side..
When replacing, turn a half turn after finger tight in to the plastic cover. Too tight will crack the holes of the cover.

The ATF plugs are both 10mm allen hex; on the pan and on the transaxle. The pan plug has a magnet. They both have aluminum seal washers the may be reused.

Recommend you borrow a 3/8 drive ratchet torque wrench with a 25-75 Ft Lb (appx) torque range. The oil plug at 30 Ft Lbs, along with the other transmission and transaxle plugs.

wing0

Where does Toyota get their engine oil?
Valvoline?

Lexmex

The bottles of oil that are labeled Toyota down here come from ExxonMobil.

wing0

Alright. I got all the stuff.
Oil + Filter(90915--YZZD1 <--- I thought this is made in Japan?)
5L of ATF
2 jugs of coolant, I got the long life ones since it's not premixed while the super long life is premixed and they're the same price for the same jug so I'm paying for water essentially in super long life.

Lexmex

I think those filters might now be made in Thailand (there was a discussion about this). There are only so many sizes of oil filters in the world. Take a look at the K&N site and try HP-1002 and look up the cross applications for that size filter.

Let me know if you run into any trouble.

I think at one time the Lexus dealer that I first went to after I got my RX was using Castrol.

rxdriver

Here's one of the many threads about Toyota/Lexus oil filter part numbers and where they're made.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=190313

Lexmex

Here is a link to K&N for the cross reference to some other filters, http://www.knfilters.com/search/kn_c...spx?kn=HP-1002

And here is the cross reference for other vehicle applications,

http://www.knfilters.com/search/appl...x?Prod=HP-1002

There quite a few non-Lexus and non-Toyota vehicles that use that size filter.

Once, when I was looking for a substitute filter, I actually used a Mobil (not Mobil 1) filter briefly until we go the K&N dealer down here when it was open. Was actually one for a 1982 Chrysler generic.

wing0

I have the same filter as in the picture. Made in Thailand.
I got torque wrench, jack, stand, ramp, 2 oil filter wrench(metalband adjustable ones from my friend) and other tools for removing the bolts(although I need to check if I have the right sizes first....
I'll be sure to post back here if I have any problem and would greatly appreciate any help. This is my first time working on the RX so I'll be extra careful even if it takes me longer time *cough* like that oil filter.
I also plan to rotate the tires too while i have the torque wrench.

For ATF/front diff. Should I unbolt the tranny first wait till it drains then diff or diff first then tranny?
I was reading the guide in How2 and there seems to be two drain plug for coolant? One on the bottom and one near the top engine? I don't really understand. Wouldn't one be enough?

HarrierAWD

The red Toyota Long Life coolant is only good for 2 years / 30K miles. Not very long life. However, it is a very good quality fluid. My RX300 is over 4 years old, yet the reservior is clean like new. My old GM's gunked up after just a few months with the green stuff. BTW, GM has since retracted the 5-year claim of the orange Dexcool. Some GM owners are experiencing problems long before the 5 years are up.

The 9L (litre) or about 2 gallons is total capacity. After you flush the cooling system with hot water, about one gallon of water will sit in the cooling system. Add a bottle (gallon) of Toyota coolant in. That'll give you about 50/50 mix.

Note that some air will trap inside the cooling system and will "burp" after you drive it. Check coolant level the next few days and top off as needed. I recommend filling up to half way between Full and Empty when the car is cold. When the car gets hot, the coolant level rises.

Do ATF change if the fluid is discolored. Otherwise there's no need. If you want to do it, feel free. Just be sure to use the correct tranny fluid.

Any 5W30 oil will do just fine, dino or synthetic. Though synthetic has a bad habit of seeping through piston rings and gaskets as the car ages.

Lexmex

When you start getting issues with the leaking at higher mileage, that is the time to reevaluate whether to stay at 5W30 or going to a 5W40 or for some a 5W50. I don't have 5W40, so the 0W40 works just fine. Yes, leaks can occur with synthetics, but one needs to remember you need to be vigilant in watching when you change your oil whether with dino or with synthetic.