Lexmex

Well apart from normal wear and tear, racing your RX300 , etc., on high mileage engines, oil can get past the piston rings and into the combustion process. From the time I was little, my father, my uncles all told me that every vehicle burns a little oil. G

Granted over time, the cylinder walls can develop slight imperfections (reason I use Restore to try to alleve this) and oil can sneak past. Especially, lower weight oil (reason why often higher weight oil is used with higher mileage vehicles).

I can tell you that piston rings are not one of the strong points of the 1MZFE engine. I am positive that at some point in the future I will find myself replacing them.

I also have a feeling from what TunedRX300 has been saying and from what I have been reading that Mobil 1 ain't as great as it used to be due to the type of base stocks used, basically moving from Tri-Synthetic to a Supersyn formula. I remember using Mobil 1 5W30 before I moved down here and no consumption issues, and now I go back to adding it to the mix (5W30 extended drain formula) and I get issues. At the very least I will find myself moving back up to M1 0W40 with no mix or even trying something else...though my options are kind of limited in Mexico.

HarrierAWD

I have a feeling it's caused by the K&N air filter that you have (or had.) It'd let dust past by and scratch the cylinder walls. I had it happen to my last car.

I personally feel the 1MZ-FE engine is a very refined and precised engine. Mine has over 88K miles. I don't race it like you, but I have to rev it at 3500 rpm twice a day. Each time is about two minutes during my mountain commute in high altitude Colorado. Not a drop of oil is burnt. The engine does it without making much noise or vibration. I am very happy with the engine.

Lexmex

Well, the cylinder walls and them getting scratched would actually be affected by my lack of using an air filter, but your point is well taken. The K&N actually caused me the problem with their oil getting on my MAF sensor. That's when I first mention the point about the EFI fuse. This prior point is my reason for using Restore oil additive and the higher weight Mobil1 oils like the 0W40.

The piston ring issue I am referring to is something that I have been researching in my turbo project and is somethig related to design, something we can't help unless we want to modify it.

Other than that, I also like the 1MZFE engine. I have to remember that even at the time I bought it back in Jan. 2002, the RX300 was pretty good in terms of hp compared to its competitors at the time, and especially back in 1998 when the 99 models first hit Canadian and U.S. shores.

toy4two

I would get a leak down test. Its unusual for you to be burning oil.

Lexmex

Well what has happened is that as I top off with the M1 5W50, the consumption becomes less so, so I think that staying away from the 5W30 and (leaving it to 0W40 at least) should do the job. My switching to 5W30 was as a performance test.

parula

I have not had to add any to mine with Mobil1 at 5k changes.

HarrierAWD

Forgot to mention, I use 5W30 only. I used to have BP oil, then Exxon. My current Toyota dealer uses Pennzoil. Not sure what Lexus uses.

Lexmex

I would be interested to know if that Toyota dealer is using the new Pennzoil Platinum.

Before I moved down here, the Lexus dealer I went to have everything prepped wanted to use Castrol Syntec. I ended up bringing over M1 5W30, this was when they were still making the Tri-Synthetic M1. The one up in San Antonio had M1 as I recall available on customer request.

If I were to use something other than M1 down here in Mexico I would probably take a look at Redline or Liqui Moly, though after looking at some of the data I am not sure I would be that better off. Some people have been telling me at the track of friends in Europe with similar vehicles (like those little Ford KAs and other Euro-spec vehicles) finding Motul to be a good synthetic, but I think I will use Motul with regard to my brake fluid.

parula

Same 5w30 here that I think is recommended, M1 only or equiv. for me.

Francis

I have 115k miles on the clock. M1 5w30 every 5~7k miles. I don't have oil leak at all. Do you see oil on the floor? If you do, it could be some seal or gasket(easy fix). If you don't, it burns oil inside the engine or ... That what I worry about. Best of luck and post back.

salimshah

As far as I understand there is no self regualtion of oil... other than burn or leak.

This is one scenario of over fill ..
[I really dont know how precise the max line on dip stick is ..]

Engine components which are supposed to be in the air now tend to drown in oil (due to over fill) ... typically the crank shaft and the piston arm (bottom part). As this portion moves down it hits the reservoir of oil causing it to slosh and thus foam up the oil. (like a blender) that then causes the oil pump to suck up the foamy oil ... and since the oil now is compressable, the oil pressure drops and lubrication is severly impacted.

Salim

HarrierAWD

It's precisely 5 quarts. My old mechanic used BP or Exxon oil in quart bottles. Five bottles were exactly at the F mark.

My local Toyota and Lexus service routinely overfill by about 1/4 quart. (They use lube guns for all fluids.) I don't like it, but it doesn't seem to hurt anything.

parula

Last time in I gave them a 5 qt. bottle of M1 and was told car took 5.5 and I need to bring more next time, not sure what they put in to make it up, was full at mark or even a tad over a few days later. I always give them 5qts. this is the first time anyone mentioned it that I recall.

Purdy99

Same here. I've always brought in my own oil, and the dealership has always told me that I need 5.5 litres.

Lexmex

5.5 qts (5.2 liters) is what is shown on page LU-4 in Volume 2 of the service manual:

Note:

Capacity:
Drain and refill
w/oil filter change 4.7 liters (5.0 US qts, 4.1 imp. qts)
w/o oil filter change 4.5 liters (4.8 US qts, 4.0 imp. qts)
Dry Fill 5.2 liters (5.5 US qts, 4.6 imp. qts)