Lex2000TL

I use Mobil-1 in all my vehicles, but always install high capacity oil filter. I used it my wife’s RX300 (2000) and still use in my TL. Oil change interval is always about 10,000 miles. I’ve been doing this on several of my vehicles, prior to the ones listed above. For my Acura TL I’ve done oil analysis after oil change. I sent oil sample to Blackstone Lab and they replied that oil still had about 8K miles life in it. That is after 10K miles in my TL.
I have to warn you about using synthetic oil in V6-3 liter Toyota engine: it will leak. I read about it before going to synthetic oil, but decided to try anyway. And guess what? It leaked. It started to leak after second oil change. I switched to conventional oil with added “stuff” (can’t remember name, some off-shelf remedy) and it stopped in about 3,000 miles.

TunedRX300

I will invite you to visit bobistheoilguy website that Lexmex mentioned.
You will find out that the base oil, which makes up 85% of Mobil 1 5w-30 is changed to an inferior class because the increase of crude oil price. The additive package, which makes up the rest, especially TBN is decreased over time and verified by independent UOAs from owners. From a performance and cost prospective, SL is a much better than the current SM oil in Exxon Mobil's lineup.
You may already search in this forum for older thread that discussed about Mobil 1 products.

TunedRX300

I have a 2000 TL, the J32 Honda engine is much kinder on oil than Toyota 1mz-fe for the same driving condition and style. I done UOA for 10K oil on the TL, the same oil won't last 7K on the RX300.
One of the reasons RX300 leak is because sludge form to block oil swelling additives from softening seals, a hard and deformed seal leaks, covering it up merely sweeping the dirt under the rag and may cause bigger problem down the line.

mckellyb

Actually, just last week I finally finished off the 14 gallons of Mobil 1 I bought back in 1998, 'cause it was something like $11.99/gallon as a closeout. Bought every gallon they had. A mostly even distribution of 15W-50 and 5W-30. I figured I had about 7W-40, most of the time.

I'm using oil which is older than the car!

I wonder what the expiration date is on Mobil 1.... 8-P

Now that it's gone, I'm seriously considering going to Delvac, a diesel syntheic oil which is available in 5W-40, as I use it in my '89 420 SEL, anyway....as well as the Allison transmission in our giant diesel pusher motorhome.

Lex2000TL

I’ve visited bobistheoilguy website, and also have been for long time on acurazine website where that topic have been discussed heavily. You may want to check “The Collected Road Rage Journals Thread” (http://tl.acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=105573) for more information about different oils.

In regards of seals reaction to oil, it works differently. Seals reaction to “dino” oil leads to “swelling” and softening of seal compaund, and synthetic oil tend to make seals tighter and firmer, but without hardening. Swelled seal seals better, but does not last too long (relatively, of course) vs. seal immersed in synthetic oil. Toyota uses seals that react to synthetic oil by tightening-up/shrinking, and that leads to leakage.

TunedRX300

If you visit BITOG often, you should know that synthetic oil as most products sold on the shelves made from re-refined petro crude oil, not made synthetically. Mobil 1 5w-30 and most Castrol Syntec (except 0w-30 made in the Germany) are not technically synthetic. In fact, these oils can not be labeled as synthetic oil in EU and Japan since such practice is considered false advertising.
As I said before, even the SL version of M1 5w-30 won't last 6k in 1mz-fe, it lasts 10K easy for J32. This is a fact because I owe both cars and sent used oil samples to independent labs. In addition, of all the UOAs posted on BITOG by 1mz-fe owners, none has showed M1 5W-30 can last 10K.
I am posting above finding because the Toyota sludge warranty is expiring, extending oil change interval based on other cars' result will give you trouble in the long run.

jcjr

I have a 2006 TL with 9K miles....I plan to switch to Mobil 1 at the 10K mark....

I also have a 2001 RX 300 with 72K....I was thinking of switching to Mobil 1 also in this car but I worry about leaks...

Previous owner of the RX had Mobil 1 in it for sometime but then switched back to dino before I bought it..

I really do not want to deal with leaks in the RX

mckellyb

FWIW, I've yet to have a vehicle leak oil using synthetic.

The vehicles in which I have used exclusively synthetic oil (all have been Mobil 1 except for the Mercedes) are/have been:

1988 Pontiac Bonneville SE, 3.8L engine, had 204K on it when I sold it.
1995 Dodge Intrepide ES, 3.5L engine, caught fire at 120K miles, not oil-related.
1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 5.2L engine, sold at 74K miles due to fuel cost.
1999 Suzuki Grand Vitara, 2.5L engine, sold at 76K miles earlier this year do to it consuming rear differentials every 8-10K miles.
1991 Honda ST1100 motorcycle, 42K miles of very hard use, oil changed ever 5K miles even though it's a unit engine/transmission oiling system.
2002 RX300, 58K miles, still in-use.
1989 Mercedes 420 SEL, 138K miles, doesn't leak a drop, still in-use.

If you change from dead dinos to synthetic and leaks appear, change back to dead dinos.

TunedRX300

Lexmex, dfish, meetya, thomas1 and I are few RX owner that switched to German Castrol 0w-30 that has given us great result. This is the few over the counter oil that is true synthetic. UOA showed it gave me 7K miles per oil change. Best thing about it, it is cheaper than M1, which gives my RX only 6K miles.

On leaks, if sludge covers up the engine and seals, there is no additive (whether from dino, fake synthetic or true synthetic) will be able to work.
Question to you is do you prefer to live a false seal or get rid of the cause.

Not sure what previous owner's intention, but few of us used Auto-RX to get rid of sludge and slow/solve leak problem. Lexmex's uncle used it, I got rid of some minor sludge with this stuff and hitthepin is halfway in his treatment.

I am using non true synthetic oil (similar to M1 5W-30 but cheaper with better additives) in my TL because J32/J35 engine is designed better except the bearings are soft (high copper ppm in UOA). So I use the right tool for the right engine.

jcjr

Thanks for the info TunedRX....

So what oil do you use in your TL???

Where can I get the Castrol Synthetic??

TunedRX300

My current fill for the TL is Amsoil 5w-20, which is a well formulated Group III oil.

Castrol Syntec 0w-30 is available at Autozone, only the made in German, has Group IV (true synthetic) base oil. Benefits are better startup flow and good high temperature protection, which is a problem for 1mz-fe because the high cam head operating temperature. Drawbacks are not all Autozones carry German Castrol.

Mobil 1 is not a bad product, just overpriced. I think many oil gearheads find out that after Exxon acquisition, Mobil 1's quality also has gone downhill

See couple of discussion threads on RX owner experience about GC.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=269982
My UOA on GC on RX300
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=307275

Last, there are boutique oil such as Amsoil 0w-30 that last longer in RX, simply because they have beefier additive package, but they are even less available and more expensive.

jcjr

Where do you get the Amsoil 5W-20?

salimshah

Amsoil is sold through distributors and is NOT sold by retail chains. I suggest you do a search in your local area.


Google found this for me among others

http://www.syntheticwarehouse.com/AMSOIL_Phoenix.htm

Salim

TunedRX300

You can also try ebay if someone is selling off his private stash.
I have also stashed up on Pennzoil Platinum ($0.99 per quart), which is based on the same Group III oil but far cheaper than either Mobil 1 and Amsoil 5w-20.

But I have not used it but $ performance wise is pretty good, so I can't tell you how many mile it lasted me. However, in the U.S. smaller blender such as Redline, Amsoil tend to have the better additive formulation. But for $0.99 a quart for group III oil, that is a no brainer.
PP is a favorite oil among BITOG, in fact, that is the oil that goes into my TL as soon as I used up Amsoil 5w-20.

Lexmex

PP you can find at AutoZone, though TunedRX300 got a steal on that at .99 a quart. I walked into an AZ yesterday in northern Virginia and it was about $6.10 a quart there for PP (they had 5W20, 5W30 and 10W30). I also saw mobil 1 gear oil. I did see where Castrol 0W30 was sold (but there were no more bottles available) and price was also about $6 per quart. There also was a 5w20 grade of mobil 1.

bmw ll01 (long life) 0W30 oil is also supposed to be the German Castrol 0W30, but I will have to stop by a dealer before I leave to see if it is carried in the US). South of the border, I can get the same 0W30 in a Castrol branded bottle for about $13.50 USD per quart.

I plan to go back to the castrol after I finish off the Redline 10w40 I have in there now.