Mike

2001 RX300 AWD w 76K.

I will be switching over to Amsoil, engine and trans.

Is there a specific grade for either, based on the mileage of the vehicle, and the climate im in(Midwest Winter)?

For enging sludge purposes. What would be the oil change frequency using Amsoil Synthetic? Ive heard 15K, which seems excessive.

With our engines, I was thinking 5K.

Transmission intervals, I have been hearing 15K, even with synthetic.

Any insight?

Thanks
Mike

TunedRX300

You will get a lot of subjective answers but the scientific answer is based on Used Oil Analysis, which is an independent spectro-chemical lab report based on used oil from your engine.
Here is an UOA for a Highlander with Toyota T-IV
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...920871&fpart=1
Another UOA for a Tundra with Amsoil ATF
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...706652&fpart=1

Mike

Great links, with some real guru's in fluid.

Bottom line.

Specific to our engine and trans issues, what is the best at what interval?

Oil/grade? Amsoil at what grade?(Winter climate)
ATF? is it universal or specific to climate and vehicle make?

YoshRX300

Someone will chime in about oil grades, but about intervals I would not go any further than 5-6kmiles even with synthetic oils. I usually change mine between 4 and 5k miles. Maybe on a new car I would let it go to at least 7k.

Lexmex

I'd try for winter weather the Amsoil 0W30, http://www.amsoil.com/StoreFront/sso.aspx

ATF is ATF, regardless of climate, the Amsoil ATF Universal is the stuff.

7k miles would be the max I would do with Castrol 0W30 for instance, but generally I am a 5K person. I would expect an Amsoil quality oil to get that far with ease. A lot depends on how you drive it and the environment you are in.

Do heed those links that TunedRX300 mentioned, those guys on www.bobistheoilguy.com are at the top of their class on analysis.

salimshah

Oil and intervals are almost like discussing religion, where each think that they have the ultimate answer [ the right answer is what ever makes you at peace with yourself ... consequences of making the wrong choice (if any), are and will be, usually too late].

This is what I do.

Engine ... Synthetic 3.5-4k max.

Trans [for all the Lexus Toyota Type IV 30k]

Diff [ RX does not have one] 60-70K synthetic.


Salim

Mike

I have been told 15K on synthetic ATF.

Mike

What about the use of Amsoil filters. As compared to toyota/lexus brand filters.
Do you stick with Toyota filters with Amsoil oil?

Or go with the Amsoil oil filters with the Amsoil synthetic oil?

Sorry for all the questions.
Just want a piece of mind.

Mike

Lexmex

It depends on how you drive your vehicle mostly if you can carry it out to 30K. I have known people who have gone that long on Type-IV and no issues, but since I drive my vehicle pretty hard, I change it a bit more often. The key is to check periodically, say every 3 months or so, the quality of the fluid, is it it red, is still sweet, does it have metal particles in it (usually fluid will be silvery pinkish).

I have used a K&N oil filter for many years and no issues, and have heard very good things about the Amsoil filters, too. I'll let those who are using them chime in.

gcrim21

For the life of me I cannot understand why anyone would change oil sooner than what the manufacturer's manual says to change it depending on the condition(s) of driving. Most manuals recommend 7,500 miles for new cars and less miles for cars operated under 'severe' conditions. Changing oil more often is a waste of money and oil.

Synthetics can be run for more miles without breakdown. It will eventually get dirty.

salimshah

each to his own ..

RX 300 engine has issue of sludge build-up. It can be alleviated {how much is debatable** by more frequent oil change.

Salim

gcrim21

We had a 1996 & a 1997 Toyota Avalon during the time the news first 'broke' about engine sludge build-up caused by infrequent oil changes. We used MOBIL 1 5W-30 in the Avalons and changed oil and filter at 15,000 mile intervals. Never had the sludge problem. My wife drives a 2003 ES300 Lexus with 54,000 miles on it and I drive a 1999 RX300 with 127,000 miles on it. Both vehicles have had nothing but MOBIL 1 oil in them. I have the oil and filter changed on both behicles every 15,000 miles and so far have not experienced any sludge build-up.
The owner's manual says to change oil every 7,500 miles.

I'm sticking with MOBIL 1.

Also I have used MOBIL 1 in the last 21 vehicles I have owned and never any problems.

mckellyb

I'm another long-term Mobil 1 guy, and the RX is on a 10K oil/filter change schedule. The ATF is changed every 30K, as it sees pretty mellow use.

Used to have a Suzuki Grand Vitara, V6, which got Mobil 1 & filter every 15K. It's recent replacement, an '89 Mercedes 420 SEL w/138K on it will see 10K changes, though I'm using Delvac 1300 synthetic 5W-40.

TunedRX300

Mobil 1 formulation has changed, the 5w-30 you bought for $5 a quart 4 years ago is not the same product on the shelf today.
M1 5w-30 won't last for 10K simply because TBN, the amount of acid fighting additive, would have depleted before that.

Oil change interval is a debate because people do not know why they change oil in the first place, just because it is dark? Royal Purple virgin oil has purple dye so does it mean it should not be used right out of the bottle?
Change oil because your mechanic tell you so? Lexus master mechanics still believe you should use ATF in the engine once in a while to clean the sludge out, not knowing additives package has advanced tremendously over the last 10 years?
Most change oil to honor the warranty, but why do multiple Lexus cars with multiple engines have the same cookie cutter interval? Does all the engine perform the same and have the same requirement?
Why do we change oil in the first place? "xxx miles works for me because I have a working engine for yyy miles", who really want to go from point A to point B these days? What makes you so sure that zzz product has not changed over time?

mckellyb

I'd never argue products of pretty much any sort do not change, usually for the better, over time.

I base my change intervals on personal experience (two vehicles used in less than gentle manners lasted 200K+, without oil-related problems), and the fact I have read quite a bit about it. I know color has -0- to do with it, as if it did, the diesel engine in my wife's Mercedes 240D would have been able to travel about 400 feet between oil changes.

There was a site which had a car, was an '03 Camaro, IIRC, which was being used as a test bed for oil change intervals. They were comfy going with 15K, based on oil analysis, which I think was performed every thousand miles.

I'm way comfortable with 10K on the RX's engine, and honestly, on the Suzuki I had, I disliked it so much, I considered not ever changing the oil again, just to see how long the engine would last. I considered this a few times, especially after the fourth rear differential failed.

I will be quite happy when engine monitoring comes to the point at which you can plug in what oil you put in, then the car can analyze the use/temp/conditions, and tell you when it's time to change. GM, surprisingly, seems to be leading the charge.