View Poll Results: Which oil should I run?
Penzoil
1
16.67%
Valvoline
0
0%
Mobil 1.
3
50.00%
Castrol.
0
0%
Royal Purple.
0
0%
Other, please specify in a post!
2
33.33%
Voters: 6. You may not vote on this poll
Pick my oil, and I will run it.
11-29-23, 07:53 PM
#1
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Pick my oil, and I will run it.
Hi Club Lexus friends! 
Inspired by another thread, I thought I would post this one up just for fun.
I'm planning another trip up to NC for holiday next month so getting ready to do an oil change and be ready to go.
For the next week I am taking your votes.
Goal is no lower engine tick when I get there for Christmas and the Temps are freezing.
No right or wrong answer(within reason) so don't be shy,... lol
I will run the oil that gets the most votes and report back my findings for warm and cold weather, no dino please. Lol
What oil should I run?
Inspired by another thread, I thought I would post this one up just for fun.
I'm planning another trip up to NC for holiday next month so getting ready to do an oil change and be ready to go.
For the next week I am taking your votes.
Goal is no lower engine tick when I get there for Christmas and the Temps are freezing.
No right or wrong answer(within reason) so don't be shy,... lol
I will run the oil that gets the most votes and report back my findings for warm and cold weather, no dino please. Lol
What oil should I run?
11-29-23, 09:33 PM
#2
I’ll go first. Then I can be the lead bird others shoot down. 
I admire your spirit and post. But honestly, there are too many various oils from those brand choices to choose purely on brand. There are nearly-equivalent oils among the top refiners and blenders.
Since I’m an oil geek, here’s what I say:
Pick the most convenient and available “EURO” 5w-30 from your local Walmart, or local parts store, or Amazon. The “Euro” label will guarantee a tough, anti-wear focused HTHS 3.5+ oil, vs. a “resource conserving” oil that sacrifices anti-wear properties for tiny mileage benefits. Pennzoil, Mobil 1, Castrol, all will work, and protect and work well. Look for an ACEA A3/B4 rating (they all should have it), and then the best price and rebate.
You will be able to run that oil at least 7.5k in that engine, no problem (have done it and tested it). 10k is probably the real limit; maybe more.
In the past, I would have told you Mobil 1 10w-30 HM, especially in Fla. But since the new SP rating have come out, it has been down-blended and is not as tough as in the past (sad and/or nostalgic for me, I’ve been loyal to it for 10+ years). A “Euro” 5w-30 is now the easy find and safe bet; oil options and technology have changed in the last 10 years. It is actually hard to keep up.
I admire your spirit and post. But honestly, there are too many various oils from those brand choices to choose purely on brand. There are nearly-equivalent oils among the top refiners and blenders.
Since I’m an oil geek, here’s what I say:
Pick the most convenient and available “EURO” 5w-30 from your local Walmart, or local parts store, or Amazon. The “Euro” label will guarantee a tough, anti-wear focused HTHS 3.5+ oil, vs. a “resource conserving” oil that sacrifices anti-wear properties for tiny mileage benefits. Pennzoil, Mobil 1, Castrol, all will work, and protect and work well. Look for an ACEA A3/B4 rating (they all should have it), and then the best price and rebate.
You will be able to run that oil at least 7.5k in that engine, no problem (have done it and tested it). 10k is probably the real limit; maybe more.
In the past, I would have told you Mobil 1 10w-30 HM, especially in Fla. But since the new SP rating have come out, it has been down-blended and is not as tough as in the past (sad and/or nostalgic for me, I’ve been loyal to it for 10+ years). A “Euro” 5w-30 is now the easy find and safe bet; oil options and technology have changed in the last 10 years. It is actually hard to keep up.
Last edited by Oro; 11-29-23 at 09:37 PM.
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Margate330 (11-30-23)
11-30-23, 08:51 AM
#3
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Thank you Oro.
I started my young life as an oil changing grunt for a tire chain back in the day.
We ran a generic dino oil in the gun for our changes and that's what went in every car, nobody asked and nobody cared.
So... I know next to nothing about oil. Lol
For the next 30 years I mostly just went to quick oil change places because I treated my cars like appliances and traded every couple years so I really didn't care.
Only on my BMW and MB I would pay the extra for the Mobil 1 synthetic because the oil change places said it was the best, cost more but ok.
Now I drive an old RX330 and I've had it 5+ years now, longest I've ever held on to a car and I'm trying to baby it the best I can.
It's been getting Mobil 1 synthetic since I got it at 120k and I'm at 160k miles because that's all I know.
I will look for the "euro" label.
Appreciate everyones input.
I started my young life as an oil changing grunt for a tire chain back in the day.
We ran a generic dino oil in the gun for our changes and that's what went in every car, nobody asked and nobody cared.
So... I know next to nothing about oil. Lol
For the next 30 years I mostly just went to quick oil change places because I treated my cars like appliances and traded every couple years so I really didn't care.
Only on my BMW and MB I would pay the extra for the Mobil 1 synthetic because the oil change places said it was the best, cost more but ok.
Now I drive an old RX330 and I've had it 5+ years now, longest I've ever held on to a car and I'm trying to baby it the best I can.
It's been getting Mobil 1 synthetic since I got it at 120k and I'm at 160k miles because that's all I know.
I will look for the "euro" label.
Appreciate everyones input.
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Margate330 (11-30-23)
11-30-23, 09:49 AM
#5
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Margate330 (11-30-23)
11-30-23, 01:22 PM
#6
Mobil 0w40 EURO
I also read that EURO is the”best” oil and separately read that the “ticking” in our second gen rx’s is less with Mobil.
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Margate330 (11-30-23)
11-30-23, 01:37 PM
#7
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
I last several oil changes I've been running the 5W-30.
Do you think the Zero in the 0W-xx weight is too low for our cars?
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11-30-23, 02:00 PM
#8
I know nothing about oil ( or anything?🙂
But I asked the same question on BITOG's eruro forum. Here's a link.to the thread.
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/th...-miles.357599/
But I asked the same question on BITOG's eruro forum. Here's a link.to the thread.
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/th...-miles.357599/
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Margate330 (12-03-23)
11-30-23, 03:19 PM
#9
The issue is you don’t need extreme cold weather performance unless you are actually starting the car at -30F. At temps above zero or somewhere like that, it flows the same as a 5w. And above 20F, flows the same as 10w, etc. I used to have an excellent industry graph of this but it’s not on this device, unfortunately.
The trade-off to get that extreme performance, is adding big additive molecules to the oil that a) break down and can cause dirtier oil, and b) don’t actually lubricate, and take up space in the blend that could otherwise be oil doing its job. In an easy-running engine, this doesn’t come in to play to a very high degree. In turbo, very hot engine, it can be an issue. I try to go to the narrowest winter/normal weight band I need, and that’s what can manufacturers USED to recommend, until the “one-size-fit-all” 5w-30 wave took over.
If I were back in FL (I grew up in Clearwater) and I drove the car hard I’d consider a 40 weight possibly, but the “Euro 30” is tough enough given it’s tougher than regular 30.
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Margate330 (11-30-23)
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Margate330 (11-30-23)
11-30-23, 05:41 PM
#11
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
It’s not that it’s “too low.” The oil will work ok. A 5w-40 would be more appropriate for FL but it’s not a deal breaker in any way.
The issue is you don’t need extreme cold weather performance unless you are actually starting the car at -30F. At temps above zero or somewhere like that, it flows the same as a 5w. And above 20F, flows the same as 10w, etc. I used to have an excellent industry graph of this but it’s not on this device, unfortunately.
The trade-off to get that extreme performance, is adding big additive molecules to the oil that a) break down and can cause dirtier oil, and b) don’t actually lubricate, and take up space in the blend that could otherwise be oil doing its job. In an easy-running engine, this doesn’t come in to play to a very high degree. In turbo, very hot engine, it can be an issue. I try to go to the narrowest winter/normal weight band I need, and that’s what can manufacturers USED to recommend, until the “one-size-fit-all” 5w-30 wave took over.
If I were back in FL (I grew up in Clearwater) and I drove the car hard I’d consider a 40 weight possibly, but the “Euro 30” is tough enough given it’s tougher than regular 30.
The issue is you don’t need extreme cold weather performance unless you are actually starting the car at -30F. At temps above zero or somewhere like that, it flows the same as a 5w. And above 20F, flows the same as 10w, etc. I used to have an excellent industry graph of this but it’s not on this device, unfortunately.
The trade-off to get that extreme performance, is adding big additive molecules to the oil that a) break down and can cause dirtier oil, and b) don’t actually lubricate, and take up space in the blend that could otherwise be oil doing its job. In an easy-running engine, this doesn’t come in to play to a very high degree. In turbo, very hot engine, it can be an issue. I try to go to the narrowest winter/normal weight band I need, and that’s what can manufacturers USED to recommend, until the “one-size-fit-all” 5w-30 wave took over.
If I were back in FL (I grew up in Clearwater) and I drove the car hard I’d consider a 40 weight possibly, but the “Euro 30” is tough enough given it’s tougher than regular 30.
I haven't heard of this brand.
We have a vote for Schaffer 5w30!
Is it synthetic?
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Margate330 (12-03-23)
11-30-23, 06:21 PM
#13
This chart is not as informative as the one I can’t locate right now, but serves the point. Look at the green and red lines for the 5w-30 and 10w-30. Their performance converges about 20F and is indistinguishable above that (10w is pumpable/OK to use down to -10 to -15F; this is just where they converge and are indistinguishable).
Aside, I don’t know much about Schaeffer other than it does have fans and some people at BITOG like it quite a lot.
This is an indicative graph and not at all true for every individual oil by any means:
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Margate330 (12-03-23)
11-30-23, 10:07 PM
#14
12-02-23, 03:20 PM
#15
Toyota fluids are re-branded Mobil products.** Both engine and transmission fluids. While the additive package may be slightly different, the base oil blending is the same. You can get this at Walmart for $5.50/qt and less with the 2x/year rebates.
You can also get tougher/better oils for the same money or less; I’m a Mobil fan in general but among synthetics on the market now, the plain vanilla 5w-30 and TGMO equivalent are not very exciting.
** If you look around enough, you can find the PDS’s for Toyota fluids in the Mobil databases, like this:
https://physics.usc.edu/Undergraduat...0005160165.pdf
You can also get tougher/better oils for the same money or less; I’m a Mobil fan in general but among synthetics on the market now, the plain vanilla 5w-30 and TGMO equivalent are not very exciting.
** If you look around enough, you can find the PDS’s for Toyota fluids in the Mobil databases, like this:
https://physics.usc.edu/Undergraduat...0005160165.pdf