somnoboy

Cool. Did you get the standard one, or the one with the nipple for hose drain? Let me know how it goes. I might get one myself.

landassoc

I was told there was a 5 prong relay for the heater blower motor next to the defogger relay in the "Passenger kick panel junction box" I took both sides of the passenger trim above the floor boards and see many wiring harnesses, no junction box. ???????????

rcy

Without the nipple. While it would have been nice to direct the oil via a tube to a container, I figure when I spin off the oil filter, oil runs all over the place and I need a pan anyway.

That fancy maetal catch pan thing under the oil filter doesn't do a thing - maybe my car is missing a gasket or something, but the oil just seems to run behind the catch pan and down the engine block.

cdnewton

I purchased the one with the nipple and have a short piece of rubber tube that I attach to it. The tube drains directly into the 5 qt recycle container. This is all thanks to the fumoto valve; I don't even have to remove the plastic panel around the valve.

Unfortunately, I do have a messy oil change (due to the filter) every other change. I change the oil with a 5K (miles) interval, but only change the filter every 10K (miles).

somnoboy

That sounds like a pretty nifty, clean solution. No messing around with the panel. I think I might just go with the nipple valve.

rcy

Do you find then, as I do, that the metal catch drain thing under the oil filter is pretty much useless?

lexus114

Yep your right rcy,my bad on that one.

cdnewton

We have had a Toyota Camry (352,000 miles), Lexus ES300 (145,000 miles) and now our RX330 (131,000 miles) and all of them have had the filter in the similar place. From my experience, the catch drain does nothing.

tomit

I started using a small plastic funnel under the catch drain to pass the oil to used oil container - took me a while to find the right one. No more oil mess!

Tom

helm

I will be changing the oil in my daughters 2007 RX 350 and am going to use Quaker State 5W-30 "Advanced durability" Peak performance motor oil. This is not a synthetic oil. The owners manual says to use "ILSAC multigrade engine oil." Nowhere in the manual does it recommend using synthetic oil. My research has led me to believe that Quaker State is one of the best non synthetic motor oils on the market. I will probably use Lexus filters as well unless someone can recommend something just as good. I am not well versed on oil filters.

lexus114

yep,you will be fine with the QS. I`m using Valvoline white bottle conventional oil,and it runs just fine. want more info.? go here.... bobistheoilguy.com

somnoboy

Question: If one is using full synthetic now, and for whatever reason, goes back to conventional oil, will one damage the engine?

RX330inFL

No. Switching brands, weights, nor oil type (conventional, semi-synthetic, synthetic) will not cause any problems as long as it meets the spec noted in your manual.

somnoboy

Cool. Thanks. I asked because I thought I once read one of the old hands here warn against going back to conventional from synthetic.

lexus114

just as 330inFL mentioned,it doesnt hurt a thing. (I do reset the ecm though) helps in the re configuration process.