Why not try full synthetic? They last 10k+ miles. Pretty much same price as conventional, since you only need to change once vs twice.

Also, in the winter, try using 0w-30 synthetic.

 

Well; Im on a tight budget; very tight right now and 57 dollar oil changes arent gonna work for me. And I always get the oil change done when the maintainence reqd light comes on give or take a few miles which is usually 5000 miles. I dont like taking chances on oil changes and lexus says every 5000 miles so thats about when i get it done.

 

for a split second I thought you started my car! Sounds exactly like mine since the day I bought it!

 

here is the link to a video that i took earlier with the noise Ive been hearing which is much more noticeable when cold


I just showed this video to a advisor at the shop down the street i always go to for oil changes and he was saying that it could be a oil pump which if thats the case i might as well trade in this rx350 for a different one as damage could have already happened due to lack of oil. Or he said it could be a exhaust gasket which if thats what it is still wont be a cheap fix but it would be a lot better than having to either get a whole new replacement engine or have this one rebuilt due to how expensive it would be. I swear!!!! lately it seems like me and "used" vehicle just dont seem to get along!!!!

 

Based upon a cursory search (3.5l v6 rx350 engine noise site:clublexus.com), that appears to be a pretty normal sound for the 3.5L V6 engine in the RX.

I would continue 5k oil changes, limit RPMs a bit when cold, turn up the radio a bit and drive. Just my $.02.

 

I can tell u that is not a normal noise! I’ve been a huge car guy since I was just a kid and I’m 42 now.Even the guy I showed the video to heard the noise which was taken just after first startup of the day before warming up. I have a bad feeling it’s something that is gonna need to be addressed sooner than later. The noise is very very noticeable when first driving while still cold so to say it’s normal a no. It is not normal in my book.

 

My comment was simply that there might be some peace of mind to know there are hundreds (perhaps thousands) of threads across clublexus, toyotanation, bitog, etc -- all with the same type of complaint and without a MIL/DTC, Toyota/Lexus generally gives the same answer.

From my reading, the most common cause is the variable valve timing camshaft gear assembly leaking down oil pressure as the vehicle sits overnight and if you had a MIL and one or more VVT-i DTC's to go along with it, that would be concerning. For those with a MIL and VVT-i DTC's, Toyota issued a TSB; however, the fix requires engine removal. Obviously, out of warranty, that would be a very costly repair and you indicated money was extremely tight and with your car experiencing the dreaded transfer case seep, the pulsing in the front end at 65mph, an alternator noise and this engine noise, my recommendation was just to drive it, but it isn't my vehicle nor my money, so I will bow out of this one.

 

well so far I’ve gotten no low oil pressure light coming on so pressure can’t a issue; so if it’s something like low oil pressure due to a oil pump that’s wearing out then I’m basically screwed and I might as well look at trading it in because yes to have to take the entire engine out is a time consuming and expensive thing to have to do. I swear when it rains it pours as far as my luck and used vehicles go. The first rx I got which was a 300 well that was in a accident and the insurance company totaled it out because the amount of the damage exceeded the value of the vehicle. Second 300 I got had the dreaded transmission flaw that the first gens had due to poor design and I was getting a whining in first gear so it was time to trade it in on what I have now my current 07 350 which seems to have its share of issues; first a high pressure power steering line blew out on me then I found out I had a seeping transfer case seeping fluid which is another expensive fix that will have to be done eventually; and now I have this noise which if it’s something serious and I don’t have the means to get it fixed because of money then I’m screwed again! Argh!!!! Seems like no matter what I do I just can’t win!!!

 

Any other thoughts

 

Turns out my suspicions seem to be right. It it bad news it appears. Went and saw a service advisor down the street at the shop I go to and he took the rx for a test run to see if he could hear it; he didnt hear it so it’s apparently something that is only happening at first startup. He could hear it in the video I took
the other day. From that he told me it could either be the oil pump on it’s way out or a main bearing inside the engine about to bite the dust; which if that’s the case I might as well look for a
differrent one;’as at that point we’re talking in the thousands of dollars for a replacement engine! I swear as far as my luck and uses Lexus goes lately when it rains it really pours!!! Arghhhhh!!!!

 

I feel like you are looking for problems when there aren't any.

1. All engines like yours make the same/similar noise when cold
2. The diagnosis your making is based off a cell phone video
3. A service advisor who was physically in your car found nothing wrong with it.

I suggest that you pay for an actual diagnosis rather than making a huge assumption. For all you know, it may be a bearing in anything from an idler pulley to the water pump.

 

that’s where u are wrong. I don’t look for issues just for the heck of it! There is a issue that can be heard on the video I took at first startup! Now this is coming from someone who’s been in the business for a very long time. And I can tell u for a fact they would not just tell me that for any reason! So please don’t try and tell me there isn’t anything when there is

 

Rather than the service advisor, I would request the lead Lexus Master tech go a ride. Is this Bell Lexus North in Scottsdale?

 

Service advisor heard nothing says a lot.
From the way you were talking- this is the kinda sounds I was expecting to hear in your video. lol
If it sounds like this worry. lol

 

i just got a second opinion at another shop from a toyota, Lexus, and Asian specialist and apparently it’s actually seems to be the timing chain guide that has broken which supposedly isn’t supposed to happen til around 300,000 miles if it does happen and I only have about 138,000. Argh! Once again I swear I’m cursed when it comes to me and Lexus vehicles!