1st Synthetic Oil Change On My Ls400 Today

[ToddLS400]

I'm doing the 1st oil change on my LS400 today. I'm putting in synthetic oil. Is there any recommended synthetic that is better than the rest? I'm sure they're all about the same? Right?

[ToddLS400]

Amsoil, Mobil 1, etc? I see Mobil 1 a lot...

[VMF]

i just put the sinthetic oil for the first time too!!!!

i used mobil 1 with original denso filter, mashined brakes and changed fule filter

[kisik]

I use Synthetic Mobil1 High milage formula on my 94' LS with 92K on it. When I talked to Mobil engineer he ensured me that they added something new. May be. Good oil is a new oil. So I do use the same intervals like regular oil. $40 for the oil and Nippon filter. I also use copper washer for the drain plug.

[ToddLS400]

I use Synthetic Mobil1 High milage formula on my 94' LS with 92K on it. When I talked to Mobil engineer he ensured me that they added something new. May be. Good oil is a new oil. So I do use the same intervals like regular oil. $40 for the oil and Nippon filter. I also use copper washer for the drain plug.

That's a good idea to prevent leakage. What size is the copper washer that you used?

[kisik]

It just the same as a stadard sealer which sometimes comes with a filter.

[dcfish]

:D :D :D I use NEO synthetic but i understand that REDLINE is also excellent that is the brand that i use in my tran- that is REDLINE tran fluid i have used the same product in all my cars over the years. B)

[dcfish]

I laugh at myself the last post is backwards i use redline in my tran and neo for my engine oil :D :D :D

[VBdenny]

I have used Valvoline Full Sytherntic for years in all my vehicles. My Cadillac went 303,500 and was still running good when some lady flew through a redlight and rendered it inoperabale. I have found that all synthetics are excellent. I get the Valvoline at Pep Boys and I thinks it's about four something dollars a qt. For a filter I use A Fram. I found synthetic provides better start up, and better gas milage. I also get a good feeling from knowing I am doing the best I can for my babies!

Luckily for me, the original owner of my Lex is a friend of mine who I know used Amsoil since the car was brand new. Great move Todd!

[ToddLS400]

Hehe...Thanks for the pix...

[darcmater]

yup.. redline is cool. but Royal Purple at about $5 a qt. is a it less expensive. and it may be as good.

[SW03ES]

Royal Purple is good stuff too.

Red light on the Fram filter, Fram filters aren't nearly as good as the standard Toyota filter which is about the best out there. You should always stick with the Toyota filter.

[VBdenny]

Interesting RED light on the Fram filters. I use the XG filter, not the regular one. Man, I have used these for years without any problems. I change the (synthetic) oil and filter every three thousand miles. From what I've seen, the X-2 Frams filter works great. Please let me know why you think a standard Toyota filter is better? Perhaps, I'll need to reconsider.

Ref. http://www.framx2.com/

[Rich Sweitzer]

I use 5W-30 Mobil 1 in my '91 LS-400 with 294,000-miles. I've been using Mobil 1 in it since about 140,000 (when I bought the car). Change it every 5000-miles. No problems.

I've also used 5W-30 Mobil 1 in my old '90 GMC Suburban since the 2nd oil change. It now has over 230,000-miles and is going strong. I'm sold on the synthetics; so much so that I credit (rightfully or wrongfully) their use in the Sub with saving the engine. Last summer while driving home from work I thought the oil pressure tansducer was failing (it had before). I noticed that the pressure would drop, then return, then drop, then return. When I got about 15-miles from home it dropped to 0 and stayed there. When I pulled in the driveway and got out I immediately detected the strong smell of oil. Turns out that the oil cooler had failed and all of the oil had been lost. I drove the last 15-miles with no lube to the engine! Repaired the oil cooler, a fresh Mobil 1 change and it's been fine ever since.

By the way, I'm told that not all synthetics are created equally. Products like Red Line and Amsoil are made with a different (better ! ?) synthetic base than is Mobil 1. That supposedly can make a big difference when asking the most of the oil (ie. racing, turbine, running well past the recommended change interval . . .) but the margin narrows when used in "normal" passenger car and light truck applications. Either way I don't think you'll go wrong with a synthetic.

One other note, someone posted above that they've been using Red Line ATF in their car. Excellent product, but it is not recommended by the manufacturer in applications that require a type T transmission fluid (like the LS-400). I asked because I wanted to use it in my car. (I do use it in the PS unit.) AMSOIL does endorse their universal synthetic ATF product for that application but Toyota's T-IV is about 1/2 the price (from a Toyota dealer, not the Lexus dealer).

[ToddLS400]

So it's Toyota T-4 for the ATF? I couldn't get that cross reference from the Lexus guy when I asked.

[Rich Sweitzer]

Yes sir. Type T-II is what the owners and shop manuals calls for (and I think that the dipstick is marked for that as well), but T-IV is the current formulation.

[AndyLS400]

I've got an 91 LS400 with 167,000 miles on it. I asked the Lexus dealer a few months ago about synthetic oil and he said I should not switch because it is thinner than the normal oil I put in. Everything seems to be running well, I'd hate to change things and mess things up. Is the service guy at the dealer wrong?

[mig25]

TOYOTA TYPE IV ATF Is what I'm running in my transmission. You can oly get it at Toyota dealer. It should run around $4.58 per quart or so

It is supposed to be one of the best. Remember Lexus recomends Type II or equivalent for the LS400 90/92, I guess ATF type IV would be better than type II.