Wind Noise And Air Filters

[sewell8819]

Just bought 99 lexus es, so far i love the car but need some input three things (not neccessarily all but whatever you can contribute)

1) At speeds above 60 loud wind noise comes from the top of the front two windows. I thought it could just need a new rubber seal, but since the car has a frameless window design i was wondering if they all do this because of the window design.

2) Also, what else could I do to my car to add some performance. I thought about adding a k and n air filter but heard that they let too much dirt in. Also thought about putting in a short ram intake system but cant seem to find one.

3) Finally, i am about to change the oil, but the guy before me used regular so should i switch to synthetic or will that hurt my engine since he used regular throughout its life. Is 10w30 ok?

[mburnickas]

1) At speeds above 60 loud wind noise comes from the top of the front two windows. I thought it could just need a new rubber seal, but since the car has a frameless window design i was wondering if they all do this because of the window design.

Normal for these years I think. I have a 98 and get the same deal.

2) Also, what else could I do to my car to add some performance. I thought about adding a k and n air filter but heard that they let too much dirt in. Also thought about putting in a short ram intake system but cant seem to find one.

For me, unless you are racing the engine (high RPM's) a K&N will do zero. It is up to up. If you get one oil it correctlyand I would do a few oil tests to see if you have higher then normal Si levels.

3) Finally, i am about to change the oil, but the guy before me used regular so should i switch to synthetic or will that hurt my engine since he used regular throughout its life. Is 10w30 ok?

How many miles? Unless there is major sludge holding leaks, you can switch. A true synthetic will clean all the junk out and better in the long run. I would switch and maybe go like XXx% longer on drain; but, that is me.

Edited January 2, 2006 by mburnickas

[monarch]

1) since the car has a frameless window design i was wondering if they all do this because of the window design. 2) I thought about adding a k and n air filter. Also thought about putting in a short ram intake system but cant seem to find one.

3) should i switch to synthetic or will that hurt my engine

1. Most car makers recommend silicone grease on the weatherstripping / window seals to reduce noise. NAPA stores carry it and it's called Sylglyde. GM dealers carry their own brand of silicone grease for rubber door and window seals.

2. Your engine already has a cold air intake. K&N & aftermarket cold air intakes add noise - the SOUND of going faster, but actual 0-60 times won't improve.

3. Synthetic benefits: Slightly easier engine starts in subzero weather. Near negligible gains in fuel economy. Near negligible reductions in engine wear.

Synthetic risks: Slight to moderate increased risk of engine oil leaks developing after switching.

[Toysrme]

1) It happens to every car. I've not experianced any on my '93... Ever... At any speed.

2) Don't kid yourself. All "performance" air filters are a *BLEEP*ing joke. It's nothing more than a scam to get you to pay 3-5x the amount that a normal panal, or normal cone filter costs. You won't see any performance gain at any part.

3) Synthetics are the *BLEEP*z. Always use them.

Bobistheoilguy.com for lubrication questions.

[sewell8819]

i will look into the sylglyde for the weatherstripping,

but think i will forget the k and n air filter/ air intake if it provides no real advantage

as for the synthetic i should have said that my car has 95,000 miles- and regular was used for ALL previous miles. If I do go to synthetic, assuming it is O.K, can I switch back to regular?

I have heard that once you switch you cant go back

Appreciate all input

[monarch]

If you register your Lexus at lexus.com you'll have access to a 400 question owner FAQ. Here's what it says about synthetic oil:

Question:Can I use synthetic engine oil in my Lexus vehicle during its break-in period?

Corporate Lexus's Answer:  Synthetic oil can be used at the first scheduled oil change. Please note that the use of synthetic oil does not extend the recommended oil change intervals. Please refer to the Lexus Owner's Manual Supplement for further information regarding the proper maintenance schedule for your specific vehicle. If synthetic oil is used after that time, it should be the same SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) weight specification and meet or exceed the API (American Petroleum Institute) grade specifications listed in the Owner's Manual. Even if synthetic oil is used, we do not recommend longer oil change intervals. Once synthetic oil is used, it is best not to switch back to petroleum-based oil.

Beware the Japanese car company engineers also urge owners NOT to use fuel or oil additives. And beware the Bobistheoilguy website is owned by a specialty lube salesman and is also sponsored by specialty lube and additive companies. Not surprizingly, specialty fuel and oil additives are promoted and advertized on the Bobistheoilguy forum: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/bitog.jpg

The end result is Japanese car owners may end up going against the advice of the car company engineers and using specialty fuel and oil additives like this Nissan owner did: http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=433116

"I first got interested in this Fuel Power & Lube Control http://lubecontrol.com/ after reading numerous numerous positive reviews of it on Bobistheoilguy last year. I ordered a gallon of FP and one of LC. I immediately added some FP to my Infiniti I30. I consistently see 2 mpg higher, if not more. After adding it to the Infiniti Qx4, I also saw a MPG increase. I decided that as long as I was ordering some FP I might as well get some Lube Control. I decided I would follow there recommendation of adding one ounce of LC per quart of oil, and then 1 ounce per 1k miles. I did this and to my shock at the end of the second oil change using this method the light varnish inside my valve cover is now almost gone."

[Toysrme]

The reason Auto-rx comes up so much on bob's is because the owner/maker of it posts there. He pimps it out himself a lot. That's not all you can use... Marvel Myster Oil is as old as dirt. Seafoam is great stuff. I'm soooo on a kerosene binge still. Holy crap that stuff cleans hella quick! You get other threads too. The attraction to Auto-RX is that it doesn't do anything in a hurry & the guy is like, right there to answer any possible question you have.

I hate the stuff. It's overpriced & doesn't work fast enough. You just keep getting sucked into using it.

It aint bob's fault if he wants to stay on the forum, so long as he follows the rules. :whistles:

I don't like additives that claim to do things like swell seals, or extend oil life etc. I think the oil companies have that down pat fairly well, tho there is always room for improvement.

I think oil/crankcase flushing should be done on a semi-regular basis. I just saw a fairly well maintained 5vz-fe in a 4runner that spent it's life doing 3,000-4,000m dino changes. The sludge along it's valvetrain was god awful. The pistons were nasty too, but that's a different problem hah! :(

Edited January 2, 2006 by Toysrme

[mburnickas]

To sewell8819 (first part) and monach:

You can switch back and fourth on oils without any issue. Hell I was doing it on my Ford 5.0 mustang days and worked just fine. My wifes old Toyota went back and forth for 115K miles and a few other cars.

This issues was a big deal back in the 1980's due to seal swealer not added into true synthetics. Again this issue is a little old here and some need to step into the 1990's at least.

Too bad Lexus (and a few posts) are about 15 years behind the times. I trust what Lexus recommends as much as I trust a sales person. They state one thing and then another. Again "recommends" are just that; nothing more nothing less.

As much as monarch is trying to help he really has no reason why you can't use synthetic back and fourth other then stating that Lexus says. Take that away he has no reason or anything to back it up.

The Japanese enginnering here monarch is getting a little old. If you search this very board you will see how good their Ito University is and there SPC is; it has issues like eveyone else. They are not perfect; if you had some engineering background you would know this.

Plus I looked for you name on Bobistheoilguy.com and you were laughed out and never came back (banned it looks like). There were posts on you and you never even posted to support what many asked "What I would like to know is, just what is your back ground, current and past that "qualifies" you as such an expert on how to maintain toyota's." The best was what the owner called you out (as I noted last week); he asked "Seems you have a lot of answers but a lot of unfactual information to back up your statements."

Here is about link/post 8 on you: too funny!!!!!

http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultima...t=000243#000005

So far the people over there at least post something about how they came up with something etc and not posting "RP" data from other sites.

Edited January 2, 2006 by mburnickas

[sewell8819]

think i will just go with castrol gtx this time around (5w30) but i have heard that toyota's 3.0 v6 has been known to have a few sludge problems, so i plan on changing the oil at at least 5k or below.

[Toysrme]

Castrol is nasty.

If you're concerned about sludge, just do some kind of engine flush every now & again. It's a good idea to get all that gunk out on any engine.

Edited January 2, 2006 by Toysrme

[camlex]

Hello,

What do you mean "Castrol is Nasty"?

because i am using Castrol Syn. blend 5W30.

Which is better ?

Thanks,

[Toysrme]

Mobile 1 is. Any of the specialty oils.

[camlex]

Hello,

Is Mobil 1 synthetic oil?

175,000 isn't little late to change from regular to synthetic?

If answer is Okay. Any special instruction?

Thanks,

[monarch]

think i will just go with castrol gtx this time around (5w30)

With regard to choice of brand and type of oil (conventional vs. synthetic) , Consumer Reports tested a variety of brands and types of motor oil for 60,000 miles in New York City taxi's then tore down the engines. Here are their findings:

"If you've been loyal to one brand, you may be surprised to learn that every oil we tested was good at doing what motor oil is supposed to do. More extensive tests, under other driving conditions, might have revealed minor differences. But thorough statistical analysis of our data showed no brand-not even the expensive synthetics-to be meaningfully better or worse in our tests.

After each engine ran about 60,000 miles (and through 10 months of seasonal changes), we disassembled it and measured the wear on the camshaft, valve lifters, and connecting-rod bearings. We used a tool precise to within 0.00001 inch to measure wear on the key surfaces of the camshaft, and a tool precise to within 0.0001 inch on the valve lifters. The combined wear for both parts averaged only 0.0026 inch, about the thickness of this magazine page. Generally, we noted as much variation between engines using the same oil as between those using different oils. Even the engines with the most wear didn't reach a level where we could detect operational problems."

We measured wear on connecting rod bearings by weighing them to the nearest 0.0001 gram. Wear on the key surface of each bearing averaged 0.240 gram - about the weight of seven staples. Again, all the tested oils provided adequate protection.

Our engineers also used industry methods to evaluate sludge and varnish deposits in the engine. Sludge is a mucky sediment that can prevent oil from circulating freely and make the engine run hotter. Varnish is a

hard deposit that would remain on engine parts if you wiped off the sludge. It can make moving parts stick.

All the oils proved excellent at preventing sludge. At least part of the reason may be that sludge is more apt to form during cold startups and short trips, and the cabs were rarely out of service long enough for their engine to get cold. Even so, the accumulations in our engines were so light that we wouldn't expect sludge to be a problem with any of these oils under most conditions.

Variations in the buildup of varnish may have been due to differences in operating temperature and not to the oils. Some varnish deposits were heavy enough to lead to problems eventually, but no brand consistently

produced more varnish than any other."

[sewell8819]

toysrme,

exactly how is castrol gtx nasty, my mechanic says it is a perfeclty good oil, and i work at Infiniti where we use castrol for all regular oil changes and all the techs at my dealership say its a good oil- we have had no trouble with it.

[mburnickas]

......All the oils proved excellent at preventing sludge. At least part of the reason may be that sludge is more apt to form during cold startups and short trips, and the cabs were rarely out of service long enough for their engine to get cold. Even so, the accumulations in our engines were so light that we wouldn't expect sludge to be a problem with any of these oils under most conditions.

Variations in the buildup of varnish may have been due to differences in operating temperature and not to the oils. Some varnish deposits were heavy enough to lead to problems eventually, but no brand consistently

produced more varnish than any other."

Still doing the good old internet plagiarism I see! :chairshot::chairshot::chairshot: Nevermind the CR data from 15 years ago! ROFL!

Edited January 2, 2006 by mburnickas

[SteveyG]

So. . . It sounds like a coin toss! Some swear by synthetics-only; others say it makes little difference. Synthetics certainly cost more, but I'd be willing to spend it if I knew it would make a difference. A local Toyota mechanic I spoke with seemed a bit ambivalent about this too, but emphasized that you shouldn't go back to regular oil once you've used synthetic. Can any of you Gurus give a thumbs up or down? My '95 ES300 has 109,000 miles and I'm using regular oil. Should I switch?

-SG

By the way -- What maintenance should I have done at this mileage? I understand there's a 110,000 mile complete fluids changing in the specs, but the local dealer wants $500 for that. The water pump and timing chain have already been replaced. Anything else besides oil changes?

-SG

Edited January 4, 2006 by SteveyG

[steviej]

there are too many threads and heated debates on the books about regular vs synthetic oils and oil change intervals. Please don't pursue answers to questions that can easily be answered by using the SEARCH function. SteveyG, just do a search on the word "synthetic" and open the search to anything posted from 7 days ago and older. You will have a plethera of threads to review to come to your own conclusion about what oil to use and how often to change it.

Note to all: If the dreaded "oil debate" resumes I will shut this thread down immediately.

As for your 105k maint. question. Consider a tranny drain and fill or flush if it hasn't been done in a while. They will do that as part of the 105k because it is a 15k mile service interval. Hence the $500 price tag from the dealer. Change the air filter and cabin filter is they haven't been done within the last year. Rotate the tires if they haven;t been rotated within the last 10,000 miles. Coolant was most likely done when the waterpump was changed. If that was at 90k then I wouldn't worry about it now. Consider the brake fluid and PS fluid if they haven't been flushed in the last 30k miles or two years.

steviej

[Toysrme]

It costs $500, but it's not nearly justified. They're gonna use the same $5 per 4 quarts Dexron III fluid you can buy at walmart to change your fluids. They nearly never do the actual changes in the first place. They just *inspect* fluid levels.

Skip the dealer service, go buy your own fluids & such. Then you'll do everything on their 115,000m list for $30-40. Including stuff they don't do. Plugs, PCV valve, differential, coolant flush, A/T fluid, power steering fluid, air filter, brake fluid.

Let's face it, for what they charge you for just in parts/consumables alone to do their service/inspections at a Lexus dealer - you could replace everything I just listed AND both your main o2 sensors which, IMHO at 115,000m should be throw away regardless.

Or for half the cost, I'm sure you can find an INDY mechanic that wouldn't mind making money for a busy hour's worth work it would take them to do all that.

Just get a little pouch, or folder to keep all your recipts in.

Ya, the oil posting kinda get's old.

It's always "Synthetics are better" VS "It doesn't matter as long as you change it". Both are right. Synthetics ARE better, and it really doesn't matter as long as you change it before deminishing returns sets in.

Edited January 4, 2006 by Toysrme