Which Oil?

[memshooter]

Bought a 2000 RX300 with 118,000 mile on it and was getting approx 23 MPG on it. Changed oil last weekend and the mileage dropped bad. Started at about 19 and has since improved to 22 and that's trying real hard. Power seems less too. What is the normal oil for this model? I put in Valvoline Full Synethetic 5W30 and a Fram filter. Use same oil in my 2001 GMC Yukon XL and it has 195,000 on it and I have always gotten better gas mileage than the specs.

Thanks

Brad

[RX in NC]

Actually, a 22 mpg average is quite good on these vehicles. I ran Valvoline conventional 5W-30 in my wife's previous 2000 RX300 AWD and I run the same in her current 2004 RX330 AWD. She's a very conservative driver and averaged about 20 to 20.5 mpg in the RX300 and is doing about 21 mpg in the RX330....

If your vehicle was previously running conventional oil and you've now just recently converted to synthetic, perhaps it will take awhile for the mpg to get back to where you had it. Oh, and if you're relying on your vehicle's mpg readout on the display screen, those numbers can be notoriously inaccurate. Measure your mpg the old-fashioned way and see how you're really doing....

[lenore]

I agree, figure the mileage the old fashioned way, my readout has never been accurate, since the day I bought the vehicle new.

[KBRX330]

I am running Penzoil Platinum 5w30 and a Toyota filter that I get on line from this online Toyota dealer by the case

http://www.magauto.com/default.asp?id=2137...;catalogid=3408

or you can get wix Napa gold here: www.fleetfilter.com

The oil I get at AAP when they run a BoGo sale so an oil change runs me less than $20 for premium oil. You might want to run a syn oil several changes before the engine gets used to the different anti-wear additives. However the PP oil has a high level of calcium which will keep your engine clean. You will also probably notice more mechanical engine noise form a synthetic oil which will also subside. My fuel economy went up 1.5 mpg with the PP. So we average about 22.5 city 24.5 hwy.

[tmastres]

Bought a 2000 RX300 with 118,000 mile on it and was getting approx 23 MPG on it. Changed oil last weekend and the mileage dropped bad. Started at about 19 and has since improved to 22 and that's trying real hard. Power seems less too. What is the normal oil for this model? I put in Valvoline Full Synethetic 5W30 and a Fram filter. Use same oil in my 2001 GMC Yukon XL and it has 195,000 on it and I have always gotten better gas mileage than the specs.

Thanks

Brad

Are you talking freeway mileage or city/mixed. If you're getting 22 in town then you're either a magician or your RX is being towed. If you get that on the freeway I'd say thats just a teensy bit low but really not much, especially if you drive above 70 most of the time. I can get 23-24 if I keep it at 65 on the freeway but the minute I keep it at 70 I drop down to the 22 range. My RX is similar in age and miles to yours 00/w 110,000k miles. and I've run mobil 1 5-30w since 40k.

[memshooter]

Haven't had the vehicle long but have found out the mileage indicator is high. That is til this last fillup. Indicator read 23.1 and I actually got 23.2. Hopefully this will continue.

This is with mixed driving. 38 miles one way to work, about half highway(70 mph), and the rest backroad/city from 30-60 mph. Don't know what highway mileage is like as I have not taken a trip in it.

I had heard it would take a while for the conversion to synthetic to take effect but never thought the mileage hit would be so much. May give this some time and then try a switch to Mobil 1. So far, I've haven't burnt or lost any oil. Thanks for the help.

Brad