Do You Use Synthetic Oil

[Andrewsreef]

Thi and others. I do not remember if you guys were using synthetic oil in your LX450. I decided to try Mobil 1 and a K&N oil filter to see if it makes a difference with the rattle on start up. I have heard this will help with engine life by helping to reduce ware

My truck is getting ready to hit 70K. I did the oil change and did not notice any improvement in the rattle. Now that I have made the switch, a friend of mine says the synthetic oil may cause an oil leak if I have dry seals.

Are you using the synthetic oil? WHat brand and did it cause any kind of oil leak?

Thanks

ANdrew

[greggebhardt]

From what I inderstand my dealer uses nothing but 100% synthetic oil now. Used to be 50/50 but my 2004 has nothing but 100% synthetic installed .

[dougjohn]

Using Mobil1 for the engine -- haven't changed the others out yet.

No problems; no leaks before, no leaks now.

I did switch to a smaller oil filter -- don't recall the entire part number, but do know that it ends with 2004. Found the oil pressure to be lower than before across the board. Don't know if it was the change to synth, or the different filter.

No rattle on start up, but I didn't have it before either...so...

The rest of the fluids will go to synth when I get around to it.

Cheers,

Doug

[Andrewsreef]

Dougjohn, how many miles were on your truck when you switched to Mobil 1? Are you using a Toyota brand oil filter? If not, what brand? I have heard the K&N filters are really good but I may switch back to Toyota brand to be safe.

Thanks

Andrew

[Thi]

Andrew,

I used Mobil 1 for the engine also. So far, there's no oil leak. When I bought my car, it has 67+K miles, now it has 74+K miles. The miles is kept on rolling :) I enjoy the car, but don't want to see the miles pile up too fast. I bought a FRAM oil filter for it, but did not have a wrench for the last oil change.

On my other car, I used to use Syn oil until it started to leak. Now, I use regular oil for it now.

Thi

[dougjohn]

I am using the Toyota filter (part number ending with 2004). It's the small filter.

First synth oil change was at 80K, now have 90k on the odometer. I went through 2 oil changes during that time.

K&N is supposed to be good -- I've heard the same, but I got a deal on some toyota filters, so I went with them.

...

Doug

[Andrewsreef]

I wanted to give everyone an update. I changed to Mobil 1 and was using the K&N filter. My car, which has the rattle on start up, was really driving me nuts with the rattle. It seemed worse than before. I went by Toyota and got the factory filter (which has changed as my Toyota dealer does not sell the filter that ends in #20004 any more.

I switched the filter out and added another quart of 10W-30 and Wow!! My rattle on start up is almost completely gone. I would say an 80+% improvement. Not sure what that sound is but I will not run anything but the factory filter anymore. Has anyone else noticed this kind of improvement?

Happy Holidays everyone.

Andrew

[Rookie]

Andrew,

Seems to be a couple of options to go with on the oil filters. I remember a guy talking (on another site) about using the smaller Toyota filter because the big one caused a rattle on start-up. Was the one you switched to a smaller oil filter? Do you have the part number? I just bought the bigger one last week (part no. 15600-41010). Anyone else used/had this problem with the bigger filter?

Thanks,

Joele

[Andrewsreef]

The filter I am using is small and about the same size as the K&N. The part number is 90915-YZZD3. It is made in Thiland so I was not impressed at first. This made a big difference on my truck but again, I am not sure why.

Thanks

Andrew

[ellieoh]

I use Amsoil and the the OEM filter (small) it has a system to stop the oil draining during engine inactivity and was an improvement.

[steviej]

I use only synthetic in my Lex and my zooky. No drips, no runs, no errors.

I flip flop between the Toyo OEM filter and the Mobil 1 filter. The K&N filter is next to be used, cause I'm tired of burning my hand on the manifold when using the filter wrench to get the old one off and the new one tight. The K&N has that cool nut molded on it.

for everyones infor, Toyota switched suppliers on their oil filters in mid December.

The new filters have a D# in the last part and they are made in Thailand. Time will tell as to whether or not the qualilty is the same as the previous supplier.

steviej

[monarch]

> I will not run anything but the factory filter anymore.

You can never go wrong using the factory original filters and fluids like these:

http://www.freemanmotors.com/toyota/part0004.html

http://www.freemanmotors.com/toyota/part0005.html

http://www.freemanmotors.com/toyota/part0003.html

and Toyota transmission fluid and brake fluid.

[99lsguy]

I use Amsoil and the the OEM filter (small) it has a system to stop the oil draining during engine inactivity and was an improvement.

Nice to see a fellow Amsoil user...

I use the Amsoil SDF57 oil filter.

Started SYN @ 55K(when I got the car) , and change every 4-5K....excellent product.

My engine is cleaner and quieter with the Amsoil.

99

[SKperformance]

i use mobil one and have no leaks it works wonders. I would be weary to use a smaller filter.A bigger one is fine but like someone noticed it will have less surface area for oil to pass through causing lower oil pressures ,which is not a good thing .

[ayan]

I've heard and read so many good reviews about Amsoil products that I'm going to completely switch to them (oil and filters). Never even tried it before, but for some reason, I have complete confidence in their products. Does anyone know of a San Francisco Bay area distributor? Thanks.

[monarch]

I've heard and read so many good reviews about Amsoil products that I'm going to completely switch to them (oil and filters). Never even tried it before, but for some reason, I have complete confidence in their products.

Some people think Amway products are special too: http://www.saber.net/~monarch/amway.jpg

But no high end car maker in the world uses Amsoil as the factory fill. Or Red Line oil or Royal Purple or any other the other off brand oils.

Lexus installs genuine Toyota Motor Oil at the factory.

This oil is a dinosaur oil and is available for $1.40 - $2.00 a quart from Toyota dealers. For decades, Toyotas have run up to 600,000+ miles on dino oils. Just ask Leo: http://www.saber.net/~monarch/leowarfield.JPG

[SKperformance]

toyota doesn;t make oil they just relabel it.

They also wouldn;t put it in a fresh engine as you are not supposed to put synthetic in a new engine for the brake in period either.

I would suspect toyota uses valvoline oil relabeled as they use and recommend there tranny fluid also.

[VBdenny]

From what I have read, it is perfectly okay to use synthetic oil in a new engine. The synthetic doesn't prevent proper break in, it just lubricates very well. Somewhere on LOC there is a very detailed report about oil. It would benefit everyone to read this report. If you can't find it, I saved it.

[m2pc]

I use Amsoil, pretty happy with it. Would also trust to use Mobil 1 synthetic, but After I run out of my supply of Amsoil, I will give Redline a try.

[Lexusfreak]

How much is Redline per qt? Anybody price the Royal Purple stuff at all?

[VBdenny]

The original owner of my LS used Amsoil until I bought it at 120,000. I probably would have used it but since I had a stock of Mobil 1 in, I have used that. The best part is at cold start up because synthetics provide far superior start up protection.

[Lexusfreak]

correct VB, that only one of MANY benefits of using synthetic ;)

check out the pinned thread in this forum "everything you wanted to know about motor oil" B)

[m2pc]

How much is Redline per qt? Anybody price the Royal Purple stuff at all?

I am able to buy Redline 5w-30 for as little as $6.30 a qt if I buy a case. But thats easy since I can buy 6 5w-30 and 6 qts of the D4 tranny fluid. I love the D4, instead of paying to have it flushed for $250? I'll just drain and fill every 7,500 miles. The D4 as a Dexron replacement is excellent I'm happy with the product.

I like the Amsoil, at 6500 miles it was very dark, but I am sure it was still ok, but I couldn't bring myself to go to 7500 or 10k. I would think that Redline may handle the high temps and shearing of the es300 better since it has a slighlty higher flash point. But all these oils are very good, Amsoil, Redline, Mobile1, and I heard Royal purple as well, but I havent really researched that as well.

[Lexusfreak]

I use Mobil 1 5W 30 myself & have no complaints at all. But agreed, all the oil's you mentioned are "top shelf" B)

[BCSC300]

Sc300 has i little over 140k, owned it since 90k. I am using mobil 1 10w 30 in

winters and 15w 50 in the summer as well as K&N oil filter. Never had any leaks,

no compliants.

Hey Steviej i noticed your from Mass, do you use different oil weight in winter?

i agree with you on the bens of using K&N oil filter :D