Blown Engine

[wirepaladin]

I have a 2002 RX300 with 86,000 miles on it. I bought it used from a Lexus dealer with 67,000 miles on it.

For the past couple of months, oil consumption has been very high. I have always used synthetic oil and have kept it topped up.

Yesterday, I took it to my mechanic for a checkup. He has a friend who is a Lexus mechanic and they both checked it out.

Verdict: the engine is blown. Compression is anywhere from 75 to 90 lbs. He suggested a short engine block, but also that it might be covered under warranty.

What do you know about this problem? Is it common?

[carguy07]

I have a 2002 RX300 with 86,000 miles on it. I bought it used from a Lexus dealer with 67,000 miles on it.

For the past couple of months, oil consumption has been very high. I have always used synthetic oil and have kept it topped up.

Yesterday, I took it to my mechanic for a checkup. He has a friend who is a Lexus mechanic and they both checked it out.

Verdict: the engine is blown. Compression is anywhere from 75 to 90 lbs. He suggested a short engine block, but also that it might be covered under warranty.

What do you know about this problem? Is it common?

I would see if you are still covered under the sludge warranty. Sludge info is on here, just do a search and you will find it. If so, pull a valve cover off and see what is in there. Maybe you will get lucky and get a free engine.

[carguy07]

Info here: http://www.oilgelsettlement.com/

[lenore]

8 years 120 day warranty for sludge.

[tmastres]

IIRC the oil gel deal covers 97-01 engines!

[lenore]

Actually it covers through 2002...., but not 2003 because the case was started in 2002.....

[wirepaladin]

Actually it covers through 2002...., but not 2003 because the case was started in 2002.....

One further question: What is the engine replacement, a short block or long block?

[lenore]

Varies with the dealership and circumstance, I believe most have had a long block put in.....

[carguy07]

I would hope they get you a long block. If you have sludge, the heads are such a mess that I would never want them back.

[wirepaladin]

My 2002 RX300 is now at the dealer, Northtown Lexus. They are going to evaluate whether my compression problems are due to sludge/gel and whether they will warranty the work. In the interim, they have given me a 2010 RX350 to drive--it's the dog's !Removed!--so they can keep mine as long as they want.

Here's my follow-on question to all of you who have had similiar problem: if the dealer says there's no sludge/gel problem, what do I do then? I have a blown engine and no coverage under the class action suit.

[ricco750]

My 2002 RX300 is now at the dealer, Northtown Lexus. They are going to evaluate whether my compression problems are due to sludge/gel and whether they will warranty the work. In the interim, they have given me a 2010 RX350 to drive--it's the dog's !Removed!--so they can keep mine as long as they want.

Here's my follow-on question to all of you who have had similiar problem: if the dealer says there's no sludge/gel problem, what do I do then? I have a blown engine and no coverage under the class action suit.

You pony up about $7 grand for a new short block and rebuild, which is what I did three months ago when my mother-in-law gifted her 99 RX300 to me after the engine siezed up and threw a rod while at highway speed. Yes, I had it investigated for the "gel" problem, but they found none...supposedly. Anyway, Lexus cut 25% off the price of the parts, as a "nice" gesture. You would'nt think a luxury car would have engines that would fail like this, would you? And BTW, she was meticulous at having the car serviced, even though she used dino oil.

So far, the new mill runs great, and at 500 miles I changed the oil and filter to Mobil 1 synthetic. I got a year warranty on the rebuild, and I'm watching it closely. Good luck! :)

[wirepaladin]

Update from Northtown Lexus: I do not have a sludge/gel engine. The piston rings are seized and that is what is causing low compression and oil blow-by. They recommend trying an engine flush. If this works, it will avoid mechanical work. If not, I will have to spring for new piston rings.

I authorized the flush, but am suspicious of liquid solutions to mechanical problems. Besides, I still think sludge may be responsible for the piston ring problem. What sya you?

[carguy07]

Update from Northtown Lexus: I do not have a sludge/gel engine. The piston rings are seized and that is what is causing low compression and oil blow-by. They recommend trying an engine flush. If this works, it will avoid mechanical work. If not, I will have to spring for new piston rings.

I authorized the flush, but am suspicious of liquid solutions to mechanical problems. Besides, I still think sludge may be responsible for the piston ring problem. What sya you?

Pull the front valve cover off and you will know the answer in seconds.

[code58]

Update from Northtown Lexus: I do not have a sludge/gel engine. The piston rings are seized and that is what is causing low compression and oil blow-by. They recommend trying an engine flush. If this works, it will avoid mechanical work. If not, I will have to spring for new piston rings.

I authorized the flush, but am suspicious of liquid solutions to mechanical problems. Besides, I still think sludge may be responsible for the piston ring problem. What sya you?

I would definitely try Auto RX. Don't know if it will allow the rings to free up and reestablish compression or not, may be a long shot. But if anything has a chance of doing it, it would probably be Auto RX, certainly not likely to be a flush, more than likely will flush some money out of your wallet, but not much else. Auto RX does do what very little else is able to do, actually dissolve the baked crud and sludge or whatever else isn't supposed to be there. Lenore has reported similar results using the German Castrol, which I believe is a full synthetic oil. I would certainly try one of these, can't hurt and a fairly good chance of helping, with a cost that is a GREAT DEAL cheaper than any alternative. Good Luck!

[lenore]

My neigbor had a flush done, it did nothing. I would have tried the Auto RX personally.....