How Many Quarts Of Oil For My '90 Ls400?

[ToddLS400]

How many quarts of oil do we put in our '90 LS? What's the factory spec?

[mapman]

My 91 manual says drain and refill with filter (5.6 quarts).

[ToddLS400]

Yeah, I think the stupid Wal Mart only put in 4.5 or less synthetic a few months ago? My oil light came on when driving home from a long trip a few weeks ago. I pulled over at a gas station and put in another quart. The light hasn't been on since. How low is the oil when the light comes on? It only seemed like half full on the dip stick. But then it's hard to tell since I didn't let the car cool down enough. I have no oil leaking and I don't see any smoke indicating burning. The car runs perfect.

[1990LS400]

Although my owners manual went with my 90 LS when I sold it last November, in the 13 1/2 years I had it, I never put in more than 5 quarts of oil when I changed the oil and filter. I thought that 5 quarts was what the 1990 owners manuals said was the capacity. Maybe the capacity increased after 1990 per Mapman with his 1991 LS. Have you thought about registering with Lexus and getting an owner's manual? Or just buying one? I know that the oil capacity in the LS was increased over the years and my 00 LS manual says that it holds 5.9 US quarts. My owners manual for the 94 Euro spec LS says that it held 5.4 US quarts.

The oil light should not come on during normal driving when the dipstick shows the oil being only a half quart low. However, the person who bought my 90 LS told me that the oil light recently came on during an extreme braking incident. Since my 90 LS never used oil in the 183K I had it, it never dropped below full on the dipstick and I never saw the oil light come on.

I know that there are probably good people working at Wal-Mart but I tend to doubt that Wal-mart or "quick-change" oil businesses are good places to have a Lexus, or any other car, serviced. It takes probably less than 30 minutes to change the oil and filter on an LS - even with removing the belly pan. My opinion is that you are better off doing it yourself to ensure that it is done properly.

[UCF3]

Yeah, I think the stupid Wal Mart only put in 4.5 or less synthetic a few months ago? My oil light came on when driving home from a long trip a few weeks ago. I pulled over at a gas station and put in another quart. The light hasn't been on since. How low is the oil when the light comes on? It only seemed like half full on the dip stick. But then it's hard to tell since I didn't let the car cool down enough. I have no oil leaking and I don't see any smoke indicating burning. The car runs perfect.

Did they charge you for another quart? THeir $28/30 deal includes upto 5 quarts.

My Light came on last night, but also disappeared after a few secs.

[99lsguy]

I know that there are probably good people working at Wal-Mart but I tend to doubt that Wal-mart or "quick-change" oil businesses are good places to have a Lexus, or any other car, serviced. It takes probably less than 30 minutes to change the oil and filter on an LS - even with removing the belly pan. My opinion is that you are better off doing it yourself to ensure that it is done properly.

Well said......

Or at least stand around and watch.

And check the dipstick before you leave....

Any bets the oil drain plug was torqued to 29 ft lbs per specs........... <_<

[UCF3]

Tell me you guys aren't taking a torque wrench to your drain plug?

[99lsguy]

Tell me you guys aren't taking a torque wrench to your drain plug?

I absolutely.........positively...........

Use the torque wrench every time for oil change (and everything else)

I've got 10-150 inch lbs...10-75 ft lbs....and 50-250 ft lbs wrenches:

and they are used perfectly :D