mburnickas

I agree 100% but the new Mobil EP is too new to be in the seach yet. Good topic and I love oil debates... the info or lack there of is great! ← Well these subjects (debates) do make things a bit more 'exciting' around here every once in a while lol :whistles: ← I know...need things to spice up this forum....

Good to hear Air Force! :D ;) :whistles: VGR, I respectfully disagree with you about the age issue with regards to synthetic oil & that's all I will say on the matter. :chairshot::whistles: Let's drop the subject now guys & in the future, let's stay on the topic at hand, not trade 'blows' over car maintenance or what age bracket we are! :P ← i have a suggestion, next time an oil recommendation thread comes up.. do the SK thing and type "search" and that should be the end of things.. :D cheer guys ← I agree 100% but the new Mobil EP is too new to be in the seach yet. Good topic and I love oil debates... the info or lack there of is great!

Yes it does because young people are mainly the ones who buy synthetic oil and oil additives. The 16-35 year olds read advertizments like the one below for Slick 50 and then actually believe Slick 50 will make their engines last significantly longer: -- "Every time you cold start your car without Slick 50 protection, metal grinds against metal in your engine... -- " With each turn of the ignition you do unseen damage, because at cold start- up most of the oil is down in the pan. But Slick 50's unique chemistry bonds to engine parts. It reduces wear up to 50% for 50, 000 miles," 45-80 year olds look at the same advertizment and think to themselves: --this ad falsely infers that auto engines generally have little or no protection from start up wear without Slick 50. --this ad falsely infers that it's common for engines to wear out due to start up wear The business and marketing experience of the 45-80 year olds plus their superior critical thinking skills are what makes the difference. ← I never even stated Slick 50 ever and do not know where that came from. Then you are going to say young people this and young that. But just for FYI, my father is the one that used synthetics before me. I could write stereotypes about this and that....I will say this. The critical thinking skills of an 80-year old are where the bathroom is at all times. That is critical for them, not oil….

The only one I have used is a Denso for around $33..online

Well I had to post something on this topic since 50% is total BS Monarch by the way my age has nothing to do with oil, does it? Also I have ZERO clue on why a wedding even comes up. But what, I guess age discrimation is a good way to look pretty. LOL, you are too much. #1 Common sence tells me NOT to believe engineers so much. Hell, I have been a design engineer for aerospace parts/engine for over 10+years. Some engineers are good and some are bad, nothing new. Also I have even worked on NASA items. If I want an easier job I will work in the auto field. The manual is given with a huge amount of “fluff” in it. If you designed parts, know processes, you know how design works and 1 thing is called FOS (one of many). Never mind the endless other formulas that add more “fluff” to the #’s. It is Lexus for dummies and most time the owners can’t even put air in the tires. Also this extended drains work, but they, any manufacture will open Pandora’s box since you will have the moron putting a group 3 oil in and think it will go XXX miles. Hell, look at all the issues now and you want to confuse the customer about what class or group of oil you need to buy? Come on. Lexus will never explain what can go wrong since last I looked there are thousands of parts in an engine and you want Lexus to tell the “shirt and tie” the facts? Are you nuts? Most think “the stuff that cools the engine” is all the same too. Again, the age issue is flat out comical. I know engineers twice my age and they could not design anything to save their life. PS. I know many users that entended drains that are over 30 also. Disobey them. Boy some nerve. Common sense tells me you need to do some diversity and ethical training .

Lets see Mobil EP is around $5.40 per qt and goes "up to 15K miles". I buy Amsoil ASL series for less then $5 per qt and can go "up to 25K (40% longer)"...No brainer for me. Plus my oil tests show there is not reason to change (less oil) and pay more.

Which dealerships are those? I'll be giving them a call :) ← Prices went up from last year. When I had my car in 1-year ago she wrote those number down. Well I called around (3) Lexus dealers and boy, the prices for the SAME thing are a joke. Herb Chambers (MA): (Water pump & Timing Belt): $850.00 plus tax Hoffman (CT); Timing Belt $500, and Water pump is $200: $700 Balise (MA): Timing belt $399.95, Water pump $212.50: $616.50

Well I called around (3) Lexus dealers and boy, the prices for the SAME thing are a joke. Herb Chambers (MA): (Water pump & Timing Belt): $850.00 plus tax Hoffman (CT); Timing Belt $500, and Water pump is $200: $700 Balise (MA): Timing belt $399.95, Water pump $212.50: $616.50 Hoffma and Blaise all state they check WP and to see if you need but the prices are listed. All prices are installed. The prices are weird. I also asked about the items Stevej listed: (water pump, pulleys, tensioner, thermostat, seals and TB) Herb Chambers: #1250.XX Hoffman: Around $980 Balise: Aroud $1,000

$1300!!! for what? Can you list the items you wanted done?

Steve- Dumb question but what/where are these seals? ARe these for the pulleys, valve??? My ES.98, goes in for "all the above" in about 8K miles.

My 98 had pink/red coolant but is is normal EG coolant per Lexus. I would see what the manual states but I would guess that it is normal EG coolant. I switched from the red to green (diesel coolant) and is fine.

ELC=Extended Life Coolant. It is like Dexcool which can not be combined with normal EG coolant. ELC can be purple, red, pink, yellow, etc. Color means zero if you are trying to by the color to see which type.

I put in Philips 6000K Ultinons about 3 years ago on my 98. I was not worried about glare since I have never been flashes and it goes through inspection fine.

in a 1997 the EG coolant is normal EG coolant. The red color is a dye they put in. You can use any, repeat, any EG coolant per Lexus in that model year. Long life coolants are ELC and not EG coolant. Two different things. Do a search since this topic has been beaten to death.

BINGO- I had to cut an allen wrench to like 1 inch in length then used a 8mm to drain the diff.

johnatthebar- Welcome to LOC! 10-mm is correct.I used a snap-on "T" allen wrench and worked fine. I bet the firt time you do it, it will be hard since the people at dealerships love to overtighten! You might not have to fill the diff throught its drain plug. I would double check on this since my 98 is filled through the tranny dip stick. I would do a search since the 98 are different then the 97, for example. Just trying to help since maybe the 2002 is the like mine or not.

Thanks for your advice guys! I'll do that. Also I forgot to metion that idle RPM behaves strange: Say I stop at traffic light, idle can be at 1200, and go down to 700-800 in 1-2 mins. Or it can go right down to 700-800. Is it related to EGR problems? Car has 158K on it... Thanks again! ← My EGR went last year at 72K miles. Did the weird ideling and stalling.

I installed a DENSO #453-1002 in my 98 last week. Cost was $33.XX.

So by the sounds of it the newer ES get worse MPG then my 98?

Yup, I bought the R34 or R800 (old part #) and it fit perfect.

I got a red top for my 98 about 6 months ago, LOVE IT!

This is what is known as anecdotal evidence. It is the experience of an individual, and is not statistically based, or based on extensive independent testing. Unlike engine oils, automatic transmission oils have distinct properties which control the clutch, and if present, band, lock-up characteristics, especially near the slip-stick point as the relative motion approaches zero at the end of the shift. For this reason I stay with the factory recommended fluid in the absence of data which is supported through testing. I am not saying Amsoil is bad fluid, only that anecdotal evidence, or proprietary evidence, is not good enough for me. To claim that Amsoil is better than the fluid developed for these transmissions by the manufacturer of that transmission borders on presumption. ← The thing that I question on what you state is that, no fluid is developed for transmissions (most times). They select a fluid and design around that fluid. The fluid is the boundary conditions and they design around it. You do not design a tranny or anything and then make the fluid. If you did this you are a poor engineer or are designing into a corner. Is Amsoil the best fluid for a tranny, could be could not be; but it is better then most. Is what amosil states worth anything? Not really, but the endless users and there results do not lie. Is it based on unscientific views, could be; but it is real world empirical data & it is based on users. Is it good enough for me in my ES, sure is. I do not need a piece of paper to feel good. If the fluid, any, states it passes the proper spec it does. Remember the API spec’s only mean that is pass the min requirements. ….. If buying factory fluid is what makes you feel good inside then buy it. The kicker is the fluid is nothing special. Most times it is just normal fluid with a Lexus/Toyota bottle. Lexus does not make oils, then sell them.

Maybe that it is a good oil? Hmmm. First off where is there any personal attacks here? #2 is most people that do not use it or dislike it for two, that is 2 reason I feel. One is there are too cheap or; #2 is un-educated about the fluid. Is Amsoil the best oil out there, NOPE. I repeat no; but, it is a hall of a deal when you weight the benefits of it. And the last reason is the tests from user, the numbers, do not lie; unlike more info from companies. That is funny I feel the same way about Mobil people. Most people think it is the best oil out there. Most times it is because of the price at there local Wal-mart. It is also like Ford Powerstroke peopel with Rotella oil. They think Rotella is a great oil. Sure it is great when compared to a a group oil. It does not stand up to "great" when compared to a 4/5 I would not beat you up since there was “no value added” by the post.

I use Gold Peak 3300 in my heli!

Thanks mburn......just checking to make sure! B) I'm sticking with the 5w30 ASL series. I don't need the HDD (Heavy duty diesel) 5W30. lol ← looks like Mobil is trying to step-up to where Amsoil was 30+ years ago and where Mobil itself was about 25 years ago... http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorO...e_Warranty.aspx