Oil change on RX300

In news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com, abc lexus being of bellicose mind posted:

HOPE you had the engine inspected for sludge before you bought the car! ANY engine can sludge up when inappropriate oil servicing occurs.

Get the OEM Toyota filter for that engine. It's very inexpensive and you know what you're buying. Don't fall into the penny wise, pound foolish trap. As for sludge, how many miles on the engine and how frequently was the oil changed? If it's running fine now and you change the oil every 3500 miles (5000 mi synthetic oil) you'll be fine.

I'm not downplaying the importance of checking the used car out. BUT how would you have the engine inspected? The only thing you can really do is look thru the oil filler hole. Unless you mean getting the valve covers off and inspecting it that way, which is ridiculous. No seller would agree to having a mechanic tear his engine apart looking for something that probably isn't there. Often you have no records with the car and you can only rely on your own instincts about how the car was maintained and how it runs.

IN the current climate of sludged V6 engines, it is NOT ridiculous at all to remove one valve cover for sludge inspection. You would not believe how "honest" someone can behave when dumping a problem child. When buying used, YOU are the one who's going to have to live/pay for the previous owner's misdeeds (if any). You are one foolish buyer to purchase the vehicle based mostly on your "read" of the owner.

Regarding accessing the oil filter, yes, it is somewhat cumbersome. You first remove the plastic barrier underneath the engine--several bolts, and no big deal. The problem comes when you have to insert your arm to reach the oil filter, trying to avoid touching hot engine parts along the way. The mechanic who does my oil changes wears an long asbestos glove to avoid getting burned. It is also tricky to attach the oil filter wrench and then turn it. All in all, I suggest you leave the job to the pros.

I would and do believe how "honest" people behave. I deal with people a lot. There is no such thing as an honest person. Everybody is trying to get their money out, anyway they can. What is the current climate of sludged V6 engines? How many have you seen personally? I have bought two used vehicles with the imfamous V6 engines, and not a hint of sludge in either one. 100k and 150k miles. I expect them to run just as well for many more years. In most cases you buy from a dealer who has no clue what's wrong with the vehicle. They buy and try to resell as quickly as possible. You can't read anything. When you are selling your Corolla, I'll come over to inspect it and disassemble your engine to check for sludge. Afterall any engine can have sludge in it if not maintained. Will you let me do it? Would I let a fool buyer mess with an engine on a car that I'm selling? V6 or not HELL NO You're one naive person if you think anybody will let you do that.

Rex ... you ask many questions, make provocative implications , and provide only one answer. In reality, you are a fool ... a gambler ... to buy a used vehicle from an unknown person without taking it to a garage for inspection. The seller who won't permit you to pay for a

3rd party inspection (a garage or dealership) is hiding something. Move on. Seems this hits too close to home for you. Sorry.

In reality, the only real fool is one who leads a sheltered life thus eliminating all risk from his life. What is accomplished by having fear shape your life? You can stay at home, drive your Corolla (I bet you even wanted a Camry V6 but couldn't bear the risk of having sludge form), and hope that nothing will ever happen to you. What an enjoyable life. You lead your life thru living on newsgroups day in and day out. How can you understand my real life examples if you only lead a shadow of a life? Having a nice balance in life is important. Without a level of risk, you enjoy nothing, you learn nothing, you remember nothing. You spend your life living thru others. Philip, keep it under 3000 rpm, that's maximum torque RPM for you. Have a nice day

Retired ... pensioner ... living near the beach in southern CA ... home paid off. But you go ahead and take some personal shots 'cuz that's all you have left. A fool buys a used vehicle these days without getting a professional evaluation. BTW, all those sentences containing "you" and beginning with "you" are your projections. Have a nice day, Rex.

In news:L%uZb.25701$4o.42431@attbi_s52, Rex being of bellicose mind posted:

Have all Pre-Owned Certified Lexus and Toyota V6 vehicles sold at the dealerships had their valve covers removed for sludge inspection before they are sold to the public?

My 1988 2.5L V6 Camry turns 16 in a couple of months. Bought it used, when it was about 2 years old. Still runs fine, in my opinion. I've never had the valve covers removed for sludge inspection.

But what dwells in the internals of my 2000 ES 300, I wonder. Bought it used when it was about 3 years old.

How much does Lexus charge to remove the valve cover to inspect for sludge?

In news: snipped-for-privacy@mb-m12.aol.com, Iona Camry being of bellicose mind posted:

If you really DO the oil servicing at no more than 5,000 mile intervals, there should be no problem .... barring unusually cold and short duration driving or in very humid conditions.