oil change frequency - please help

I have a 2000 Lexus ES300.

What is the recommended oil change frequency? How about minor/intermediate/major service frequency? Which service is most crucial? Which service is least crucial?

Reply to
Adam
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Maintenance schedules and service levels are in the supplemental owners handbook and include minor and intermediate services. There are also diagrams showing location of parts for service in the last sections of the owners manual.

Lexus.com also has maintenance schedules online if somehow you can't find the supplement.

Reply to
bluto

Thanks! Really appreciate it.

Reply to
Adam

| >

| I guess I'm really far too cautious with my | ~2K dino oil changes in my bike and car. |

A Direct Copy and Paste from AMSOIL's web site QUOTE

Key Limitations For API Licensed Formulas Phosphorous content - .06% minimum to .08% maximum (API SM; 0W-20, 5W-20, 0W-30, 5W-30, 10W-30 viscosity grades, only)

NOACK volatility - 15% maximum The prevalent sources of phosphorous in motor oils are additives called zinc dithiophosphates (ZDPs). These versatile additives contribute to reduced oxidation, corrosion and wear. The automobile manufacturers, however, have demanded that lubricants contain a maximum of only .08% phosphorous. Their reason is some manufacturers believe higher phosphorous content levels will poison the catalytic converters on their cars before they reach 120,000 miles, which is the number of miles that vehicles are required to pass EPA emission standards. There is not total agreement within the automotive and lubrication industry about whether phosphorous levels over .08% actually do harm catalytic converters in the long run. What they have failed to make allowances for is the NOACK volatility of an oil, the volatility of the phosphorus itself, or the oil drain intervals.

The maximum allowable NOACK volatility percentage for the SM/GF-4 passenger car motor oil specification is 15%. Most of AMSOIL motor oils are in the 5% to 8% NOACK volatility range. There is a correlation between NOACK volatility and oil consumption, which ends up in the exhaust gasses. Therefore, higher phosphorous, low volatility oils present no more risk to catalytic converters than low phosphorous oils with higher volatility. This has also been demonstrated for years in actual application through state mandated exhaust gas testing on our Dealers' and customers' high mileage vehicles using AMSOIL synthetic motor oils. State inspectors are continually amazed at the low emissions levels generated by vehicles using AMSOIL products. So much for poisoning catalytic converters. END QUOTE

My Summary By changing petroleum oil at 2K intervals, you are actually introducing more ZDP (phosphorous) into the exhaust system due to the higher volatility (burn off rate) of the petroleum based oil.

If you'd like to know more and the newsgroup doesn't mind, I'll be happy to post several educational articles.

Reply to
Steve

People live their specialties. Yours is oil. Mine are elsewhere. Thus, my technical understanding of the material you reference would be at best, limited.

Additionally, the last thing I wish is to begin an oil thread. I've seen those and they're not pretty.

You may send the material to this reply address, and I'll look it over. And I'll take any further questions and/or comments offline.

Thanks.

Reply to
Anonymous

In a Lexus, even if you use the stringent MB209/BMW LL-01 synthetic oil you can still go up to 5000 miles or void remaining powertrain warranty. (Toyota wants you to prove with oil change receipts). It's an engine design issue.

Thanks....

Reply to
Anonymous
Reply to
Gary L. Burnore

Easy enough. Buy 6qts of oil and a filter for the receipt and either donate the oil and filter to charity or take it back for a refund later. :)

No, it's a make money for the service dept issue.

Reply to
Gary L. Burnore

Except in europe where it is still 10k miles or 1 year, at least for the IS200/IS300 and longer for the IS250, the IS220 Diesel I don't know but it is usually shorter.

You still get A, B, and C services, with C being the major, mileage point service, A being a minor filters and fluids, and B being the

48month full service including a more thorough inspection.

And to keep a warranty, those services can be carried out by a non franchise dealer, as long as schedule and requirements are followed and a record stamped in the book. You can legally do it yourself if you have the knowledge.

Reply to
Elder

The excerpt was copied and pasted from this link:

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90163&page=articlespr/2005/article_sludge THE VW/AUDI LETTER Today's automakers are well aware of the problems associated with conventional petroleum motor oils knowing that engine designs have been a contributing factor in the sludge problem. One reason is that engine compartments are smaller and hotter than in the old days. They put more demands on motor oil. Another reason, though, is that with all those brain boxes and sensors, engines simply need to be kept cleaner or they don't run right. This summer VW/Audi of America sent a letter to vehicle owners informing owners of 1998-2004 VW Passats and 1997-2004 Audi A4s that they will receive extended warranty coverage on the 1.8L turbocharged engines. In the letter, VW/Audi recommended synthetic 5W-40 engine oils that meet the VW 502.00 spec because the use of petroleum oils increases the risk of sludge formation.

To their credit VW/Audi does not require that the oil be changed at the dealership. Vehicle owners simply need to keep records of their oil and filter maintenance.

The reason VW/Audi took this stance is easy to surmise. Execs at VW/Audi did not want to get embroiled in the oil related storms that cost Mercedes 32 million dollars or Toyota's bad press due to sludge problems.

TROUBLES AT TOYOTA In recent years Toyota has also had to deal with serious sludge issues. A 2002 article in Automotive News detailed the high volume of sludge related complaints received by Toyota.

The trouble centered around Toyota's 3.0-liter Sienna V-6 engine. With over 3.3 million such engines the problem could not easily be hidden in a glove compartment. I had become aware of the problem even before it appeared in print.

Accusations flew that the engine was flawed (Toyota, owners spar over sludge, Automotive News, Feb 8, 2002) but Toyota would never acknowledge this. (Toyota to Cover Oil Gelation Damage, by Tim Sullivan, Lube Report, Feb 27, 2002)

The Automotive News article cites numerous sources to make its case. Larry Perry, an A.S.E.-Certified Master Technician who owns a repair shop and hosts a radio talk show in Florida was quoted as saying, "We believe Toyota reduced the size of the cooling passages to the cylinder heads in those engines in order to increase combustion temperatures for more of a complete burn to reduce exhaust emissions." Perry, who has seen more than his share of sludge problems went on to say, "the solution is to use only 100% synthetic motor oil."

In the end, Toyota Motor Sales USA made a one time offer to cover the repairs to vehicles damaged by sludge. For Toyota, this was the tangible price they paid for sludge.

Reply to
Steve

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