Lexus LX450 with 170,000 and GC?

[Hessam]

hello all,
i just acquired a 1996 Lexus LX450 (aka landcruiser V6).

my uncle was the original owner and the truck has been exclusively serviced at the local lexus dealer.

There is a little over 170K on the clock.

I assume that the dealer prob used 5W-30 dino toyota oil. the trunk does use about 1 quart per 1500 miles and oil changed have been every 3K.

I was wondering if it would be a good ideal to introdue it to GC 0W-30, even though it has been fed dino exclusively throughout it's lifecycle.

The truck does not leak at all, and I would like to keep it that way, and that is one of the concerns I had about running it with GC.

Also I'm lucky if i get 14-15 mpg with the dino that's in there and i was wondering how negatively GC would affect that.

My other choices are either Rotella Synthetic or Delvac 1 (both 5W-40), or just runnig the old dino Delvac Super 15W-40 that i have been running in my MBZ 240D and my 87 4 4Runner with excellent results (both have over 220,000 miles and are still running very strong).

thanks in advance for you help on this.

 

[Hessam]

Stopped by the local AZ down the street from my house...

They had both the 5W-30 (AC) and the 0W-30 GC.

My question is though...the 5W-30 was rated API SM and it said "energy conserving" at the bottom half of the API certification circle.

However the 0W-30 only said API SL rated and it did not have the "energy conserving" label.

That is not really important to me other than the book for the LX450 calls for this exactly:

Use API SH, Energy-Conserving II multigrade engine oil.

Recomended Viscosity (SAE): 5W-30 if normal outside tempratures are below 100F.

SAE 5W-30 is the best choice for your vehicle, for good fuel economy, and good starting in cold weather.

If you use SAE 10W-30 engine oil in extremely low tempratures, the engine may become difficult to start, so SAE 5W-30 engine oil is recommended."

Given that this is what the manual is calling for, and the car has only been on 5W-30 toyota oil, and is currently using 1 quart every 1500 miles..... would you recommend going to GC, or is AC (aka 5W-30 syntec) a better choice.

thanks in advance for your inputs.

 

[KBFXDLI]

170k on the clock......no way I would go synthetic unless you own a paper towel factory to sop up the leaks.

 

[unDummy]

I say go for it. Synthetic oil doesn't cause problems.

And, since this is a high mileage vehicle with normal(excessive) oil consumption, it would be a perfect 'test' for a double run of AutoRX prior to running GC.

 

[Hessam]

i was about too today... then i read this on antoher board... this guy sounds like he knows what he's talking about.. anyone care to chime in:

" #3 04-03-2002, 07:52 PM
Jackd Posts: n/a

After having spent 25 years in the oil/lubicants business (manufacturing/lab side), I still have to see a product (at whatever price) that will fix mechanical problems. Some can conceal the problems but will never fix it. I have seen engine go for 500,000mi without any failure with regular brand name dino. oils and others with 50,000 mi with major wear problems after using expensive synthetic oils. The reverse is also true.
Using a high detergent oil (normally solvent based) in an older engine is playing roulette. If an older engine is sludged-up, a high detergent oil will most likely dislodge particules that could block-off some smaller oil orifice. Then, big trouble happen. Solvent based detergent will reduce oil pressure and reduce the oil film coating internal components of the engine, which is required for proper protection during cold start where the high wear rate happens. If you ever decide to go that way, make sure you drastically reduce oil/filter change intervals for an extended period of time (mileage). Your oil leaks are caused by faulty gaskets/seals. Some additives could possibly plug those holes temporarily but those hole still exist. You can not cover-up/undo years of neglect with a few bottles of liquids.
Miracle oil, gas additive, oil additives, engine treatment is not a cocktail I'd serve to my engines. Most first quality oil and gasoline contain all the additives an engine require.
Miracle do not come in plastic bottles. Most of it is only money wasted.
JackD "

 

[Triple_Se7en]

I wouldn't use a synthetic either - unless I knew that engine was relatively clean. Synthetics do stir up things in engines that some dinos don't. I've read enough threads here about sudden ticking sounds and clattering engines after changing to synthetic in a high mileage engine.

I would feed it Motorcaft syn-blend until vehicle death do you-two part.

 

[Hessam]

what weight motorcraft do you recomend? I was actually looking at both the motorcraft semi-synthetic and the kendall GT-1 when i was at auto zone yesterday. They are both pretty much the same oil based on Conoco Phillip's base stocks.
I have read that motorcraft has had better UOA's here, but Kendal GT-1 high performance semi-synthetic was much cheaper and i wonder how much better the motorcraft can really be for that many miles on the clock.

my last resort would be to just throw some HDEO Rotell T in there. that is what I have been using in my 81 240D and 87 4Runner recently with excellent results....

Only worry with the Rotella T 15W-40 dino is cold starting capacity during below feezing temps during the winter here....

Is there anything i can add, or mix with Rotella T dino to help with cold starting properties. Although the pour point for the reformulated C-J4 / SM is -40 which is only marginally lower than the Rotella Synthetic 5W-40 at -46 pour point.

 

[KBFXDLI]

You might try Pennzoil 5w30 dino with one quart of Pennzoil Platinum to make your own blend and see what happens.

 

[Hessam]

i picked up some Rotella T 15w-40 and some Rotella Synthetic 5W-40 from Wallmart yesterday.

Going to put 3 quarts 5W-40 and 4 quarts 15W-40....

any thoughts on this combo. The penzoil PP and 5W-30 sounds like a good idea, but based on advice that I've gotten from the board, i think with that many miles on the engine I would be better off using a little thicker weight oil, than what the manual calls for, to at least slow or stop the oil consumption (about 1 quart every 1500-1800 miles)....

so that is why I was thinking of goin from 5W-30, to 15w-40 or 5W-40.

and since the shell Rotella S in not really a synthetic but a hydrocracked Group III, I was thinking i would be ok as far as leaks and ticking sounds etc....

 

[Hessam]

Update.... put in 3 quarts Rotella S and 4 Quarts Rotella T Dino.... this car has never ran better...

Not a drop of oil leaking.... still too early to gauge the oil loss.... I am hoping that it will be less than what it has been averaging which is 1 quart every 1800 miles.

it was almost 20 below freezing this morning and the car started faster than it ever has.

I'm sold on this combo for the winter... will either go to Full Rotella S or Full Rotella T in the spring.

 

[AndyH]

Quote:

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it was almost 20 below freezing this morning...

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Huh? Do you mean 20°F? Or 12°F?

 

[Hessam]

sorry it was 20F or about 12 below freezing. In any case the car has been running great and I am averaging much better fuel mileage.

So far no leaks, and if I don't develop any, I will probably go to an all Synthetic Rotella S 5W-40. The price difference at the Walmart selling it for about 13.44 per gallon does not justify sticking with the dino Rotella T version.

my fuel mileage has gone from 13.5 to above 15. I can only imagine that I will gain another 5-10% if i switch to the lighter All synthetic Rotella S.

 

[Ramblin Fever]

That 5w-40 Rotella is great stuff.

I too have an engine reaching close to the 170k mile mark; I don't think I'd use 15w-40 even in summer though. It does seem to like oil a bit thickish, but doesn't use enough to warrant 15w-40.

That 5w-40 Rotella can be used year round.

 

[deven]

Quote:

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sorry it was 20F or about 12 below freezing. In any case the car has been running great and I am averaging much better fuel mileage.

So far no leaks, and if I don't develop any, I will probably go to an all Synthetic Rotella S 5W-40. The price difference at the Walmart selling it for about 13.44 per gallon does not justify sticking with the dino Rotella T version.

my fuel mileage has gone from 13.5 to above 15. I can only imagine that I will gain another 5-10% if i switch to the lighter All synthetic Rotella S.

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I doubt you'll gain another 5-10% by going thinner. Probably more in the 1% range or less.