Car recommends 0w20, dealership filled with 5w30.

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I have a 2014 Lexus Es 350 where the recommended fill is 0w-20. Non-Lexus dealer where I bought the car filled with 5w-30 synthetic.

My understanding is the 0w20 stuff is for fuel economy and the previous generation of ES had the same engine but the manual recommended 5w-30. I live in a really hot climate (Arizona)

I could care less about any MPG gains. I just want the best oil protection.

My first question is:

1) Can I leave the 5w30 in there?
2) Which is the best oil for motor life 0w-20 or 5w30.

I don't want to put in a "too thin" oil to hit some arbitrary CAFE number at the expense of engine life.


Thanks again
 
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First off,
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to the asylum!
I wouldn't have a problem running a 0w40 in that engine, in Az., but that's just me. The 5w30 will be fine IMHO.
 
I see your user ID is 'Coulter' and you're in Arizona. Any relation to Coulter Nissan, just off Route 303 in Surprise?



Just an FYI - The Nissan Dealership where I bought my 2014 Altima puts 5w30 in it when I bring it there for oil changes. I just discovered this the last time it was brought in. I read them the riot act when I found this out, and ended up having a conversation with the service dept. manager, who told me that Nissan allows 5w30 in the 2.5 engine, still under warranty. Showed me a bulletin to the dealership in the process.

..this, in a car that specs 0w20 according to the manual. He assured me it does not void the warranty and will be fine.

Your Lexus should be fine.
 
Once the engine gets stretched out with 5W-30, there's no going back to 0W-20 without having a massive drop in oil pressure. It would have been nice to switch to 5W-30 to account for wear when the engine hits 300,000 miles, but too late now!
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Once the engine gets stretched out with 5W-30, there's no going back to 0W-20 without having a massive drop in oil pressure. It would have been nice to switch to 5W-30 to account for wear when the engine hits 300,000 miles, but too late now!
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Originally Posted By: coulter


I could care less about any MPG gains. I just want the best oil protection.


Thanks again


Start running a full synthetic 10w-30. M1 10w-30 HM is a great choice; there may be others.

I have an 02 ES at 300k. It has run on that and still runs as new (maintenane done, of course). Uses 12ozs of oil every 7,500 miles. I cannot complain.
 
I think you will find that the engine runs just fine with that oil and your fuel economy numbers won't be affected much if any at all.
 
If the car is still under warranty, I would have it changed back to the manual-specified grade especially since you said this was done at a non-Lexus dealership. If the manual says 5W-30 is acceptable then you'll be fine. If not, and if you don't have any other documentation/bulletin from Lexus saying that 5W-30 is OK, then change it. Don't give the dealer any reason to void your warranty.

Once your warranty is over, I would run at least an xx-30 if not an xx-40 especially given your climate.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Once the engine gets stretched out with 5W-30, there's no going back to 0W-20 without having a massive drop in oil pressure. It would have been nice to switch to 5W-30 to account for wear when the engine hits 300,000 miles, but too late now!


^ That is contrary to my experience.

The 0W20 would provide less wear for this engine over the 5W30, short of massive idling like a cab. Oil is not something that you really ever want more than what you need. It's like shellac in a way, as the more you use, the less it holds.

I wouldn't worry about it but rather would try and get 0W20 fills when you can unless 5W30 is the only grade they carry, but Lexus only has three vehicles running 5W30 and all other models use the 0W20, so seems odd they put 5W30. Usually it's the RC F guys complaining 0W20 was used in their cars.

OR you can do a UOA and end it there.
 
In my household the RX300 was traded for a RX350 that has the 0w-20, 10K oil change recommendation. I was using Pennzoil Plantinum 5w-30 in the RX300. Now running it in my 2017 Elantra. Elantra calls for 5w-20. Honestly, mileage is the same and engine sounds smoother. I doubt your Lexus would have an oil related failure using 5w-30 that would require using the warranty. I may change it a little early unless you have the full oil change history. After that, run what you what makes most sense.
 
Welcome !!
That should be the 3.5 Litre 2GR-FE V6 Engine. In Australia you can use 0W20, 5W30, 10W30 and 15W40 in that engine. I recon most here would use either 5W30 synthetic or a 15W40 mineral and almost nobody would use 0W20.

Me? I would run a 5W30 dexos oil or a good name brand 10W30 full synthetic.

Leave that 5W30 in there, it will be fine.
 
Originally Posted By: SirTanon

Just an FYI - The Nissan Dealership where I bought my 2014 Altima puts 5w30 in it when I bring it there for oil changes. I just discovered this the last time it was brought in. I read them the riot act when I found this out, and ended up having a conversation with the service dept. manager, who told me that Nissan allows 5w30 in the 2.5 engine, still under warranty. Showed me a bulletin to the dealership in the process.

..this, in a car that specs 0w20 according to the manual. He assured me it does not void the warranty and will be fine.

Your Lexus should be fine.

______________________________________________________________________________________

My Nissan Dealer(Altima in my signature) does the same thing by using 5W30 when I bring my car in for FREE oil/filter change. My owner's manual allows for 0W20, 5W30, 10W30 but strangely not 5W20. I wonder why? ... I use 5W20 in our winters.
 
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Interesting circumstance happened to another member on here who found out it was Mobil Special 5w30 that the dealership put in their car. It was a bulk oil special that the dealership had gotten. Nothing wrong with Mobil Special 5w30 as it meets ILSAC GF-5. I bet money that part of the reason the manuals allow for a 5w30 in vehicles that overall specify a 0w20.
 
I have come to the conclusion based on my new car (anecdotal) experience with Hyundai, Infiniti, Mitsubishi and Toyota that deslerships use whatever's on hand, and not what's necessarily the first choice as spelled out in the Owner's Manual. For instance, Hyundai recommends an ACEA A5 oil for all turbo models since 2015 or 2016 forward, along with recommending Quaker State... well, Quaker State does not have an oil meeting said spec. I wouldn't worry about a slight viscosity difference one bit.
 
Originally Posted By: coulter
I have a 2014 Lexus Es 350 where the recommended fill is 0w-20. Non-Lexus dealer where I bought the car filled with 5w-30 synthetic.

My understanding is the 0w20 stuff is for fuel economy and the previous generation of ES had the same engine but the manual recommended 5w-30. I live in a really hot climate (Arizona)

I could care less about any MPG gains. I just want the best oil protection.

My first question is:

1) Can I leave the 5w30 in there?
2) Which is the best oil for motor life 0w-20 or 5w30.

I don't want to put in a "too thin" oil to hit some arbitrary CAFE number at the expense of engine life.


Thanks again


1) Yes. The 2GR-FE V6 engine has been around for a long time. In the past, Toyota recommended 5W-30.

2) This is a solid engine that is very easy on oil. You can run the cheapest syn you can find on Walmart shelves and the engine will still outlast the rest of the car. Having said that, it is generally a good idea to use 0W-20 as long as you are still under warranty.

What's most important, is to ensure the oil you use is API-SN.
 
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