Fixing Lexus Se-l 2009

[johnatg]

PS - The schedules mention 0W-20 oil - you can get it in UK but it's stupidly expensive and it's primarily for fuel consumption. 5W-30 is fine and I don't think anyone would really notice significantly higher fuel consumption.

It's all part of the stupid competition to achieve maximum possible (and largely fictitious) fuel figures for publicity.

[madasahatter]

I will be using 5W-30 when i do mine, normally every 3000 miles as most of my driving is short journeys.

[jackcramerr]

Wait what..madasahatter... you are replacing a synthetic oil after every 3000 miles... why. ?

I thought synthetic oil are rated for 10,000 miles.

johnatg, What about oil grade? 5w30 is rating. Then you go for A1 A5 or something ?

[toffee_pie]

I got 5w30 Castrol edge. I put in oil last september, I checked my oil recently and its right up at the max and almost crystal clear.

amazing, I only have done about 4k miles but thinking of getting oil done in Ireland in a few weeks, am doing a road trip.

as for 0w20 oil, just no...! definately don't need 0w20 oil here.!

[jackcramerr]

I am looking at car history and lexus have changed oil based on every 10,000 and used 5w30.

I will call lexus and confirm just for the heck of it. I personally think 3000 for oil change is doing bad to the environment and pocket. 1 year interval oil should be changed just because the oil additives wear out or oil absorbs water. .. I know nothing happens to Base oil.

[jackcramerr]

also at 4000 it is normal to have golden oil. unless engine is broke. not saying it must be golden. I am saying it is not surprising. 6000 it should have black tinge.

Mazda I have says oil change interval 10,000 miles. 5w30 A5. And it's *cough cough* Mazda.

[toffee_pie]

10k miles is a tad too much for my liking. as for oil colour it depends on the engine doesn't it.

Diesels and tractors will go black almost immediately, petrols will gradually darken but I am surprised mine is still relatively glistening, guess it means the internal components are relatively clean and the engine is in very good condition to have not used up anything since.

5w30 is fine for most petrol cars in England, depending on how much you want to spend for grades, I use Castrol.

[johnatg]

As I've said here often before, I use Dexos2 spec oil. Dexos2 is both a spec and a GM brand - check it out on eBay - lots for sale and heavily discounted (I think becuase of Vauxhall dealers' trade pricing). The more you buy the cheaper it is (I usually get 4 x 5 litres for about £60). 5 litres (just one) is usually about £21.

If you buy at full retail price it's about £48 for 5 litres.

It's A3, SM etc - meets most of the GM, Mercedes, VW, BMW specs. And it works fine in the IS250 (and in all the cars I look after - various Mazdas, Peugeot, VW on and off)

[toffee_pie]

I am happy enough with Castrol, I never heard of that oil but it looks pretty good.

20 litres for 60 quid is very good going.

[jackcramerr]

Checked with Lexus Glasgow. 5w30 Full sync change after 1 year or 10,000 miles.

5000 miles is for US and dusty areas not clean rainy Europe.

3000 miles is OTT and the guy laughed when I said that. Each to their own I guess.

[jackcramerr]

oh and my service manual also says 5w30. I don't know where we picked up 0w20 from. It doesn't mention intervals. But if Lexus premium services is 10,000 then I am not changing till 10,000 or 1 year. I am guessing they know what they are doing...

[johnatg]

They know what will keep a fleet manager happy (by saving him money).

I change at 5K miles - IS250 engines may stretch their timing chains after 100K -150K miles or so if you change at 10K intervals - that of course doesn't matter to fleet managers and it may not matter to you. But it will if your timing chain stretches when you still own the car......

IMHO

[is200 Newbie]

I change mine every 6 months or so along with an engine flush at the same time. Mainly due to the fact I do a low mileage and as John has said above it takes a bit of stress from the chain when the oil gets saturated, I usually do mine in November and in the summer.

The first time I changed it with this car it was black and with each following change it has got lighter and lighter - I have used Castrols - My car used a bit of the Edge brand over a trial I done (had to top it up) over a 6 month period. I done the same trial with Magnatec and it was a lot better (I just done this out of my own curiosity). Have used Magnatec since but will be probably change the make at the next oil change. The oil is still clean, its not black but not transparent - more a golden syrup colour. I don't think its good to let it get to the point where its black as that's the point where its saturated and cant hold any more muck from the engine.

Each car is different due to the way its driven but keeping the oil in good shape is a major part to a cars 'health'

[madasahatter]

I dont really care just saying when i change mine, at the end of the day as you say its my money im not asking any one to pay for it.

I have done on all my cars do it myself and know whats going in,.Fuel filters air filters pollen filters not all at 3000 miles but do them and keep her sweet.

Better safe than sorry £100.00 in oil a year is nothing really is it,Vw group cars are drinking a litre every 1000 miles so work that cost out

Averaging 10,000 miles a year.

[jackcramerr]

hmm.... You guys have much more experience and probably some of you might be a mechanic. So I will accept your views. Mine was just an opinion.

The only little experience I have is I studied oil refining and motor oil manufacturing little. No nothing about engines.

Moving on. I greased the front calipers. they were OK. Not enough grease in them. Thanks for pointing them out.

But I noticed the front left shock absorber had slight oil on it. In my experience when a shock has anything on it ... it's already done. I am guessing if I take out the shock and press it, it won't go back up. but it will have resistance to shock and won't be free moving. Am I right to say this?

How involved is replacing shock absorber and would you guys do it ? I guess if one is doing it one has to get the end links, the upper shock bearing (forgot what it is called... the thing that absorbs steering shocks), ... they need be done. What else is there ? Or should I ignore it till lexus catches it ? It won't be caught by mot. This is going to be a lot of work and a lot of money.

Also brake flush. Don't see lexus has done it. Do you guys do it?

Noticed my rims are flaking. I am very upset about it. What are my options and how can u prevent it spreading ?

Tyre rotation. Do you guys do that ?

[toffee_pie]

I cant help but think you got a very bad car that was not looked after, what possessed you to buy this car in the first place? Its pretty much a buyers market out there with thousands of cars and quite a few is250s all over England. there is really no excuse to get a one in poor condition.

[madasahatter]

I agree with toffee pie but i dont think shocks are a hard job, you will need spring clamps of some discription if thats all you are changing.

Nothing lasts for ever ,have you done the bounce test,is the car rebounding more than once when you push down on the front wing.

I think when mine go i will buy an ajustable set up cheaper than original and lower it a bit as well.

[jackcramerr]

It has bells and whistles and it didn't seem that bad.

45000 miles. Had full lexus service history and I said how can that go wrong.

I cannot see any issue with driving. Bounce test isn't proving it to fail.

[ColinBarber]

You cannot tell that has come from the shock without looking further. Unlikely I know but somebody may have sprayed WD40 in that area.

The attached is a TSB from the US on how Lexus would determine a failure under warranty. Looks like you have a level 3 which would be a replacement but it would only be an advisory in the UK MOT, not a failure, and the situation may not get any worse.

Lexus shocks.pdf

[toffee_pie]

changing the shocks is not really for a novice tbh, there is a risk of getting some nasty injury.

That car was not looked after very well, whatever about lexus history and even worse so that all these things are happening at 45k miles which is really nothing on a lexus petrol. If that car was put through a MOT I am pretty sure it would have had a few advisories (at the very least), did you not get a MOT done?

[madasahatter]

On that milage i would expect them to last longer but quality parts fail sometimes, im not on 51000 mls yet and front of car is firm having

said that i replaced the front pads and disc as discs had a lip on. Replaced rear pads only as discs were fine but pads very low.

How compatant are you at working on cars do you have tools to do the job, dont start things you dont feel completely at ease to do.

Worst car i done recently front spring on a ford mondeo mk 2 a knight mare job needed 2 people you would not have managed that one

on your own. It required modified strut clamps in the end.

[jackcramerr]

I didn't redo MOT. Last MOT was done in march with clean sheet. No mention of brakes or anything. In fact lexus did the MOT. So next March mot due.

I am OK with cars. Although I had Japanese cars and they have been easy to work with. never done front struts but I know I can do them with proper tools. I will need help finding out what tools will I need esp finding the corrrct front strut spring compressor. Have once done rear shocks of a mazds and end links.

I agree the car isn't amazing but I saw so many worse that from those this was just a jewel lexus. Now I am feeling I paid a lot more... :(

Also how do you deal with wheel paint flaking and how do prevent this ? I think after this the car will be at par.

[madasahatter]

Where is the paint flaking if its wheels just have them powder coated or painted colour of choice.

[ColinBarber]

It is very difficult to stop Lexus wheels from corroding, it's just what they do. If you apply polish and wax then you can protect them somewhat but if corrosion has already started then it is best just to get them refurbished.

[johnatg]

They are not actually struts since it doesn't have McPherson strut suspension - rather, twin wishbones.

But removal is actually pretty straightforward - you just have to disconnect the speed sensor, drop link and steering arm, and the top mounting nuts. It's all quite big and heavy though. Any proper spring compressor should be OK for separating the shock absorber from the spring.

Lexus wheels corrode - period. As do most japanese wheels.

Refurbishment is the only real option.

I am told that it is all because they don't lacquer the back side of the wheel - not sure I believe that myself.

But it's not just japanese wheels - I was looking at an Audi TT the other day that had worse corroded wheels than my Lexus before I got my wheels refurbed.