Gave my is250 some serious maintenance

[Bongo]

Gave my Lexus some TLC, started with oil change, the oil was very black!! should I be concerned? Replaced cabin and air filters, changed the brake pads all round, even though they weren't worn, had a couple of sticky slide pins so decided to replace all four corners with new ones, had a slight leak on front passenger shock absorber, so changed both fronts, finally I replaced the spark plugs, a job that is overdue that should keep her running sweetly for a while. 😃

[PCM]

When was the oil last changed - time/miles?

It can go black quite quickly'ish.

 

[Bongo]

24 minutes ago, PCM said:

When was the oil last changed - time/miles?

It can go black quite quickly'ish.

 

7000 miles ago, just over a year! 

 

[is200 Newbie]

Next time you do an oil change use an engine flush - possibly do it after 6 months from when it was changed to get it back on track in keeping the oil clean(ish). I got into the habit of changing the oil twice a year - i haven't done it this year as not done many miles. Keep an eye out in Halfords or Asda for special offers on the oil as it can be as cheap as £15 per 4 litres which makes it work regular changes.

[Bongo]

14 hours ago, is200 Newbie said:

Next time you do an oil change use an engine flush - possibly do it after 6 months from when it was changed to get it back on track in keeping the oil clean(ish). I got into the habit of changing the oil twice a year - i haven't done it this year as not done many miles. Keep an eye out in Halfords or Asda for special offers on the oil as it can be as cheap as £15 per 4 litres which makes it work regular changes.

Thanks fo the tip, will certainly do an oil change more often, although I drive between 6-7 thousand miles per year!

[jumbojake]

how did the old oil smell?   it should darken over time as it collects/cleans  impurities away from the engine

I've read  some mixed reviews about oil flush treatments.... my preference is always for more regular oil changes, 6000mile max..

now you have new oil, keep an eye, if it goes black after a month, then change oil again, that should help drain away the impurities it has picked up from the sump... don't be tempted to use any old cheap oil, always keep to the right grade  (my preferred brew is millers oils).

[Bongo]

8 hours ago, jumbojake said:

how did the old oil smell?   it should darken over time as it collects/cleans  impurities away from the engine

I've read  some mixed reviews about oil flush treatments.... my preference is always for more regular oil changes, 6000mile max..

now you have new oil, keep an eye, if it goes black after a month, then change oil again, that should help drain away the impurities it has picked up from the sump... don't be tempted to use any old cheap oil, always keep to the right grade  (my preferred brew is millers oils).

I don't know how it smelt, had a cold, couldn't taste or smell for a few days (it wasn't covid) I am going to change the oil again in six months, will see how black it is then!

[is200 Newbie]

On 8/2/2020 at 11:50 AM, jumbojake said:

how did the old oil smell?   it should darken over time as it collects/cleans  impurities away from the engine

I've read  some mixed reviews about oil flush treatments.... my preference is always for more regular oil changes, 6000mile max..

now you have new oil, keep an eye, if it goes black after a month, then change oil again, that should help drain away the impurities it has picked up from the sump... don't be tempted to use any old cheap oil, always keep to the right grade  (my preferred brew is millers oils).

Been using an engine flush for years now - (I use Wynns) Used it on high mileage Lex (with me doing about 6k per year) and a low mileage one (with me doing about 1k per year) and, maybe its a placebo effect, but it does help to keep the keep oil clean longer - when changing the oil i also use a bit of new oil to run through to get the old oil out before putting the new oil in..... just one thing to check before putting flush in the engine is to ensure the oil drain plug can be removed.

[Mihanicos]

From what I have read, experts say that when the engine oil changes colour towards black, it is doing what it was designed for, clean the engine in addition to lubricating and cooling it.

Now most manufacturers recommend one oil change a year or a certain mileage, whichever comes first. Certainly more frequent oil changes can only be a plus, I used to do that when I was doing more city driving than motorway.

I can see the benefits of engine flushing but I would worry about the effects on the rubber seals in the long run. There is a possibility that the chemicals within the flush agent could compromise the lifespan of the seals. 

A good quality engine oil is a good detergent to clean the engine too.

Chris.

 

 

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