oil and filter advice

[Wakefoot]

    ;DGreetings fellow Toyotans.  I am about to change my oil myself for the first time.  Can I go over to the Toyota dealer and get a LS 400 oil filter?  and what about synthetic oil.  I use in my other vehicles. Do any of you run synthetic?  Should I bother since I change oil every year anyway?   Please weigh in with your opinions.  

[dstafl]

Changing the oil is no problem on our boats. This is coming from a real non gear head.
Go to any toyota dealer and they will have the correct filter.($8ish) Its a lot cheaper than the boat dealer that services my epic they whated more than twice that.Not sure if a Auto zone/Checkers or such stocks them?

Toyota does recommend Synthetic Oil only. Follow the owners manual instructions, the drain hose makes it real easy.  My only comment is to change the oil while the engine is still warm and the oil drains much quiker.

[brad]

It may be different in recent years, but I learned that hard way about the difference in oil filters.  I had to do a cam shaft overhaul on my 1983 Toyota Supra at 100,000 miles because I used third-party, aftermarket filters.  Toyota oil filters are built with a reservoir in them that help lubricate on cold start.  Third-party filters don't usually have that reservoir, thus little or no lubrication on cold start.  Pretty costly re-build for not using Toyota filters.

Good luck on the oil change.

[toyotafreak]

Jeff Dorge says do not run synthetic until 200 hours.

I use Mobil 1 oil and a Mobil 1 filter ($12, and it does have the oil-keeper seal deal you mentioned.) Also use Mobil 1 ATF in the tranny and Mobil 1 Gear Oil in the v-drive unit. Swap all that once a year.

Once a brand's got me, I'm hooked.

[cyclone]

I have been using the stock oil filter for a 2000 LS 400, Mobil 1 brand with Mobil 1 oil since the first oil change at 200 hours. You should not use synthetic before that because the motor won't break in properly, synthetic oil is too slick. The rings won't seat, your oil will get dirty within 50 hours or so. If you did use synthetic too early, no big deal. Switch back to normal 5w30 oil for an oil change and beat it like a rented mule!

[Wakefoot]

Thats good to know as I have only 75 hours. Thats my job this week and then I am ready for the season.
Thanks

[re-pete]

What's up with the 200 hours advice until its OK to use synthetic.   Doesn't add up for me.  In a car, at 50 mph, 200 hours would equate to 10,000 miles until OK to use sythetic.  Even if your average speed was 35 mph, considering idle time, etc., that would still be 7000 miles.

Just seems kind of high miles until the engine is fully broken in and it is OK to use synthetic oil.   Is that the rationale?  I thought the manual said the only limitations on oil were to use the special break-in oil until the first oil change( which I thought was 50 hours)(left my manual up in Maine, so I can't check it out).  

I'm kind of bummed out.  I only have 100 hours on our Epic, and we put Castrol Syntec in it at the end of the season--I'd hate to change it out with dinosaur oil, unless that is really the thing to do.

[toyotafreak]

I took what Dorge said 'on advisement.' Ours was at 150 hours at the time, and I left the Mobil 1 in there.

Then again, I've switched to synthetics 'too soon' in two other Toyotas. I can believe that an early switch to synthetic might DELAY thorough break in, but it can't stop the surfaces from wearing/seating eventually. I might be giving uo some fuel efficiency early, but there's no doubt that the engines are made good and will simply stay a little tighter a little longer.(Just assuming, speculating here, I've got no expertise.)

[cyclone]

The rings won't seat properly. You can tell because the oil gets dirty very quickly. Switching to regular oil for a couple of oil changes will cure the problem. 10k miles is about right for switching to all synthetic on a car. My Marauder is at 7k, next oil change I'm going to Valvoline full synthetic.

Old timers used to seat the rings in a new motor by putting a tablespoon of Bon Ami powder in the carburetor.

I prefer to do it by beating the car like a rented mule for the first 10k or so;)

[re-pete]

Interesting stuff.  Sounds like I should be draining the Syntec oil this weekend when we head up to Maine to take out the boat...better to waste a few quarts of perfectly good synthetic, than risk the rings issue.   Thanks.

[cyclone]

If I were you, I would just watch the oil color for 50 hours or so, if it gets dirty (black), then I would use conventional oil for the next oil change. You're probably fine, Pete

[re-pete]

That's what we decided to do.  The boat is all ready to go!  Heading back up to Maine in late June for vacation.  We'll see if the oil gets dirty or not.

[cyclone]

It won't. They built and broke in all these 1UZ marine motors by hand in Japan. They are works of art, hence the 16k replacement price! Just have fun with it!!