Original Low Mileage LX450 Oil recommendation, 5w-30, 10w-30 or Rotella 15w-40

[Rollinn]

Hey guys,

Have an oil inquiry. I'm planning on picking up an all original 97 LX450 w/ 89k miles.. What oil would you guys recommend running in here to get the max longevity out of this 1FZ-FE?

On my other 80's I run Rotella 15w-40 for yrs and its been perfect, but they usually have anywhere from 165k-210k miles.. So wasnt sure if I should run such a thick oil in a low mileage just yet. Don't want to be blowing out any OG seals etc.

 

[Kernal]

Many of us run 10W-40 or 15W-40. IMO/IME the engine may benefit (less wear) from a somewhat heavier viscosity oil. In some markets (Australia for example) with the same engine the owners manual recommended a higher viscosity oil than the US models for the same temp range.

FWIW my 97 model FZJ80 is currently running Chevron XSP Heavy Duty Synthetic 15W-40 which is approved for Gas/Petrol and Diesel engines, no issues.

 

[manofthewoods]

Hey guys,

Have an oil inquiry. I'm planning on picking up an all original 97 LX450 w/ 89k miles.. What oil would you guys recommend running in here to get the max longevity out of this 1FZ-FE?

On my other 80's I run Rotella 15w-40 for syrs and its been perfect, but they usually have anywhere from 165k-210k miles.. So wasnt sure if I should run such a thick oil in a low mileage just yet. Don't want to be blowing out any OG seals etc.

Congratulations on the new vehicle!
Assuming you are running in temperatures we'll above freezing...
You can rest assured that all critical moving parts will be well lubricated with any oil you've pondered, I would suggest a conservative 5k mile OCI.
Regarding seals and any other "rubber" parts; mileage is a factor, but plain old age is a bigger factor, and heat exposure/cycles. Unfortunately, replacement is the only tried and true fix for leaking seals.

By way of example: my 425k mile beast has about 40k on a complete rebuild, I use costco 5w-30 synthetic, never uses a drop - knock on wood.

Enjoy your "new" ride!

 

[Rollinn]

I personally love the 15w-40 rotella and been using that in multiple 80s ive owned and always great. I think i may just keep it that way and not fix something that isn't broke. I 'm regular on OCI and always use OEM toyota filters. So think the 'ol girl might be A ok with some Rotella.

 

[mrsleeve]

I will toss a 4th option in the ring as I live where it’s a bit cooler than most in the winter.

Been running Mobile 1 Delvac 1 (esp). 5-40 in my 80s for nearly a decade

 

[BILT4ME]

I'm in the Midwest.
My LC has 365K miles on it.
I run Quaker State all mileage 5W-30 in it.

It only burns oil if I run it continuously over 75 MPH because it's due for valve seals.

Depending on intended use, buying a very low mileage vehicle means it has sat a lot. It has not gone through regular heat cycles to purge moisture, keep lubricant distributed, and have things rotated. Dis-use is harder on cars than mis-use.

When bringing back a car that has not been driven much, you will see early failures on many things because rubber has dried out, shafts and bearings are dry, surface corrosion, and sometimes exhaust will all fail within a few months of starting to DD something that has sat for a long in time.

Good luck!

Follow the manufacturer's recommendations like what it says on the oil cap on the engine.

 

[ITRJ]

Follow the owners manual. Many people use thicker oil for higher oil pressure but Something to consider is that thinner oils flow faster meaning you build oil pressure faster during cold starts where most of the engine wear occurs.

 

[mrsleeve]

Follow the owners manual. Many people use thicker oil for higher oil pressure but Something to consider is that thinner oils flow faster meaning you build oil pressure faster during cold starts where most of the engine wear occurs.

This is why multi weight oils exist

 

[Marvelicious]

This is why multi weight oils exist

Exactly. This is why I'm a fan of 5w40. I use the Rotella T6 flavor, but extended temp range is a good thing IMO.

Dis-use is harder on cars than mis-use.

There's a smart-ass part of me that wants to respond "challenge accepted" and smash-cut together a video of all the worst abuse of 80s I can find, but I'm far too lazy and in general I agree... up to a point.

 

[reklund5]

It won't matter. The only reason they spec'ed 5/30 in US vehicles was for fuel economy.

The rest of the world they spec'ed 15/40 in the same engine with the same bearings and same oil clearance.

If its running well and not leaking, you can use 5/30 and eek out a little better fuel economy. Otherwise, 15/40 and run it.

 

[mudgudgeon]

The only reason they spec'ed 5/30 in US vehicles was for fuel economy.

Well, the math aint mathin!!


Fuel economy? Does not compute!

 

[RiverCityDave]

I've run 10w30 T6 or 15/40 T6 Rotella T in my truck for well over 140,000 miles.
My father-in-law was a chemist on the Rotella T additives package team. He made a compelling case to use it in any and everything. He used it in his Acura V6. (10w30 T6).

 

[TheBussman]

I'm not seeing any benefit for going with such a heavy 15 winter (cold) weight. I would use 5w-40 over 15w-40 if I thought I really needed a 40 weight. Thinner oil when cold will fill up that big oil filter faster on your first start after an oil change. All the high mile motors I've had apart look pretty good as far as bearing and cam wear are concerned, I'm sure most of them have been running 5w-30 or 10w-30 and oils have gotten even better since the 90s.

 

[Rollinn]

I will toss a 4th option in the ring as I live where it’s a bit cooler than most in the winter.

Been running Mobile 1 Delvac 1 (esp). 5-40 in my 80s for nearly a decade

Is this due to climate reasons, curious as to why. How many miles on the rigs ?

 

[Andrew Bluemel]

I will toss a 4th option in the ring as I live where it’s a bit cooler than most in the winter.

Been running Mobile 1 Delvac 1 (esp). 5-40 in my 80s for nearly a decade

Same weight here. I've been running M1 Turbo Diesel 5w-40 from for the last 9 years as well. 190k to 314k and still don't need to add any between oil changes. Feel like it offers a good mix of cold and warm protection for the seasonal tempature swings we get here in Colorado.

 

[Marvelicious]

Well, the math aint mathin!!


Fuel economy? Does not compute!

It's not about actual fuel economy, it's about that MPG sticker at the dealership. If they can run a thinner oil and maybe some lighter OEM tires and the testing shows they can round up the MPG figure, they'll do it. They can't just run 0w20 and tell you to run 15w50 in the manual though, so they say crap like "in warm climates..." All the newer MPG regulations have made all of this even worse, but they were definitely doing it back in the 90s.

 

[Nate101]

Is this the one for sale up in Campbell? Looks like a nice example. Best of luck and look forward to seeing what you do with it.

 

[JoeCova]

Pick a quality oil. The viscosity will depend on the climate, most pick a broad range, I run 0w-40.

It’s better to pick a quality oil that’s meets strict certifications vs whatever brand you think is good. ACEA A3/B4 etc are among the toughest oil certifications to obtain which is why few oils have it.

As long as you pick a good one that matches the climate you operate in you will be good to go.

 

[Kernal]

IME 5W-30 seemed fine when my 80's 1FZFE engine was newish but once it got up to ~200,000 miles it started drinking the lighter weight oils, likely due to old valve stem seals.

Trivia: I was seeing a slightly elevated lead level in my 96 model when using Mobil 1 0W-30 along with higher oil consumption so switched to Mobil 1 0W-40
and the oil consumption got even worse. So went up to 15W-40 (equivalent) and the oil usage dropped but also the lead level in the EOA (Engine Oil Analysis) went down. It's only one vehicle so not a statistically valid test but it seemed that the 15W-40 offered better protection than the lighter weight oils in this engine. FWIW

 

[Rollinn]

Is this the one for sale up in Campbell? Looks like a nice example. Best of luck and look forward to seeing what you do with it.

Yes it was. And after purchase and receiving the vehicle (I’m out of state) and doing a full inspection here at my home, I found this to be an absolute tumor of a 80. Been in not one but 2 accidents. They disclosed no accidents. The repairs were something I’ve never seen before. Tijuana special is putting it mildly. I’ve also never seen so many leaks either. Just a ton of things both inside and out were broken, hacked together and glued etc. POS!! Long story short they agreed to unwind the deal and to the truck back. So anyone else looking at this truck better stay far far away!!!