Correct Oil 92 Windom

[92gtst]

Hey folks....

Need to do an oil and filter change..... 1992 Windom 3.0 V6 3VZ-FE engine 211,000KMS on the clock.

It's hard to get much info on this car so I tend to look for Lexus ES300 info as there is so much more available. From what I can gather it seems that the manufacturers recommended oil is 5W-30... I was in at Repco and got them to check in their resources (whatever they are)... and they came up with 2 options 1 was 10W-50 and the other was 15W-40.

One of the nice folk over at one of the Lexus forums just about crucified me for saying I'd got some Shell Helix HX5 15W-40 (it's on special at the moment) and pretty much said I must use 5W-30 or risk damaging the engine. The guy at Repco looked up 2 different resources one was Penzoil not sure what the other was. He found the 3VZ-FE engine type and there was no mention of 5W-30 anywhere, and he sounded rather surprised I was suggesting that might be the recommended oil. The owners manual I have makes no mention of what oil to use. There is no evidence of what oil is currently in the vehicle (service history completely unknown).

After googling what oil should I put in a 1992 Lexus ES300 the most common answer seems to be 5W-30. The chap at Repco says either of the 2 options he offered should be fine. So who should I trust? Is there likely to be any nasty consequences from using Shell Helix 15W-40???

I'd also purchased a bottle of Repco Engine Oil Flush but have since been scared off using that by the folk at one of the Lexus forums. All I really want to do is try and do a bit of maintenance and servicing of the car in a fashion I can afford (ie do what I can myself). I don't think it's had much love in recent times but the Engine seems to be ok, tho I do occasionally detect a smell like burning rubber or perhaps oil. It's a random thing tho, not sure what to make of it...

I'd also got a bottle of Nulon Transmission Treatment I was going to use on the auto box...

[92gtst]

The car is mainly used for driving around town... to friends, to the chemist, the post office, the supermarket etc. I'm likely to do the occasional trip to Masterton from Wellinton. I don't tow anything.

[Lloyd]

15W40 will be fine in it. Burning smell will more than likely be oil leaking from the rocker cover gaskets (front and rear), which aren't the quickest of things to change. Make sure the cooling system is up to scratch as blown head gaskets are about the biggest issue you'll get with a 3VZ.

[evil_si]

15w40 is fine in most engines
As for the auto, youd be better off servicing it,
Drop the sump, change the filter refit sump, refill with fresh atf and flush the cooler lines,

Can do most cars with a 10mm socket and pair of pliers