Oil, or rather lack of.

[The Visitor]

So here is my question, maybey Ray can offer up an opinion.?

Today I checked my oil and it was down at the fill dot. So I put in
almost a quart. Before when the engine was cold as in first drive of the
day, I always 'thought' I could hear valve noise. I 'think' now it is
gone. Or perhaps this is how it sounds cold. It is louder than my wife's
2006 rx330, The last oil change was the first one. Now I am around 5k on
my rx350. No oil light ever came on, do you think my engine was harmed
at all??? I am presuming there is a low oil light.

I checked the oil when I got it back from the dealership but it was too
clean to really tell. But I thought it looked low then.

Complain to the dealership? To what end? There is another nicer one, closer.

John

[Ray O]

Post by The Visitor
So here is my question, maybey Ray can offer up an opinion.?
Today I checked my oil and it was down at the fill dot. So I put in almost
a quart. Before when the engine was cold as in first drive of the day, I
always 'thought' I could hear valve noise. I 'think' now it is gone. Or
perhaps this is how it sounds cold. It is louder than my wife's 2006
rx330, The last oil change was the first one. Now I am around 5k on my
rx350. No oil light ever came on, do you think my engine was harmed at
all??? I am presuming there is a low oil light.
I checked the oil when I got it back from the dealership but it was too
clean to really tell. But I thought it looked low then.
Complain to the dealership? To what end? There is another nicer one, closer.
John

I doubt if any damage was done to the engine if the engine oil never got
below 1 quart low. In other words, 1 quart low - no problem.

As far as I know, the RX does not have a low oil level warning system but it
does have a low oil pressure warning system. The only way to check oil
level is with the dip stick.

If you are having difficulty seeing the oil level on the dipstick when the
oil is really clean, use unbleached brown napkins when wiping the dipstick.
Just lay the tip of the dipstick flat against the brown napkin, lift the
dipstick, and look at the mark on the paper. At first I thought my eyes
were getting really bad, but the oil seems to be more translucent than it
used to be so it is like looking at glycerin instead of honey.

[The Visitor]

Post by Ray O
If you are having difficulty seeing the oil level on the dipstick when the
oil is really clean, use unbleached brown napkins when wiping the dipstick.
Just lay the tip of the dipstick flat against the brown napkin, lift the
dipstick, and look at the mark on the paper. At first I thought my eyes
were getting really bad, but the oil seems to be more translucent than it
used to be so it is like looking at glycerin instead of honey.

Great idea, thanks!

john

[Ray O]

Post by The Visitor

Post by Ray O
If you are having difficulty seeing the oil level on the dipstick when
the oil is really clean, use unbleached brown napkins when wiping the
dipstick. Just lay the tip of the dipstick flat against the brown napkin,
lift the dipstick, and look at the mark on the paper. At first I thought
my eyes were getting really bad, but the oil seems to be more translucent
than it used to be so it is like looking at glycerin instead of honey.

Great idea, thanks!
john

You're welcome!