Early Filter change in new Engine

[Titan]

Changed oil and filter on a new 2025 Lexus ES 350 F-Sport at 254 miles. I've often done early oil/filter changes on new engines, but I never cut open the filters. The 3.5L V6 Toyota filter is a replaceable cartridge type, so it was simple to view.

EVERY pleat contained easily visible particles...some only a few, some with probably over 50 particles. They were mostly silver, some copper-colored, some appeared sand-like.

I used an OEM filter and new O-rings. Filled with Mobil 1 ESP 0w-30 and will run it to 5000 miles and change it again. I'll let Lexus do the 10,000 mile oil service (I'm sure they'll use 0w-20 Toyota oil), I'll change that out at 15,000 probably with Mobil 1 ESP 0w-30 again, let Lexus do the 20,000 oil service, then at 25,000 I'll move to HPL 0w-30 and go 10,000 miles per oil change interval from there onward until the warranty runs out at 70,000 miles. Maybe then I'll go further than 10,000 miles...but that will be a few years from now.

I think this simple V6 with no hybrid option and simple FWD is a dying breed. Wanted to get one before they get more complicated. Toyota already killed the simple V6 FWD Avalon...I think the ES 350 may be next.

 

[JavierH19]

Good choice to do it early and switch to esp. I like the large es, shame the avalon had to go cause it was cannibalizing their margins on the es. I'd upgrade the filter next time around, the fram tough guard and up filter to 99% at 20um.

 

[scoot]

I'd do another early one , highly doubt it's done doing the new engine thing yet

 

[Glenda W.]

I have all but one vehicle on ESP 0w30. It really is a great oil. I also prefer a few early changes on new vehicles.

 

[Elkins45]

I'm a big believer in swapping out filters early in an engine's life. The cost to potential benefit ratio is huge.

 

[WylieCoyote]

I did mine at 200, 1,000 and 3,000. Wish I had thought to cut the filters open, I'm curious about how they looked.

 

[Zee09]

What no pictures

 

[Titan]

What no pictures

I'll see if I can get some tomorrow...

 

[lakestone]

The oil filter swap is the most labor intensive part of the process. Why not change the oil as well? If I could afford a Lexus, I wouldn't go 10,000 miles on an oil change, unless it was AMSOIL Signature Series with an AMSOIL oil filter. They seem to be the kings of motor oil. I have yet to read anything bad about them.

 

[Titan]

The oil filter swap is the most labor intensive part of the process. Why not change the oil as well? If I could afford a Lexus, I wouldn't go 10,000 miles on an oil change, unless it was AMSOIL Signature Series with an AMSOIL oil filter. They seem to be the kings of motor oil. I have yet to read anything bad about them.

Re-read the first four words... If you stick around a while, you'll find there are many oils that can go at least 10,000 miles.

 

[Jetronic]

I'd do another early one , highly doubt it's done doing the new engine thing yet

I have 7000 miles on my new car, and recently the fuel consumption started trending downward from where I was expecting it to go. That is, the last 2 tanks and the current one. So If that is due to the engine doing new engine things like I suspect I really do think there should still be extra particles being shed.

It seems like the fuel consumption is about 5% lower than it was, btw...

 

[Urshurak776]

Verify what the dealer is using for oil. May not be Toyota. My Parents Audi dealer is using Pennzoil or Mobil. They charge more for the Mobil.

 

[IndyIan]

I'd almost rather keep the filter, and change the oil. The filter is getting more and more finer particles as it plugs up the big "holes".
I doubt you ever bypass the filter on cold starts, so everything should be sticking in the filter, but I also doubt your engine is going to plug the filter up and force the bypass either?
Probably doesn't matter much in the long run. I ran the first oil and filter to 5k miles on the Outback as I thought the filter would be doing a better job with some miles on it.

 

[ZeeOSix]

I'd almost rather keep the filter, and change the oil. The filter is getting more and more finer particles as it plugs up the big "holes".

Not true ... been shown many times that oil filters get less efficiency as they load up and the dP across the media increases - some are way worse than others. Air filters can become more efficient as they load up, but not oil filters.

I doubt you ever bypass the filter on cold starts, so everything should be sticking in the filter ...

Depends on a few factors. Jim Allen's on-vehicle filter testing for bypass events showed filters certainly can hit bypass pretty easily in cold weather, even when they filter is new.

 

[Shel_B]

I'm a big believer in swapping out filters early in an engine's life. The cost to potential benefit ratio is huge.

How did you conclude that there is a huge cost/benefit ratio? I'm not suggesting that there's no benefit, but considering all the variables that affect engine health and longevity I'm curious about your thinking and calculations.

 

[Titan]

What no pictures

Showing the worst areas. The tiny silver specs in some of the pleats didn't show up very well...but, there are a couple of big "hits" I captured.

 

[ZeeOSix]

^^^ That can happen with the first factory fill. I'd say most of that was because the engine wasn't kept clean enough during production. The next filter shouldn't show much of anything.

 

[Elkins45]

How did you conclude that there is a huge cost/benefit ratio? I'm not suggesting that there's no benefit, but considering all the variables that affect engine health and longevity I'm curious about your thinking and calculations.

A filter costs $5 but the machining debris and initial wear particles it prevents from becoming imbedded in bearing surfaces could potentially reduce engine life by thousands of miles.

 

[Shel_B]

A filter costs $5 but the machining debris and initial wear particles it prevents from becoming imbedded in bearing surfaces could potentially reduce engine life by thousands of miles.

In other words, you have nothing, or little, more than a supposition. You may be right, but OTOH, many thousands of engines go great distances without early filter and/or oil changes.

Without an early filter change, the original filter would continue to catch particles for many more miles, perhaps several thousand more. Perhaps changing the oil plays a greater role than the filter change, although they are often done in concert.

It might be worthwhile to look at the role an early filter change plays in engine longevity.

 

[Patman]

In other words, you have nothing, or little, more than a supposition. You may be right, but OTOH, many thousands of engines go great distances without early filter and/or oil changes.

Without an early filter change, the original filter would continue to catch particles for many more miles, perhaps several thousand more. Perhaps changing the oil plays a greater role than the filter change, although they are often done in concert.

It might be worthwhile to look at the role an early filter change plays in engine longevity.

I still feel like an early oil and filter change has no negatives, other than just the cost. Maybe it doesn’t extend the life, but what if you find out later on that a study proves that it does make a difference but you didn’t do that early change? Then it’s too late to turn back time. I feel like it’s better to be safe than sorry.