ENGINE
199
Gasolines containing alcohol
Gasohol is a mixture of gasoline and ethanol. If you use
gasohol in your Lexus, be sure that it is unleaded, has
an octane rating no lower than 87 and does not contain
more than 10% ethanol. Lexus does not recommend the
use of gasolines containing methanol.
If you use gasoline containing methanol, use only gasoline
meeting the requirements above and also containing less
than 5% methanol with cosolvents and corrosion inhibitors
for methanol.
NOTICE
Do not use gasohol other than stated above. It
will cause fuel system damage or vehicle
performance problems.
If drivability problems are encountered (poor hot
starting, vaporizing, engine knock, etc.),
discontinue its use.
Take care not to spill gasohol during refueling.
Gasohol may cause paint damage.
Fuel tank capacity
70 L (18.5 gal., 15.4 Imp.gal.)
FACTS ABOUT ENGINE OIL
CONSUMPTION
Functions of engine oil
Engine oil has the primary function of lubricating and cooling
the inside of the engine, and plays a major role in maintaining
the engine in proper working order.
Engine oil consumption
It is normal that an engine should consume some
engine oil during normal engine operation. The causes
of oil consumption in a normal engine are as follows:
Oil is used to lubricate pistons, piston rings and cylinders.
A thin film of oil is left on the cylinder wall when a piston
moves downwards in the cylinder. High negative pressure
generated when the vehicle is decelerating sucks some of
the oil into the combustion chamber. This oil as well as
some part of the oil film left on the cylinder wall is burned
by the high temperature combustion gases during the
combustion process.
Oil is also used to lubricate the stems of the intake valves.
Some of this oil is sucked into the combustion chamber
together with the intake air and is burned along with the
fuel. High temperature exhaust gases also burn the oil
used to lubricate the exhaust valve stems.
