Oil change killed my car!!

[sitkom]

I have an '01 ES300 with 36K. I always run 10w30 or 5w30 synthetic and change the oil every 5K miles.

Well, we were getting ready to move to the midwest and so I had the oil changed again (even though it wasn't really needed yet) so I took it over to my usual oil change place.

Upon inspection of the condition of the oil, they recommended an oil treatment to 'clean' the engine prior to putting in the new oil... MOE if I recall correctly. They added the can of stuff and ran the engine for about 15 minutes. I noticed on a few occasions that they revved the engine and held it at a high RPM (3K or so) for up to 30 seconds and then let it idle... no big deal I thought.

Well they went and drained the old oil added the new oil/filter/etc. and away we went on our trip.

400 miles into the trip, the oil pressure light comes on. First thing I think is 'jerks forgot to tighten the oil plug or filter'. Pulled into a service station, added *3* quarts of oil and checked under the car and around the filter for leaks... no leaks. I had my wife start the car and I examined the exhaust... dreaded blue and black smoke.

For the 1300 mile trip, the car consumed 8 quarts of oil. I'm sure the rings were damaged when they did that 'treatment' and I'm 1300 miles from the place that ruined my engine.

The $6400 question: will Lexus honor the powertrain warranty and fix my car or do I just 'stick it out' and simply return the car at the end of the lease (in February/March of '05) and walk? I believe that getting the oil change place to pony-up and fix the car would be an effort in futility, however, they are a national chain.

Any help and insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
sitkom

[JDPascal]

You are right - they should NOT have reved the engine under any conditions with the flush in the crankcase.

AND

with the age of the engine, the oil you say that you use and the maintenance schedule you are following, there was no need for the flush in the first place.

These rip-offs steal more than the unnecessary initial expense.

see if you can obtain a container that the flush they used came in and find out what the instructions for the product really are. Then I would be tempted to see a lawyer if they didn't respond favourably to a request for an engine repair.

JD

[Chapol]

You didn't mention the chain, or exact flush material. Might want to contact your state consumer protection agency, or possibly the DOT, which has a website. I change my own oil in my '99 Lexus ES300 and never flushed the oil in my '90 (197,000 mile) Camry.

By the way, it was the $64,000 question (not $6,400).

[supraflymic]

your engine was way to new to even consider a motor flush. no need for it. and even if you do use a flush, it should only be for a maximum of 5 minutes and NEVER REV only at idle. my guess is with that flush your engines cylinders experienced oil starvation. the flush thined the oil to much for all that revveing. and without the lubrication for so long your rings definetly wore ALOT.