Older Camry Maintenance and Repair

rearwheeldrive · July 2008

Ive been reading your timing marks problem.

I have the manual but I cant get a download on this forum. So here goes the narrative.

Id ignore the two marks on the back of the cam gears as mention in previous post. That is for cam replacement.

There's a small hole on the front cam timing belt gear. Line this hole up with a mark visible through the hole That is when the cams are TDC. A hint the mark is at the 12 o'clock position if your looking straight at the timing cam gear.

Next turn pistons over till the #1 cylinder is at TDC. Your done!

Its easier to remove all plugs and spin engine over by hand. I also slide the crank pulley on to do this. You have to slid it back off to put the timing belt covers on when finished putting belt on. You could put the cover on to to use the TDC mark that is on this cover and align it to the crank pulley. But I dont, I just put a PLASTIC STRAW in the #1 cylinder and watch it come up as I turn engine over by hand. When it stop going up its at TDC.

Your working on a 5S-FE? A 2.2 liter?

Keep all slack out of the right side of belt when installing timing belt on water pump gear and cam gear. Another trick is to purposely set the crank gear off one tooth backwards, this will give you some slack to get the belt on. Then turn crank one tooth forward to TDC it should tighten the belt enough before the cam gear moves off of TDC.

rearwheeldrive · July 2008

Burbing cooling system.

The best way is to put the coolant in real slow making sure the electric fans come on before you slam the hood shut and test drive. The temp gauge should be normal. Keep adding fluid as it warms up, it usually takes 5-7min to open the thermostat.

The problem comes from the air trapped in the lower hose of radiator. The thermostat does not open and let the water enter the engine. The hot coolant temps are not hitting the thermostat, only the air is. The coolant wont circulate. It will just boil over and out the fill hole on the top of the engine.

bubba38 · July 2008

I got it going runs good

kiawah · July 2008

Excellent.....congrats!

jodi4 · July 2008

Sincere thanks to kiawah & rearwheeldrive for the input on my post regarding the Toyota Camry. I halfway understand the repair cost since the engine sits sideways and had to be lifted. It's just sad when you go to buy a car and are told that if you purchase the extended warranty, ($1,800 I might add) you will then have "bumper to bumper" coverage. Naturally the first thing to break is not covered. Kinda makes a person feel "taken" if you know what I mean.
Anyway, here's the update. I haven't had my car for 9 days now. Apparently, new problems came up. First they found a "leaky water pump" after 5 days, then 2 days later, they added a "bad alternator" to the list. Just can't imagine what the total will be, IF I ever get my car back.
Still, all I want to know is what would cause the bolts to break? I bought this car used in October 2007. It is driven to & from work 4 days a week and a trip or 2 out for groceries. It is not driver over the speed limit, on bad roads or abused in any manor. Did I get a "lemon"? If I did, it's too late now. Does anyone know if Toyota has a web site for questions? Like I said, I just need to know "Why it broke".
Again, Thank you for any information anyone can shine on this subject. jodi4

rearwheeldrive · July 2008

It might be extreme but I would find out who has touched the engine for belt repairs or such and go after them .

Those things like water pump and alternator must be removed anyways to get to the broken bolts. And your battery wasnt dead when you broke down in the middle of the street was it?

The warranty wont cover negligent repairs, someone probably tightened the steering pump bolts to tight or left them loose..Ask for the broken bolts back.and start from there.

tmoney4 · July 2008

I have a 01 Toyota Camry w/115000 miles and the A/C and Heater fan switch used for the speed only works on the 2 high speeds[there r 4 speeds] the A/C works fine. When I put on the A/C fan on the 2 lower speeds, the A/C compressor goes on but nothing blows out of the vents. When u put it on the two higher speeds, the A/C blows out of the vents. Any suggestions.....

kiawah · July 2008

check the resistor bank in the air plenum.

tmoney4 · July 2008

Where is it located and is it called the blower motor resistor or is it the same thing u r talking bout[resistor bank]?

kiawah · July 2008

Thats it, it's in the air plenum where the blower motor is.

tmoney4 · August 2008

Thanks again for the info. I replaced the resistor and it works fine!

kiawah · August 2008

Excellent, congrats......great job!

rod20 · August 2008

ended up doing some other work on the camry while i pondered the start problem.changed tappet cover gasket,fitted timing belt kit,and fitted new alt,p,steer belts so sorry for the delay for anyone that was waiting for an outcome to my problem.probably spent 7-8 days on testing relays and sensors via a manual that i also purchased,at the end of the day i think the ecm or an open circuit wire was the problem, the latter being my pick.i ended up fitting a relay to power up the fuel pump which i could not get to run,power the pump and the car would run perfectly.so i just powered a relay via the ignition fuse and run another wire to the pump.the car runs fine. at the end of the day i just didnt want spend any more time or money, plus i wanted to get it out of my shed .no doubt about it they are definitely a great little car but i suppose all things play up now and then and i cant say i didnt learn anything,, patience being one thing , chow regards rod

dimples32 · August 2008

I have a 1996 Toyota Camry. When I have my car in park it idols too high. When it is in gear it idols too low. What could the problem be?? The needle that points to the rpm's fluctuates up and down. I have tried to fix the idoling, but it doesn't work. I have replaced the throttle posistion sensor but it still hasn't fixed the problem.Do you know what the problem could be?? Please help..

rearwheeldrive · August 2008

It seems like a air induction problem .

I would check the duct going into the engine from air filter. Small leaks can throw off mixture settings. They crack and can be found by squeezing the duct while its running.

Dropping down to low is an indication of a vacumm leak too. The size of the leak would be large though, like the hose that goes to the PCV system. The air leaking into this line will cause it to run fast in park. Then when its in gear the added load of the gears and the too lean mixture will cause it to run at a low idle.

I think the 1996 has a PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) at the end of the valve cover on the back of the engine on a V6. On the 4 cylinder it is somewhere on the valve cover too.

rod20 · August 2008

are your filters ok ,,is your air filter clean,has your fuel filter been replaced lately,and your spark plugs ,what condition are they in,start there and see how you go ?

rod20 · August 2008

just wondering if you saw my update on my camry 95 winds but wont start problem,if not read post 220

kiawah · August 2008

yes, saw it

dimples32 · August 2008

Thanks for the reply. I did have a vacuum leak but it was fixed. The throttle position sensor was replaced with a brand new one. Still having the problem though. My husband said air induction is fine. There's no leakage now. There's also a new map sensor. We've tried adjusting the idle, can't get it to idle correctly. Like I said before, when it's in park it idlesabout 1100, but the needle fluctuates. And when it's in gear it goes down to between 600 to 800. Any new ideas?? Thanks again..

dimples32 · August 2008

My car is a 1996 2.2 4 cylinder. Isn't it a front wheel drive??

dimples32 · August 2008

If your car is leaking you might need a new radiator. My 1996 toyota camry had a leak so I knew it was the radiator. There could be a small leak in the radiator, one so small you can only see a little leak on the ground. There could be a crack in the radiator. Check that, hopefully that will fix your problem.

rearwheeldrive · August 2008

High Idle

You replaced the throttle switch and fixed vacuum leak.. And the duct has no cracks. That's good.

What is the throttle switch getting in regards to voltage? A small continuity tester will verify it is getting something. Id also disconnect the oxygen sensor connector and run the car at 2000 RPM for a couple minutes. It could have an effect on idle speed too.

rod20 · August 2008

the only other suggestion i have would be is to go and buy a manual ,i did ,they cost about 60-80 bucks from auto-pro and work your way through it at least that way you have the specifications as in voltages ect for all your sensors are in black and white and there in front of you .it also has a section for trouble shooting in it,as well as all the know how on how to test each sensor ect.

lisntome · August 2008

I just had the exact same thing happen to me! I have a 1999 toyota camry 4 cyl. with only 101,000 miles. I have kept up the maintenance and had no warning lights. It does not help not to be alone but I have found another website that said this is nothing new. I have a 1993 camry with 200,000 miles on it so I guess it was just the luck of a bad draw. I do not know how I will replace the engine but it is too good of a car(shell) to just let go.

Best of luck to you too!

camry002 · August 2008

Brief history: Took car in for routine oil change; was told it would be a good time to rotate tires. When I got car back, wheels made horrible rumbling sound. Turned out that they mis-rotated my DIRECTIONAL tires! Supposedly got all of that resolved by putting on new tires & wheel alignment.

Now another noise since I picked it up from repair place: clunking (popping) sound on cold start when I mildly apply brakes.
After the first braking, I can drive and stop and it never is heard again... until I turn off the car and start it again.
Car is only under warrantly next week. Help!!! Note: The repair folks are not Toyoto dealership -- just a more convenient dealership nearby. Thank you very much. J.

chitra0828 · August 2008

The brake lights do not come on. I think a few days ago, 1 light was not coming on; now it is both. The central brake indicator on the back window does come on, and the light comes on dimly when the headlights are switched on.

I am presuming because the lights come on with the headlights that it is not the bulbs. I am thinking it might be a fuse. How can I check this pls?

kiawah · August 2008

The fact that your high mounted stop light comes on, indicates that your fuse is okay, as well as the stop light switch on your brake pedal is okay. Check your bulbs, that is the most likely problem.

chitra0828 · August 2008

Thanks -- forgive my ignorance, but I thought the bulbs would be ok since the lights come on (dimmer than brake lights) when the headlights are put on. Or is that actually a different bulb in the same vicinity?

kiawah · August 2008

The bulb will have two filaments in it, a high output used for the brake, and a low output used for driving light. The brake filament is usually the first to burn out, since it is much hotter.

Take the bulb out, and look closely at the filament, you'll most likely find one broken.

Pay particular attention to the way the bulb goes into the socket, it matters which way it goes in.....you don't want to get it turned 180 degrees. You'll notice two nibs on the side brass of the bulb base, one is closer to the end than the other, and if you look at the socket you'll see that one of the nib slots is deeper than the other.

stevenq99 · September 2008

I recently bought a 2002 Camry to replace my totaled 2004 Corolla. At a steady 60 it seems to be turning about 2100 rpms. When I let off the gas the rpm's drop to about 17-1800 if I touch the gas at all it jumps back to 2100. Is this normal? I have averaged about 28mpg on my first 2 tanks.

210delray · September 2008

Yes this is normal. Do you have the 4-cylinder or V6? Your mileage is good for mixed driving with a 4-cylinder, excellent for the V6.

stevenq99 · September 2008

I have a 4 cylinder. I am thinking about getting a scanguage to see if I can get the mileage up a little more.

defcarpenter · September 2008

The engine on our 2000 Toyota Camry was blown due to a goof on a routine oil change. Originally we wanted the insurance company to replace the engine, but they wanted to total out our vehicle. They said that if they replace the engine, we would be issued a salvage title on our car. Now, we are receptive to taking the settlement, and we want to just buy a new Camry. The catch is that insurance was basing the "total loss" on the blue book value rather than the retail / replacement value plus tax of our car. Now that we want to settle, can insurance renig on their offer to total the vehicle, since we want the fair replacement value? If they replace the engine, can this have any effect on other parts of the car that supply the engine? Any advice or strategies in dealing with this situation? Thanks, Dawn

imidazol97 · September 2008

I can't picture how insurance would cover an engine damaged by an oil change error. Can you explain to me how this is is working?

I think back to someone with an earlier post. They wanted the car but the insurance company wanted to total it. So the insurance company sold them the car along with the settlement. The people got to keep their car.

defcarpenter · September 2008

The mechanic put on the wrond oil filter. When my husband drove away, the filter immediately came off, all the oil drained, and the engine was blown. The garage is liable for this, because it was their error! There insurance has dragged their feet concerning the claim. We are looking at either a new engine or "total loss". Suggestions or ideas???

camry002 · September 2008

I have a 2002 model 4-cyl Toyota Camry XLE in near perfect condition. Most reliable car I've ever had. I really like the vehicle.
It only intermittently, usually on initial startup, makes a clunk sound and it's hard to tell if it is from the front passenger area near the wheel or perhaps more under the center of the car.
I left it at a Toyoto dealership repair place for three days so they could test drive it, let it set for a while, and repeat the process. They checked it over and can't find anything and say it's safe to drive.
Anyone heard of something similar -- or have an idea what this MIGHT be?
Have new tires. Have new rear brakes.

stevenq99 · September 2008

Seems like it should be like you were in an accident. They should pay replacement cost. Find some similar cars to yours for sale locally and show the insurance company. When I totaled my car they even paid sales tax! The pay out is negotiable. I would think they should be covering a rental car until you get a new car.

210delray · September 2008

Do you have antilock brakes? (I'd assume you do since your Camry is an XLE.) The ABS system performs a self-test just after startup, and it makes a "mechanical" noise. See your owner's manual. The location of the noise would be in the engine compartment, toward the front passenger side.

I've personally never heard it in any of my previous or current Camrys, but my '90 Sable with ABS made that sound.

lordm · September 2008

I have a toyota camry with 149K miles on it. I recently bought this car and have limited knowledge about it. Now when i keep the key in the ON position (just before cranking the engine) the following lights on the dashboard light up and stay

1. battery light
2. Low Oil Pressure Warning Light
3. Check engine light.

The ABS light is on for a few seconds and then goes off.

Now when I crank the engine only the check engine light is still on and the other two lights are off. Does this indicate problem with the oil pressure and battery? Also since the engine check light is on.. what is the likely reason for it?

kiawah · September 2008

Since you haven't started the engine, the low oil pressure and battery lights are normal.

You will need to find out why your check engine light is on. Go to an autoparts chain and have them read the error numbers from the computer for you. They'll normally do this free of charge.

Take those error codes, and write them down. You'll then search the internet with your model/make/yr, and let's see what the error messages are.

lordm · September 2008

My 1998 camry (149K) had the check engine light on. It shows the code PO446.. My mechanic said that it was a problem with the vent solenoid. He also said that the car may come under toyota's extended warranty for evaporative systems. I was wondering how to check if my car qualifies for this warranty.. and what could be other problems associated with PO446. Also the fuel economy lately has been very poor. Is this due to the same problem?

kiawah · September 2008

Your owners manual or warranty manual should call out what is covered, and for how long.

camry002 · September 2008

Do you have a warranty with Toyota -- or a third party? When I purchased my car new and they gave me the option, I understood that it would be with Toyota. Wrong. Dealerships make more money on the non-Toyota warranties. So, whichever is your case, just contact the 'company' listed on your warranty form. If' it's a '98, you must have low mileage??? I think my extended warranty is 6 years or 72K miles -- so my warranty ended on my 2002 just this month. Good luck. It's to your advantage to have it taken in and have a record with the mechanic about this problem. Sometime if it goes a month or two over the ext. warranty, the warranty would be honored. J.

timanole · September 2008

My wifes 96 Camry Le with the 2.2L engine is overheating. The original problem was the radiator. Overheated and engine shut down. Towed to mechanic and replaced radiator. Been back to the shop several times-still overheating. Have replaced radiator, relay switch, and thermostat. Now the radiator won't hold fluid-just disappears?? I notice smoke from the engine bay and it kinda smells like exhaust fumes near the radiator. Anyone have any ideas? He thinks it's a cracked head or block, but not the head gasket?? How can I tell if he's being truthful, cause now he wants to change the entire engine? What about the water pump-never changed and he never mentioned it? I don't want to put any more money into the car, if it is truly the block or head. What should I do?

Thanks
Tim

kiawah · September 2008

If it's not leaking externally, then it's probably sucking the coolant into the intake manifold, turning it to steam, and sending it out your exhaust. You probably have white smoke (steam) coming out the exhaust.

Could be bad gasket, or something cracked....but you can't tell till you take it apart.

You don't say what kind of shape the vehicle is in other than this problem, but I wouldn't assume at all that you have to replace the engine.

rearwheeldrive · September 2008

This is an example of an misdiagnose

The pump originally caused the engine to overheat. It also could have compromised the head gasket depending what you did when it overheated. He clearly missed the the problem.

The radiator has no moving parts so unless its leaking there is nothing wrong with it. A clogged radiator will overheat at highway speeds if your fluid is always leaking. A leak lets air in and then it rust shut not allowing water to past through

I would sue him for his incompetence. I would go to court and ask for compression readings in court. Why didnt he check to see if the fans come on when he changed the radiator. If the pump was good when it first overheated it would not overheat again A water pump slowly leaks water out the seal on its shaft, and can only be detected if you get under the car and look for a small trail of water coming from under the timing belt cover. If the overheat broke the pump too, he should have caught it then.He clearly missed the problem.

Get a compression test at a lube place and document it. A compression test gives you the condition of the engine.

When you get the compression results back it will show a clyinder with a 100PSI -125 PSI . It is a indicator of a leaking head gasket. The water is getting sucked out the exhaust while you drive, causing it to overheat every time your finish a 30- 40 mile trip. This should have been done on the first overheat. A car should not overheat again when you have the car in for the problem in the first place, He owes you a new engine if hes says its bad. Unless he can document the good compression readings on the original receipt.

Also the radiator will produce small air bubbles from the bad cylinder if you remove the cap and look inside. Do it while its warming up or your gonna get a face full of hot scolding water.Tell us what the results are.Good Luck!

madeinmsia · September 2008

hi. i have a camry 1998 xle. the arm rests on the driver and passenger doors are out of shape. there is a gap around the window/door control unit. it looks ugly and i thought of replacing it. i don't think there's anyway to repair it because those arm rest are hard and i can't shape it back to its original. does anyone know where i can find this type of replacement? i tried to google "arm rest" for my car but nothing shows up. i'm not even sure what part is this called. thanks.

kiawah · September 2008

look at a junk yard

i_am_jim · September 2008

I wasn't able to find a definition of "older Camry" so here goes . . .

The brake hose on my 94 Camry burst. After I replaced it the fitting leaks where the steel line meets the hose. It's not cross threaded and once it began leaking I tightened it more than I felt comfortable with and it still leaks. I've not run into this before where the fitting screws in properly and the junction leaks.

Here are pictures of the fitting/junction
http://img89.imageshack.us/my.php?image=leakingfittingkp5.jpg

Anybody have suggestions/explanations/ideas?

freddasilva · September 2008

I have a 1996 Toyota Camry that has gone through 3 alternators in the past 5 years. Each time it fails under load. Once it starts to fail, I can get it to work temporarily If I shed some of the load (shut off AC or defroster). I have replaced the battery. I have tried new and used alternators, and always get a heavy duty type. I haven't been able to find the cause, any sugestions?

Thanks

Older Camry Maintenance and Repair

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles