NOOB - cant seem to find 1 good answer to this- - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

baknforth101 · 03-05-2008, 01:55 PM

i just got a 1987 camry with 175,000 miles on it . it is a 5-speed , 2.0L. my first question is what type of fluid this manual transmission takes. i have heard at least 2 different things from different people (ATF & Gear Lube), so i need the real answer to that. also, there is another post about how an article states that you should not change the tranny fluid in a car that is this old (and i dont know the condition of the tranny fluid right now) because it could cause the clutch to not work correctly or something , is this correct or can i get some of you guys and gals opinions about this. i guess that is the main issues i have for now but thanks to anyone who does not just read this post, but apply some of their knowledge towards it as well. Good Day--

atobe · 03-05-2008, 02:24 PM

.... well basicily it takes both... get some real good synethic ATF or gear oil and you can't go wrong... 50$ worth for like 10 yrs worth the money no ?? and the changing of fuild mostly is toward the auto and not the 5spd..

the clutch is operated by your pedal... and is powered by the oils in the hydoric lines running outside the tranny so any changes inside the tranny won't have any affect on the clutch.

baknforth101 · 03-05-2008, 02:34 PM

so you are saying that the 5-speed does not need changed ? cause it just seems odd that a car would not just have 1 certain type of fluid that it takes. i mean, if you compare the 2 , then you will find that 75-90 weight Gear Lube is MUCH heavier than ATF-- which is thinner than oil. so how can the tranny be "okay" with either one? thanks for your reply--

fredk · 03-05-2008, 02:54 PM

where you live you can put atf in it and if its not noisy just leave it in

baknforth101 · 03-05-2008, 03:01 PM

i have to be completely honest when i say that i feel a little worried when you said "if it doesnt make noise, leave it in". any person who does not know, would immediately assume that you are not be sure , and this also may not be the correct answer. as i said before, i have already gotten a few various opinions already, so i am not looking for another one. i want to know from someone who is 100% sure that they know the correct fluid for it. thanks for the help--

fredk · 03-05-2008, 05:21 PM

the secret is, when I worked at Toyota in 88 they had 90w in the s53, people in cold states had trouble shifting it when they started out in the morning so they were told to put ATF in it and a TSB followed, then Toyota started putting ATF in them and changed the fluid type spec, easiest thing to do is drain it, if it stinks and is thicker than motor oil its 90w and is probably pretty quiet, if its runny its ATF, but if it was quiet before put ATF back into it

white90dx · 03-05-2008, 05:28 PM

Original spec for the gen2 Camry 5-speed is Dexron-II ATF (succeeded by Dexron-III now). Later versions of the nearly exact same transmission use gear oil. People have had good luck with both. If you get grinding between gears, go for gear oil, if you don't you will get better mileage from ATF in there. That's it.

I've had two manual transmission gen2 Camrys that had ATF in them (267k mi in one, 314k in the other). Both had a minor 3rd gear synchro issue, but otherwise were fine. Switching to GM synchromesh or gear oil may have solved the minor grinding issue.

-Charlie

Edit: For the gen2 V6 5-speed owners that may be reading this - those only take 75w90 or 80w90 gear oil.

fredk · 03-05-2008, 09:23 PM

Charlie, I dont think he believes us at all, manual transmissions are not rocket science, kayro syrup will even work to get you home

TBayToyotaBoy · 03-06-2008, 01:25 AM

You guys are freakin hilarious...and Charlie, believe me: I know I'm stuck with 80W90...I wish it weren't true.

As for changing the tranny fluid: you can change it as often as you like (I do on my V6 every year). Just DO ONE THING BEFORE DRAINING THE TRANSMISSION:

Try unbolting the FILL PLUG before you remove the drain plug. If the upper plug is stripped, you won't be able to refill it--then you're SOL.

--Tim

white90dx · 03-06-2008, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TBayToyotaBoy

You guys are freakin hilarious...and Charlie, believe me: I know I'm stuck with 80W90...I wish it weren't true.

As for changing the tranny fluid: you can change it as often as you like (I do on my V6 every year). Just DO ONE THING BEFORE DRAINING THE TRANSMISSION:

Try unbolting the FILL PLUG before you remove the drain plug. If the upper plug is stripped, you won't be able to refill it--then you're SOL.

--Tim

All good points. The "don't change the fluid in your transmission if it has been a long time" is only true for automatics. And even then, is only true for automatics that are on their way out anyway...

-Charlie

camrygt4 · 03-07-2008, 07:07 PM

Only the alltracs take gear lube. I work at a shop that has Mithchell on demand and mitchell lists ATF.

ReverendDexter · 03-07-2008, 07:10 PM

I was gonna say - the manual for my Alltrac very specifically lists GL-5 gear oil. I was gonna put MT90 in it once I got around to it.

camrygt4 · 03-07-2008, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReverendDexter

I was gonna say - the manual for my Alltrac very specifically lists GL-5 gear oil. I was gonna put MT90 in it once I got around to it.

I put mt90 in when I did my 3sgte swap and it made big a differance.

TBayToyotaBoy · 03-07-2008, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camrygt4

Only the alltracs take gear lube. I work at a shop that mas Mithchell on demand and mitchell lists ATF.

Nope. The V6 (E52) manual transmission takes 75/80W90 as well.

http://www.camrystuff.com/manuals/Gen2/Maintenance.pdf
See page 13.

ReverendDexter · 03-07-2008, 10:43 PM

While we're on the subject, how many quarts do these trannies take?