1998 Toyota Camry 4 cyl 2.2 L automatic 4-speed 107k miles
Just got my 1st Toyota. I paid $2500 and man did I hit the jackpot! Best deal I ever had; LOVE this car! . . . anyway, my question is how many miles between oil changes? I live in a NYC suburb and drive about 50% highway & 50% local traffic and it's not very hilly around here and I don't carry any weight/freight.
Also, how often do I change the timing belt?
My last car was a 1996 VW Jetta and I changed oil every 2500m and timing belt every 60,000m. Just junked it @ 271,000m.
My personal preference is to change the oil every 3 months or 3,000 miles, whichever comes first. Some people will say that old school thinking and is overkill today as today's oils have improved, but IMHO it's still cheap insurance.
As far as the timing belt it should be changed every 90,000 miles.
Timing Belt - 90,000 miles (do the water pump, too).
As for the oil, it depends on many variables. If you did lots of short trips (especially in cold temps) where the engine did not fully warm up, I would be looking at every 3000 miles. Otherwise, every 5000 miles. I'm speaking of conventional oil (not synthetic).
My 98 has 278000 on it. I use plain old quaker state oil. I change it every 3000 - 3500 miles. Most of my driving is around town. Do the timing belt and water pump at the same time. If the other belts are worn then change them all at the same time. These are great cars, you just have to take care of them and treat them good. They are easy to work on, and there is a lot of advice and instructions on this site that will save you a lot of money if you do the work yourself. Best of luck to you with your car.
Thank you guys for all replies. You people are very quick to respond! Thats great. I like this forum already.
My next question is, what's a good way to find out if it needs a new t-belt? (I've never done a t-belt myself; had mechanic do it) Could I actually look to see if it needs replacement? Maybe I could ask (previous owner/mechanics) about it? It has 107,000 miles on it and I am not sure if I can get an accurate answer from the guy who owned it. He is a psychiatrist and may not be a reliable source of info. . .or . . the gas station owners/technicians where I bought the car might not be a reliable source either. . . or maybe just assume it was never done and do it anyway?
OK so I plan on doing a timing belt soon, so I would like to know what kind of kit to buy that is not too expensive. I live near most auto part suppliers like NAPA, Autozone, Advance Auto Parts etc. Maybe someone could give me a link or 2.
Aisin is the OEM supplier to Toyota. They offer complete kits. Look up the kit p/n you need using the link below, then price shop. Rockauto.com and Amazon are usually hard to beat. If you're an eBay'er, there's a seller "aircabinman" a lot of guys have bought from.
I really don't know where to start, do I get a belt, or a kit, or components, or pulleys w/belt, with or without water pump etc. I don't want to end up buying parts I don't need. Do I start taking it apart to see what it needs? . . how do I decide which parts/kits/combinations of parts to get?
before you dive into the deep end on this look at the timing belt cover & see if there is a small sticker there showing when a timing belt was replaced. it likely would have a handwritten date & mileage with magic marker. maybe on the metal part in front of the radiator? you might get lucky. most timing belts come with this sticker and you just write date and mileage with a sharpie.
It's a lot of work, so it's a good idea to replace everything by getting a kit. Some take it a step further and replace the cam and crankshaft seals, which are not usually in the kits.
Then wait until you get things apart and can inspect them, replacing only what needs to be. It'll take longer, because you'll have to wait for the parts.
Personally, I'd save up for the kit even if it takes a few months.
I'm gonna save up 'n get the kit. Even if I have to eat less (which would be beneficial in my case!) because this car is worth it! Just went out for an evening ride while there is no traffic, and was enjoying how nice it rides. I have friends with newer cars (2009 VW Jetta TDI & 2013 Ford Fusion for example) that do not ride as smooth as this. LOVE this car!
As far as the operation, I'm scared! Not of the work, but I'm afraid of getting those pulleys out of sync, and wondering if there is any way they can be kept in place so they cannot move when replacing the belt?
Which sockets don't you have? The DIY lists a lot of SAE sockets. While some do work, there isn't a single true SAE fastener on the Camry.
The only specialty socket you'll need is a 19mm? 1/2 drive for the crank bolt. Preferably an impact socket. It could be a 21mm, I don't remember for sure.
Otherwise you'll just need 10, 12, 14, and 17mm sockets in 3/8 drive primarily, and preferably 6 point.
I have a local MFA (farm supply store) that has individual sockets for dirt cheap. Usually 1.50 to 3 bucks each, including impact sockets. Many of them are Taiwan too, not China. Parts stores usually carry them for around 5 bucks each.
Otherwise, Harbor Freight has reasonable shipping. The sockets are pretty good too, the 64 piece set is probably the best for the money.
A standard depth socket will work on the crank bolt. Also, go to a Home Depot or similar and get a 3 foot long iron pipe that fits over the handle of your breaker bar... Makes the job a lot easier.
Is there a diagram or photo somewhere that shows safe places to mount floor jacks and jack stands etc. This car did not have an owner's manual or any type of maintenance documentation when I got it, so I don't know the safe jack points.
Also, anybody know a good place to shop for tools online that accepts paypal? HarborFreight 'don't do paypal'.
The Pittsburgh Professional line is very good.. I don't think there is better out there for the money. I have a lot of those tools, and they have treated me very well. Lifetime warranty on all hand tools, and they have been very good about honoring it for me.
You can use 20% off coupons on the tools in the store, so it may be worth it to you to get it there. Do you have a Paypal card? I have used mine in their store before.
AHA! there's a harbor freight less than 20 miles from me in the Bronx, N.Y. I'd rather get it at the store than take a chance of getting something counterfeit at ebay . . .it's possible.
and while i'm there, i can get the other tools needed.