Need suggestion!

[mykyna]

93 Camry SE 135000. When I have oil change at Toyota dealer today, the guy told me I have major leak on water pump and cause coolant dark (dirty). Actually I have changed timing belt and water pump at another Toyota dealer two years back. Also he told me the tranmission seal is leaking as well.

Can you guys tell me is this possible? do I have to change water pump again and the seal? The leaking is not serious.

Thanks so much!!!

[hassanbigboss]

I cannot say anything about the water pump but as for the transmission fluid....its real easy to spot.....if its a major leak....you should be able to see it on the surface where you park your car eveyday......also....if you check the dip stick you should be able to tell if the level is dropping. Hope this helps

[mykyna]

Thanks... the guy also mentioned the transmission fluid is dark and need to be flashed. How many millage need to replace the transmission fluid? I changed at 100k last time and now it's 135k.

If the leaking is not serious, do I have to change the seal? I will not keep it for more than 2 years b/c it is an old car.

[Mike Gerber]

"When I have oil change at Toyota dealer today, the guy told me I have major leak on water pump and cause coolant dark (dirty). "


This is absolutely untrue. Although the water pump may be leaking, it will not cause the coolant to be dark. It may be dark, but a leaking waterpump is not the cause of that. It leads me to suspect everything this dealer told you. You need to determine if the water pump is actually leaking. Does the coolant level go down? Do you see evidence of a leak near/under the water pump area? If it is actually leaking it does need to be changed. Running low or running out of coolant can overheat your engine. Overheating today's engine with aluminum cylinder heads can do a lot of damage to the engine.

As far as the transmission fluid it should be changed by draining and refilling it every 30,000 miles. You can check the color and the amount of transmission fluid yourself by checking the dipstick. Here, if the leak is very slow you could just keep a watch on the fluid level through the dipstick.

I would get a second opinoin before doing anything.

Mike

[mykyna]

Thanks Mike! The coolant level is normal but it is dark. I flashed it five months ago, which has run 15,000 miles so far. Also I checked with the transmission fluid stick and the level is between two notches. The color is getting dark but still can see the pink color (the original color). Do you think I need to do the coolant flush or transmission fluid drain and refill? I know it may be hard to tell without looking the car but any input will be appreciated!

Thanks again!

[Mike Gerber]

I would just keep a watch on both levels for a while. I would also look for drips or puddles under the car. If you see any, then you know you have a leak. You know the colors of both fluids, so you should be able to determine which if either are leaking. As far a changing both fluids, I would wait until you determine if they are leaking or not. If you change them now and later notice a serious leak, you or the mechanic will be changing them again after the leak is repaired. Once you determine that there are no leaks, then you can change them. These are 2 jobs that the average DIY'r can do.

You will have to bleed the cooling system after changing the coolant, but that too is not that difficult. It just takes a little patience. Drain the radiator by loosening the plastic wing screw on the driver's side at the bottom of the radiator. Then close the wing screw and refill the coolant/water mix. Turn the levers inside the car to the hotest temperature and the selector to defrost. Then start and run the engine with the radiator cap off for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. It's best to have the front of the car raised up slightly. A slightly inclined driveway is good enough. You will see air bubbles coming out of the open radiator cap area. After the hour, shut off the car and refill the radiator and the overflow tank up to the full mark. Reinstall the radiator cap. Check the overflow tank after a couple of days of driving. You may need to top it off again. Always use a 50/50 mix of coolant and water or buy the premixed stuff and use that straight.

As far as the transmission fluid change, that's simply removing the allen head transmission drain plug and letting the fluid drain out. Then replace the bolt and refill with the same amount that drains out. Check the level carefully, as the proper level is important. If you have the 4 cylinder 5SFE engine, I believe the proper amount is 2.6 quarts of Dextron II or Dextron III for this drain and refill procedure. I believe you can only get Dextron III today. I'm not certain of the amount for the V6 engine, but it should be listed in your owner's manual.

Mike

[mykyna]

Will do. Great comment Mike! I learned a lot.