1997 Camry Transmission Fluid 194,000 miles

[huffman142]

I have a 1997 Camry LE, 4 cylinder. I'm a college student, and my parents bought it new. It has 194,000 miles, and we've had no major issues with the vehicle (only had to change struts, timing belt, and brakes). I am not aware of any transmission services done on the vehicle since it was new. i know anyone reading this is probably cringing. i'm not having any issues with shifting, but i was just wondering if I should do anything? I read that you should just leave it with high mileage, but after 194,000 miles with no fluid change it seems it needs SOMETHING to keep going. The car is running fine. I just want to make sure it continues to do so.

I got the car when my parents went through a divorce. My dad had previously driven it to work. The oil was changed regularly, but other fluids weren't regularly flushed and filled. What else should I do? Coolant flush and fill? transmission? brake fluid? I don't know whether to replace all the fluids or let them go since they're causing no problems? And these aren't the cheapest services for a college student, but I'll do what I have to do to keep the car going. I know a new vehicle would be a much higher expense.

I guess my question could be simplified to this: If you got this car at 194,000 miles that has no mechanical issues but also no record of steady servicing other than oil and problems as they arise, what servicing would you do to ensure it continues to run smoothly? I should also say that the fluids were never ran low. It wasn't neglected in that way.

I just got an alignment and am getting new rotors and tires Friday. It's a great car, and I really think it will continue to go much longer. I just need to take care of the preventative maintenance that's been overlooked.

Thanks for your help!

[redgtxdi]

As for tranny..........

Drain/refill a few times over the next few months. (maybe once every couple weeks)

Sure, it's not good to do, but I've seen PLENTY stranger & tranny oil's a whoooooole lot more forgiving than engine oil.

(And while you're at it.......change the differential oil too. i-4's have separate reservoirs so they need to be changed independently)

Then......I'd probably seek out a good radiator shop nearby.......or look for a coupon from the dealer for a coolant flush. (Note: MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THEM PUT TOYOTA RED COOLANT BACK IN WHEN THEY'RE DONE!!!!!)

Actually..........chances are that if you had the timing belt changed, they probably changed out the water pump too (typically done at TB change time) and if so, they definitely had to change coolant.......so you probably had the coolant changed out at least once, but a good coolant flush/service is probably a good investment.

Lastly............don't forget to have a toga party when you hit 200K.......

[huffman142]

my dad and grandfather changed the timing belt themselves, so i don't think the water pump was changed. it was in an accident in December 99, and the radiator was replaced, so it's been since then. i am amazed by this car. we've seriously had no problems other than the struts and timing belt, which are both expected. the timing belt lasted until 120,000 miles, so i'm around 74,000 miles on it. it's still the original alternator, starter, water pump, etc...

i've been reading about the differing views on drain/refill and flushing. they say the flush could cause debris to loosen and cause problems. i'm reading about people dropping the pan and replacing the filters. is this any different, or would it still cause the potential risk? am i just better off to drain and refill a few times to get the majority of the debris out?

thanks for your reply. i'll have to remember that toga party. haha.

[dc_98_cam]

I would vote to remove the transmission pan, due to a likely accumulation of sludge in the bottom. Just get an OEM dealer pan gasket, a drain bolt gasket (metal ring type), and then drain the transmission pan, remove the pan, clean with gas or solvent, clean and replace the two magnets in the pan, put in new gasket, refill with clean fluid (measure the amount that drained out). Drive it a while, and then repeat the drain and refill cycle another two or three times.
Also drain and refill the differential reservoir ... once is probably enough. ... Some people have had trouble with the drain bolt and side fill bolt so loosen both first before you drain the fluid.
There is a waterside drain bolt on the rear of the engine block .... remove this and most of the coolant will drain out ... you need a large pan to catch it. ... Don't forget to loosen/remove the radiator cap while you are doing this. ....Suggest getting Toyota OEM coolant ... just so you have no future problems. ... This procedure isn't the same as flushing the coolant system, but will probably be sufficient.
You might consider replacing the thermostat and its gasket as insurance against possible difficulties.

If you were to flush the transmission pan without first cleaning the sludge out of the bottom of the pan, there might possibly be difficulties. If you do inspect the bottom of the pan by removing it, you will probably see the sludge that is likely to be the problem.
There is also a metal filter inside the transmission pan, which has three bolts, and can be removed, cleaned with solvent, and replaced with little difficulty.

On the I4 engine, any DEXRON III grade ATF fluid is adequate for the transmission, differential, and power steering. Not sure about the V6, but is recommended on the 4 cylinder version.

Most of these topics have been discussed several times ... and are in the forum search tab.

[toyomoho]

There are various opinions on changing high mileage trans fluid. However if the old fluid is left in it will break down even further with the continued heat and damage to the trans will be inevitable.

Dropping the trans pan is easy enough, clean the pan and magnets. The filter is a mesh screen; cost should be under $20 at an autoparts store. Make sure you find out if the pan uses a gasket or a sealant.

The trans pan holds 2-3 quarts; the rest is in the torque converter. You will need to do many drains and refills over time before the fluid starts to become red again. If you measure the amount of the fluid that drains out, you can then just refill with the same amount of fluid and end up pretty close to the right amount on the dipstick.

If the water pump is not leaking wait until the next belt change. Drain and flush the coolant from the radiator and block. Then refill with a coolant that is borate and silicate free plus distilled water.

If you plan on keeping the car, flush the brake system with new fluid. Brake fluid absorbs water and if not replaced can cause problems over time.

Change the power steering fluid, as this will prolong the life of the pump and steering gear. Find something to draw the fluid out of the reservoir and replace with new. Repeat this over time and the fluid will again be clean.

[huffman142]

i'll talk to the mechanic friday about changing the transmission fluid. he's an independent mechanic that services luxury/foreign vehicles. i want to take it to someone who will do it right. there's no way i'm pulling up to one of these quick service shops in a college town. i'll talk to him about dropping the pan and cleaning everything and doing it right. i feel he's always been honest with us, so i'll also get his opinion.

thanks again for the help.

[ken_oy]

Originally Posted by huffman142

i'll talk to the mechanic friday about changing the transmission fluid. he's an independent mechanic that services luxury/foreign vehicles. i want to take it to someone who will do it right. there's no way i'm pulling up to one of these quick service shops in a college town. i'll talk to him about dropping the pan and cleaning everything and doing it right. i feel he's always been honest with us, so i'll also get his opinion.

thanks again for the help.

I will try to do by myself.
In San Antonio, I'd rather to DIY than to leave my own car to a unknow mechanic. Last time for just changing engine oil, they almost destroy my engine.

[bigdaddymak20]

FYI: I have worked in a dealership and don't recommend toyota red anti freeze. That stuff is junk and we had all kinds of warranty problems with water pumps due to it eating seals and coming out weep holes. We didnt even use it at the dealership just the green stuff. There also are several lawsuits out there against the makers of long life anti freeze because of the same issues. Just flush every 2 yrs or 30k and youll be good.

[dc_98_cam]

Originally Posted by bigdaddymak20

FYI: I have worked in a dealership and don't recommend toyota red anti freeze. That stuff is junk and we had all kinds of warranty problems with water pumps due to it eating seals and coming out weep holes. We didnt even use it at the dealership just the green stuff. There also are several lawsuits out there against the makers of long life anti freeze because of the same issues. Just flush every 2 yrs or 30k and youll be good.

I recently went through the timing belt and water pump routine, which required draining the coolant from the engine block. I replaced the drained coolant with a type of coolant sold at NAPA, described as 'amenable' to the Toyota coolant. I believe it was an off-yellow color fluid, which resulted in a sort of pink shade, when it mixed with the remaining OEM coolant. ... Didn't actually perform a flush to get all the old coolant out. I would go along with the 2 year flush idea ....Maybe that would keep the pH from getting too extreme. ... Not sure what would happen if you mixed green with red .... You would probably want to do a full coolant flush, if you used green coolant.