3rd & 4th Generation (1992–1996 & 1997–2001)Toyota Camry Discussion for years: 1992-1996 & 1997-2001
Topics of discussion range from fuel economy, safety, modifications, performance all involving America's favorite family car, the Toyota Camry.
Just bought a 2000 Camry (94k miles, 4 Cylinder, Auto) and just finished doing a drain and fill for the transmission. Then I tried to unscrew the Fill plug bolt and ended up stripping it. Tried blasting it with liquid wrench and using a breaker bar and still not loose.
I'm thinking of taking off the differential cover and hammering a socket on the bolt and then using an impact wrench to get it off (hopefully). Is it easy to take off the differential cover? Seems like its just a couple of bolts and I would just need a gasket and new fill plug. I read another post similar to this question, but that got hardly any replies.
Also does anyone have the part number for the differential gasket by chance? Or should i be able to use a gasket sealer?
Yeah, tried vice grips on it but its just stripping it more. I read about turbo sockets being able to get stripped bolts out. Tempted to give it a try, but theres not that much room.
Theres gotta be someone who eventually had to take off the differential cover, not seeing many ways to get this bolt off, unless those turbo sockets actually work miracles.
The fill bolt is a 17mm bolt if it's like my 2000 Camry I4 , 4 speed automatic. I was using an open ended wrench to remove my fill plug and it splayed causing the plug to round. To remove the plug, I used one of these tools: http://www.irwin.com/irwin/consumer/...rwinProd100512
I bought another plug and gasket from Toyota for something like $6 shipped since the closest dealer to me was 90 mi away and I had already drained the fluid at this point.
I don't know what a turbo socket is so I cannot comment about that.
You might be able to access the differential breather and use that port as a temporary refill point...but you'll have to measure out what you take out and fill it back up with the same amount...
Out of the many threads I read up on, no one mentioned using a chisel and hammer on the bolt head. I tried doing that a couple of times, then used the vice grip and finally got it out. I'm pretty sure the chisel helped loosen it.
If you need a quick replacement, O'reilly (Kragen) has a oil drain plug that fits and looks like it has a strong head for future differential oil changes.
Thanks to everyone who replied. Hopefully someone who encounters this problem as well will be able to get it out.
yeah, you can usually make a notch in the metal somehow and use the chisel or long screw driver or crow bar and a hammer and give it a whack somewhere on the outer part of the bolt or nut to turn.. or at least to break the seal, then another method to turn the screw.
Whacking a frozen bolt is called shocking it and it frequently does loosen the bolt. It somehow, possibly through vibration, breaks the seal that has formed over time.
I found this out when I had to replace the window regulator on my Maxima. I had to remove the motor from the regulator but just could not get any of the 4 phillips head screws to move. They were conneceted to nuts that fit into a molded piece to keep them from moving. I called the dealership for ideas and that's when they told me to "shock" them. I maneuvered the regulator onto my vise, took a large nail set and 3lb hand sledge and gave them each 2-3 good hits.....the screws then came out very easily!
You might be able to access the differential breather and use that port as a temporary refill point...but you'll have to measure out what you take out and fill it back up with the same amount...
Does 1999 CAMRY LE (4 cyl) has this kind of breather port? If so how can I find it?
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