Problem with 99 camry I4 losing power - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

njwrestler07 · 08-22-2011, 09:43 PM

I have recently noticed my 99 I4 losing power, doesnt have as much kick as it use to, only has 71,000 on it. When i give it some good throttle on the highway and it downshifts, the rpms will go to 4,000, then drop a little, then climb back up, im not letting off the throttle at all when the rpms go down, what could this be? Here is a video i took of it.

You Tube

carsrus · 08-22-2011, 09:49 PM

3900 at 70mph seem way to much. If i remember correctly in at about 2500 at 65...

Does is bog and need alot of rpm to move from a stop? Tranny slippage is definitely a possibility, or your o/d conked out.

njwrestler07 · 08-22-2011, 10:05 PM

o/d works, someone told me the trans sensor could be the problem, not sure though

njwrestler07 · 08-22-2011, 10:07 PM

it hits 3900 when i almost give it full throttle on the highway when it down shifts, the trans does kick a little sometimes too

njwrestler07 · 08-23-2011, 08:38 PM

Can anyone else help?

***fenixus*** · 08-23-2011, 08:48 PM

gen4 pretty much do (both of them) around 3k rpm at 80mph, that's how I remember it (easy numbers). if your car needs almost 3.5k rpm at 70mph then you have a problem.

flush or drain refill the transmission AND differential if haven't done already recently for starters.

however I think your problem could be somewhere else ... brakes binding or suspension, namely wheel bearings ... have you tested recently each wheel free spin?

rears are easy to test as they are independent, you can test each corner alone.
fronts needs to be tested at same time (axle off the ground) and automatic transmission needs to be shifted into Neutral (use override button).

binding front calipers (or Master Cylinder not kicking back and holding brakes slightly applied all around) can easily yield same bad results as broken front wheel bearings.

I was unlucky to have both problems at same time on my V6 .... man, i was barely able to roll that car at some point during last Winter ...

you can easily tell if your car has a problem, when you take of from stop lights and apply as much throttle as usual and you notice that ALL (even the oldest shittiest) cars around you leave you behind ...

edit:
there is also 2 more things that can easily screw up car's performance a bit (but not like that) and that would be: sticky/dirty IAC valve and partially stuck open (or unable to close fully) EGR valve.

pmesfun · 08-23-2011, 11:01 PM

Looks like he downshifted, that's why the rpm is so high. Have you tried new spark plugs?

fen, I think my avalon may be programmed differently, but at 80mph the rpm is around 2500.

***fenixus*** · 08-24-2011, 08:57 AM

could be, I actually have not watched the vid...

true, your avy may have different ECU programming. my both solaras ('00 i4 and '02 v6) require around 3k rpm to hold a steady 80mph. can't talk about road flatness and inclinations though. we have no flat roads/h-ways around here like in Texas. everything around here is at a slight angle

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmesfun

Looks like he downshifted, that's why the rpm is so high. Have you tried new spark plugs?

fen, I think my avalon may be programmed differently, but at 80mph the rpm is around 2500.

Woodyg · 08-24-2011, 10:20 AM

-do a tuneup as needed?

-check for codes........see if you can catch a pending code

-change tranny and diff fluid as instructed earlier

njwrestler07 · 08-24-2011, 07:20 PM

rpms are at 3k when doing 80, yea, ill do a tune-up and see if it helps, i just feel like the car has no power anymore

***fenixus*** · 08-24-2011, 10:27 PM

I would try sea foaming the car first through 3 points of entry, gas tank, oil filler and brake booster port (on intake manifold).

then doing minor tune up items (Denso Double Platinum/NGK Laser Platinum spark plugs, new NGK TE58 wireset, new OEM fuel filter, new any paper air filter) and see how it goes from there.

as part of preventive maintenance you could also replace the gas tank cap and radiator cap with new OEM ones and I bet you start noticing some improvements already

if no luck, then dig deeper, so maybe major tune up? AFR/o2 sensors? ECT for EFI sensor? IAC valve problem? brake or suspension trouble?

if car shifts normally then the transmission is your last suspect (don't rule out the differential just yet though! 2.2L has a separate diff chamber and that ATF in there could be like mud in there if you never changed it yet)