Camry & Solara LoungeDiscussion area for every generation of Toyota's family car, the Toyota Camry. Lexus ES250/300 owners welcome! Topics of discussion range from fuel economy, safety, modifications, performance and more.
How to change transmission oil? How to change brake fluid? Pwr Steering Fluid??
Where is the transmission anyways? 91' Previa, 01' Camry? What type of tranny oil? THESE CARS HAS NEVER HAD AN TRANNY OIL CHANGE.
How do you drain the brake fluid? On my previa, theres an screw underneath the metal pipe that the tank is attached to... do I just unscrew and drain???
POWER STEERING - Says I have to use Dextron III or something... do I? Can I drain and refill?
Suggest for Previa to post questions to the site on TN.
On most brake systems, the fluid is not drained but pumped out as new is added to the reservoir. A plastic hose is connected to the bleeder valve on the brake slave cylinder. The valve is opened as the brake pedal is pushed down and the old fluid is forced out into a container. Once the pedal is at bottom, close valve to prevent air from being drawn in. New fluid is added to the reservoir as the old fluid is bled out. Don't allow the master clyinder to get low on fluid or you will allow air into the system. Repear this process with all brake lines until the fluid is clear.
On the Camry look under the car for the trans oil pan. This is a large, short height black steel pan. The oil plug should have a 10mm hex socket to remove it. Remove and drain. About 2 quarts should come out; the rest is still in the torque converter. If the oil is black, repeat the process several times over a few hundred miles to help change the majority of the fluid. The type of fluid used should be stamped on the dipstick.
You can drain and refill the PS reservoir and hoses. However to prevent a mess, suggest finding something that can suck out the fluid, then replace with new. Do this about 5 times over a hundred miles and the fluid will be clear again. If the PS dipstick states to use Dexron III, then this is normal.
If not an hassle, could you give me some basic steps on how to bleed the brakes? And if I am not mistaken, you add fluid as you bleed the brakes??
Question for Changing brake fluid - My dad used to complain that the brakes were still weak even after changing them. Is that because for 6 years he never changed the brake fluid?
Important Safety Question - At the age of 12 I read my Previa manual that to use NEWLY OPENED BRAKE FLUID. My dad was still using the same brake fluid over 2 years ago. My fluids are 1 day old, can they be still used?
Would you have either an picture of what the pan (pan only, no car) or what the pan is like under the car? If not, could you describe it more?
Question for transmission oil - If I change this regulary, should I notice an faster shifting? I inherieted this car from my father,in which he did not do regular maintaince on. What type of oil do you recommend? Are there full synthetic oils? If you open the bottle after an week is it unusable like brake fluid?
I have an sucker thingy from walmart. It will do. Thank you VERY MUCH.
Question for PS fluid - Where can you buy Dexron III anyways? Supertech PS fluid says that it will mix with most fluids, can I drain out 3/4 of it and add the new supertech fluid?
I thank you tremendously for what you've told me so far.
If you put the brake bleed hose in a clean jar with enough new brake fluid in it to more than cover the end then you don't have to worry about sucking in air. The old fluid will discolor it some and the air will bubble to the top. Should the pedal accidently come up, you just suck in the brake fluid. Just don't let the master cylinder run too low. This is really a 2-3 person job although there are kits out there for doing it by yourself. Start at the brake farthest away from the master. (Usually right rear) Loosen bleed valve, depress pedal and hold while bleed valve is closed. Release pedal and repeat until only fluid comes out. Repeat for next farthest brake. Remember NOT to let master cylinder get too low or you start all over and it takes LOTS of fluid as you must get the air out from the master. With 3 people you have one to watch and keep the master filled, one to pump and one to bleed.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air so it really is important to use it in a timely fashion. How long opened is too long? If the lid is tight and not much has been used a few days PROBABLY won't hurt. Too much moisture though and your brake pedal may travel too far down as it compresses the water. (Brake fluid doesn't compress nearly as much as water.) Then you have to flush the entire system.
BTW, I have a '92 and have NEVER changed the fluid. No problems. (But it probably is a good idea for best performance.) That's my 2 cents, I'm just an old shade-treer.
Where is the transmission anyways? 91' Previa, 01' Camry? What type of tranny oil?
I can only talk about the 2001 camry trans -. The tranny is on the driveres side of the car. It has a drain plug that takes a 10mm male hex. The type of tranny fluid ought to be stamped on the transmission dipstick. I have a 2001 solara V6 and it says to use Toyota TIV fluid, only, so thats what i use. It is a dealer-only, costs about $5 a quart.
I change my brake fluid the lazy way. same for the power steering fluid. Here's how, i just suck it out with a turkey baster from the 99 cents store and top back up. Other than that, they get flushed when a component gets changed and the system gets bled, and not before.
If you disconnect hoses and lines on a perfectly good system just to change the fluid, you can do a more thorough job but may in the end decide it just wasnt worth all the extra work.
How do I make sure that the fluid doesn't run too low in master cylinder?
You have the cap off and keep filling it as fluid is pumped out thru the wheel slave cylinder(s) bleed valve. See how far it drops with each pedal pump and then you can judge how often you need to check and refill or have someone stand there and watch it, refilling as necessary.
Auto parts store or aquarium pump hose from the pet store might fit. Home Depot might have clear hose of the right diameter too.
If you want to flush it just do a brake bleed, start at rr wheel , then lr, then rf, then lf. A helper person is quite helpful to have but if no one's available that day, i use a stick or broom handle or some such for the part where you have to hold the pedal down. Brace the pedal against the edge of the seat or even the back of seat if the stick is too long. Pad the stick with something like a small flat piece of wood so you dont wreck your seat. DO NOT let air bubbles get in the system or you will have to bleed this wheel some more to get it out.
Just bleed until the fluid looks clean from that wheel. Tighten bleeder, do the next wheel, etc. If you dont have a helper you will do a lot of jumping out of the car and running back and forth topping up the master and dumping old fluid out of your container, etc. but it can be done this way, i have done it. Buy at least a quart of brake fluid, 2 qts would be better, you dont want to run out do you.
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That's my 2 cents, I'm just an old shade-treer.
No wonder people ignore those who ask noob questions! 
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