auto trans part laying in trans oilpan!? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

AR15FAN · 07-26-2005, 12:27 PM

1993 Camry LE - 3.0 L auto.

I just bought this car and the trans fluid was dark. Flushed the transmission and then proceeded to change the filter and pan gasket.

After draining, and getting the last couple of bolts out to drop the pan, I hear a "tink" in the pan. I think WTF??? after lowering the pan, I found a "part" in the pan.

Approximately 1/4"x1/4" cylinder with an approximately 1/8" wide 1/2" long shaft protruding from one of the flat surfaces of the cylinder. It is a smoothly machined piece, but the end of the shaft portion is slightly mushroomed. I found no other hardware in the pan (except for the magnets) - anything else that was in there got washed out during the earlier drain of the pan. I couldn't find anywhere it looked like it would fit. Part seems to be made of aluminum.

The only "goofball" explanation I could think of was that it was something that was resting in the large hole in the pan flange's corner, and dropped in the pan when I lowered it. Does this issue sound familiar to anyone?

Trans seems to be fine. I had to put it back together as I had to go somewhere important. The trans goes into gear slightly harshly sometimes, but I haven't had the car long enough to tell if this is abnormal.

Any help or suggestions will be appreciated.

EDIT - I tried to search the archived threads for this issue - found nothing - I did try.

Keep · 07-26-2005, 01:39 PM

I'm going to take a browse through the shop manual for which parts are first removed from the base of the transaxle... see if any of those parts match what you gave as a description.

A540E is what you have correct?

Because My Shop manual is for the A541E (newer revision).. I could take a quick look nonetheless

Keep · 07-26-2005, 01:56 PM

I went through the lower section overhaul on paper, and no parts looking like that showed up. Care to say where you think the part may have dropped out of?

ag6286 · 07-26-2005, 02:23 PM

picture may help in aiding identification, i may be dropping my pan soon for a filter change....maybe ill see in on my 3vzfe setup

AR15FAN · 07-26-2005, 02:59 PM

I honestly don't know where the part came from. I had two bolts left in - opposite each other. I'm holding the pan up w/ one hand, doing the final loosening of the last two bolts. The pan moves down, I try to keep it level and pushed up - and I hear the "tink".

Probably doesn't matter, but the trans pan shifted a bit, I pushed it up, and in doing so, smeared some sediment on the plate that covers the tubes, upper left corner of the top picture. The sediment was from one of the magnets which was broken in half (those magnets are a bit fragile).

The upper left corner is the where the "hole" I was referring to is.

**A540E is what you have correct?**

No idea - sorry.

Keep · 07-26-2005, 03:03 PM

Well If I were you, I would hope that the fallen part was not part of the valve body.

Otherwise, I have no clue what It could be, Foreign object? I dont know how FOD would get in there.

AR15FAN · 07-26-2005, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keep

Well If I were you, I would hope that the fallen part was not part of the valve body.

Otherwise, I have no clue what It could be, Foreign object? I dont know how FOD would get in there.

This is the only way it could be FOD - unless it was FODed the last time it was changed.

"The only "goofball" explanation I could think of was that it was something that was resting in the large hole in the pan flange's corner, and dropped in the pan when I lowered it."

AR15FAN · 07-26-2005, 04:01 PM

Do these transmissions have a knockout plug that is dislodged when the trans fluid dipstick tube is installed like on some other makes?

Donald · 07-26-2005, 07:12 PM

AR15 FAN.
I have gone through my shop manual and the only things I see in the 540E trans that fits that discription are plugs for the valve body pistons, and a couple of check valves. If you have a digital camera, e-mail me a photo of the part so I can compare it to what is in the book and let you know what it is. If you don't have a camera, e-mail me anyway and I will send you copies of pages so you can figure it out. If it is one of the plugs there is a little rectangular shaped steel keeper that is supposed to hold it in place. It could get stuck to one of the magnets. If it is a check valve there might be a spring loose in there.

If it shifts ok, hopefully it is just an extra part left over from a rebuild.

I have two 540E valve bodies sitting in my storage shed so if you need parts I might be able to help.

Donald < donislandman@triad.rr.com >

AR15FAN · 07-27-2005, 02:32 PM

Many thanks for everyone's help. Sorry it took so long for me to reply - here's a pic:

http://www.hunt101.com/watermark.php...0transpart.JPG

Donald · 07-27-2005, 07:15 PM

Yup!
Looks like check valve "B" from inside the lower valve body.
That piece must have been left out during a rebuild. The valve body would need to be removed from the transmission and disassembeled for that part to come out.

Hopefully it is just an extra one.

If your car shifts ok up and down through the gears I would just keep driving it and not worry about it. Do you have access to another Camry to drive and compare the shifting? If so, I would try that.

Good luck.

AR15FAN · 07-27-2005, 10:59 PM

I will try the used car section of a local dealership - go for a test drive.

Thanks again for the help!