Need to change my differential fluid. Can anyone provide a diagram or photo where the filler plug is for the differential? Drain plug is obvious but the filler plug is not. Thanks.
If my '95 service manual applies to your '98, both the drain & fill plugs are 10 mm hex. New fluid is ATF Dextron II & is filled to within .20 in of bottom edge of filler hole. You will need to rent/purchase a hand fluid pump.
My Haynes manual shows the filler plug is a "bolt" but the diagram stinks and doesn't fit with what I see under my car. The 95s & 98s are different in this regard.
This transmission should have a separate differential fluid housing. Known locations for the filler plug are the back of the differential housing facing firewall. You will need to look under the car and up at the housing to see this plug. The other is the driver’s side of the housing.
Use a funnel with a long flexible neck to fill the housing and the same type fluid as the trans.
I just looked at my 99 Avalon owner's manual. It only shows one fliud capacity for the transaxle, no seperate listing for the diff. I asked the Toyota dealer they said the same thing. I do not have a TSRM, I do have a Haynes manual which I find spotty on it's accuracy. The Haynes lists a seperate capacity for the diff. On page 1-24 of that manual it shows the drain and fill plugs. On my '99, the spot where the fill plug should be does not have a fill plug. You can see in the casting where one should be. It faces the left front wheel about 4 inches up from the drain, almost directly rearward of the left drive shaft. If you have one it will be the same 10mm allen wrench type bolt as the drain plug.
As I said before, it varies by year and model. The Haynes makes note that 99 and later ES300 trans do not have a seperate chamber.
Sloopercat,
Thanks. Your description is exactly where I thought the filler plug should be. I have the cast hole that you mention also. That's why I posted because I just couldn't figure it out. My vehicle (1998) is supposed to have 2 separate chambers. When I had the tranny pan off, it was quite obvious that the two are separate.
Toyomoho,
Your second location on the housing sounds like the spot Sloopercat was talking about. I see nothing facing the firewall other than bolts holding the housing on, and the drain plug of course. Thank you.
Keep the ideas coming guys. I don't want to let a silly little thing like this defeat me!
The chambers are "seperate", but there is a passage that connects the two, is how I understand it is on the 6cyl cars. The 4cyl cars, that use the same casting, have seperate unconnected chambers.
I looked around the Camry forum and the consensus seems to agree with what I think is the case. But, I do not have the TSRM.
Last edited by sloopercat; 08-05-2006 at 03:49 PM.
if you ever do a tranny flush or even a drain and refill every 15k as an example, new fluid should get into the differential from the transmission...or so have I been told about my 97 avalon.
Keep us updated on what you decide.
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1997 Toyota Avalon (No longer own)
Need to change my differential fluid. Can anyone provide a diagram or photo where the filler plug is for the differential? Drain plug is obvious but the filler plug is not. Thanks.
'96 Avalon is the same. Drain plug is located (I hope I'm correct) but not the fill plug.
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