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Toyota Camry Basic Maintenance Questions

678 messages,  Last post on Sep 02, 2012 at 6:55 AM

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What is this discussion about? Toyota Camry, Toyota Camry Solara, Oil, Sedan

Messages Page 14 of 69

#126 of 678 Items for 60,000 Mile Service on 98 Camry by guevinj

Aug 23, 2005 (10:37 am)

The maintenance schedule book that came with my 1998 Toyota Camry 4 cyl. is a bit vague about some of the services that should be performed at 60,000 miles, i.e., those for "Special Operating Conditions". I do mostly city driving to work on weekdays (4 miles each way), with some highway driving on the weekends. I don't consider this to be "special operating conditions".
 
At 30,000 miles, the spark plugs were replaced with platinum plugs, and the transmission and radiator fluid were changed. I believe the spark plugs are good for 60,000 miles, so I don't feel I need to have them replaced again. Given the kind of driving I do, would I need to have the transmission and radiator fluid replaced again at this service? The dealer told me it would be more expensive if I started doing the services "a la carte", as opposed to using their 60,000 mile "package", which includes new spark plugs and radiator flush/fill. Am I on the right track?
 
Also, one of the items mentioned in the book is a valve inspection. In cold weather, I notice a tappet noise until my car is fully warmed up. I'd like to have this adjusted. Is it a labor-intensive process to adjust valves in a Camry?
 
Thanks for any advise!

#127 of 678 Re: Items for 60,000 Mile Service on 98 Camry [guevinj] by 210delray

Aug 24, 2005 (6:19 am)

Replying to: guevinj (Aug 23, 2005 10:37 am)
Toyota defines "special operating conditions" to include driving 5 miles or less in freezing temperatures. Other automakers say up to 10 miles regardless of weather.
 
Depending on your climate, I'd say you may qualify for the "special operating conditions" even under Toyota's tighter definition.
 
The spark plugs are good for 60K miles, so don't change them now. The radiator fluid (coolant) should be changed/flushed at 2 years or 30K miles, whichever comes first, if you are using the Toyota conventional red coolant (not the new Super Long Life coolant used on later models), so you are apparently overdue on a time basis.
 
It wouldn't hurt to change the transmission fluid now either, but just drain and refill. Don't let them talk you into a flush.
 
Also, the air filter should be replaced, the brakes and underbody checked, and the tires rotated, if you haven't had these already done recently.
 
Regarding valve clearance inspection, it shouldn't be labor intensive, but I'm not sure what is involved in actually adjusting the valve clearance if it's needed.

#128 of 678 oil filters for 2005 camry (and 2002 to 2005's) by chevymalibu

Sep 13, 2005 (10:17 am)

I posted this on the camry problems and solutions board too:
 
I do my own oil changes. I see that advanced auto and the others lists the fram 4967 as the filter. That filter was on the 92-96 and 97 - 01 models but the one on my 2005 is about an inch longer. Purolator #L14477 seems to be the exact replacement. Also, advance auto brand (made by fram), is AA4386 (the match to purolator's L14477) but not AA4967 which is the match to frams PH4967. I'm sure both fit the threads and work but why would there be two different sizes listed for the same car??? doesn't anyone cross reference or check this??? I measured the one on my car and it's identical to the purolator (which I bought 6 on sale). I don't want to buy it at the toyota place cause they are more bucks and someone makes it for them (not sure who but it's a name brand for sure). I already have to buy trans fluid at the dealer cause they scare you like honda if you use dexron III. Thanks in advance if anyone has changed theres and replies back with what oil filter they bought.

#129 of 678 Re: oil filters for 2005 camry (and 2002 to 2005's) [chevymalibu] by chevymalibu

Sep 14, 2005 (5:00 am)

Replying to: chevymalibu (Sep 13, 2005 10:17 am)
no need to reply to this question. someone answered it on the other camry board. Use the purolator L14477 and not the 4967 by fram or the L14476 by purolator (smaller filter). thanks

#130 of 678 Re: oil filters for 2005 camry (and 2002 to 2005's) [chevymalibu] by haefr

Sep 14, 2005 (9:50 am)

Replying to: chevymalibu (Sep 13, 2005 10:17 am)
"I already have to buy trans fluid at the dealer cause they scare you like honda if you use dexron III."
 
Believe it. Almost every OEM* specifies a proprietary ATF these days - I believe Toyota's is "T-IV". Many of these are synthetic blends. Good ol' fashioned Dexron III is not. The OEM proprietary blends also contain friction modifiers specific to the clutch facing material the manufacturer uses. So called "All Makes" universal ATFs, even those blended by name brand oil companies, are only their blender's best guess at compatibility. Use of these may disallow a transmission warranty claim depending on the car manufacturer. (For anyone running a non-OEM fluid, if your tranny does develop trouble, don't volunteer information that you're running a non-specified fluid. Silence is, indeed, golden.)
 
*I think Nissan still allows substitution of Dexron III. Honda's owner's manuals do too for top-up and full-fill in an emergency, but cautions in the case of full-fill to flush as soon as possible with their "Z-1" ATF by draining and refilling three or four times with several miles of driving in between draining and refilling each time. That gets the amount of remaining Dexron III down to a comfortably low single digit percentage.

#131 of 678 Re: oil filters for 2005 camry (and 2002 to 2005's) [haefr] by 210delray

Sep 14, 2005 (7:32 pm)

Replying to: haefr (Sep 14, 2005 9:50 am)
I fully agree on the trans fluid -- why take a chance on your transmission for the relatively small extra cost of the proprietary fluid?

#132 of 678 Re: oil filters for 2005 camry (and 2002 to 2005's) [haefr] by chevymalibu

Sep 16, 2005 (4:15 am)

Replying to: haefr (Sep 14, 2005 9:50 am)
you are so right. I asked the toyota guy and he said the T-IV ATF is some synthetic blend. It was $4 a quart. At least they just say drop the ATF and add back fresh. In the honda's, they say to drop and refill 3-4x to completely or nearly completely remove the old fluid. I got a qt of honda about a year ago and it was $4, last week it was almost $5. At 3 qts per drop and 4 drops that's 12 qts or 60 bucks. What sucks is you're tossing a lot of good fluid out to just dilute out the bad and "manually flush" the system. I read at valvoline that they have ATF's for some special cars that require the OEM fluid. Didn't see one for honda or toyota but like others on the car talk have said "it's insurance and you don't change it that often". I won't use anything other than the OEM's in that department but I'm going prestone extended life in the accord and toyota after the warranty is over. Same with DOT 3/4 brake fluid and PS fluid. I use castrol in both cars exclusively now. Might change once they get past 100K to other name brands. Thanks for your reply. Oh yeah, the sonata (hyundai) says dex III can be used for the trans.

#133 of 678 Re: oil filters for 2005 camry (and 2002 to 2005's) [chevymalibu] by haefr

Sep 17, 2005 (11:35 am)

Replying to: chevymalibu (Sep 16, 2005 4:15 am)
"I'm going prestone extended life in the accord and toyota after the warranty is over."
 
Funny you should mention that... I'm using Wal-Mart's "SuperTech" extended life antifreeze in my '03 Sonata V6. SuperTech is made for Wal-Mart by Prestone and is chemically identical to the Prestone branded product. (Much of the back-of-the-jug blather is word-for-word identical on both jugs, too.) $5.84/gal.
 
"Oh yeah, the sonata (hyundai) says dex III can be used for the trans."
 
Careful there - not sure what model year you're referring to, but Hyundai hasn't recommended Dexron III for over a decade in their automatics. Hyundai specificaly recommends SP-III for all automatics from model year 2000, now - even those originally calling for SP-II. Speaking of SP-II, it's an obsolete classification, now, but when it was current, Mitsubishi and Hyundai both allowed Chrysler ATF+3 as an acceptable substitute. Chrysler's since superceeded ATF+3 with ATF+4 - around 1997 or 1998, I believe. I've seen nothing in print that qualifies ATF+4 as equivalent to SP-III, but one of the members of the oil forum I hang around on posted that his Hyundai dealership's service manager told him that ATF+4 would not void his powertrain warranty. On its face, this has the ring of truth, but I'm always leery about second and third hand information... (especially on the internet) Besides, ATF+4 has typically been priced in the six-to-seven dollar/qt range - definitely pricier than SP-III. But, here's where the picture begins to clear: Chrysler just recently announced that the company'll license the ATF+4 formula for aftermarket blending and bottling, and sales through mass market retailers. Presumably that'll result in some serious discounting. Once that happens, and IF Hyundai issues a TSB that ATF+4 is an acceptable substitute for SP-III, I won't hesitate at all to flush and refill my Sonata with ATF+4. Sorry to get off topic on a Toyota discussion, but just maybe we're seeing the first cracks in stealership proprietary fluids extortion among all makes. (And, golly, wouldn't that just be too bad?)

#134 of 678 cabin air filter replacement 2000 toyota solara v6 by davhealy

Sep 22, 2005 (5:54 pm)

does anyone know how and where to replace a cabin air filter. there are no instructions or mentioning for a cabin air filter.

#135 of 678 Re: cabin air filter replacement 2000 toyota solara v6 [davhealy] by haefr

Sep 23, 2005 (6:56 am)

Replying to: davhealy (Sep 22, 2005 5:54 pm)
I don't know for certain, either, but my first guess would be in the heater core-A/C evaporator casing behind the dash. I would expect removing the glove bin would allow access - look for a "door" or removable panel that allows access to the filter.

Messages Page 14 of 69

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