1998 Camry transmission slipping. Please help

You are saying the transmission disengaged ... and in that state of disengagement, the engine flared up near red-line before you got your foot off the throttle. Then the transmission re-engaged.

Ok. Have you checked the automatic transmission fluid level? That's the first place I would look. When the transmission has marginally inadequate fluid level, gear engagement cannot be assured.

The transmission oil level is and has always been higher than the marks on the dip stick. This is the level that the dealer maintained it.

jasguild

"Higher" eh? Are you checking the fluid level with the engine RUNNING? This is not a Honda. Toyota ... engine running and in Park. Also, the fluid needs to red in color ... not brown nor smelling foul / burnt.

I wonder if a higher level could be ATF transferred from the final drive/differential to the transaxle because of a faulty seal? I have heard our Toyota techs mention this concerning older 4 cyl Camry's.

Considering how neglected final drive checks/fluid changes are in most cases, this might be a consideration and a good time to do a service

The differential is not sealed from the main ATF oil supply on auto trans axles where no separate final drive filler plug exists. In any case, while the engine is running, the fluid levels will have had time to equalize and engine running is how the fluid level on a Toyota (and most others) is checked.

I thought the 02 Camry w/the 4 cyl, 2AZ-FE engine was the first generation of 4 cyl Camry to share ATF between the differential and transmission???

So to check the oil in a Toyota I should have the engine running. I know the dip stick has a reading for cold and hot but is it better to do it hot or cold? My wife has a Honda and I did see in the manual that their tranny is checked with the engine off. However I am pretty sure that the oil level in the Camry is high when the engine is off and on and when hot and cold. I have checked it in all these possible scenarios already.

Will check the quality and color of the oil this evening.

Thanks for responding and feel free to shoot other ideas.

jasguild

Can I get my transmission oil and transmission filter changed by a regular shop or do I need to go to the Toyota dealer to get a good job done?? The reason I ask this is that I remember when I asked this question about my honda, I was told that if I took the honda to a regular shop, they do not put in the genuine honda trans oil (which is different than regular trans fluid). Instead the regular shops use an additive on top of the regular trans oil to get the right formula which is not as good as the genuine thing.

Is this the same issue with Toyotas??

Sincerely

jasguild

Andrew, I've forgotten more than you'll ever know about Toyotas.

Andrew, it is also possible that Jas is checking the transmission with the engine turned OFF ... which will result in an "overfilled" reading.

Well

First I checked the quality of the oil. I put a sample of the oil in the engine on white cotton paper and put some new oil next it on the bottom of the paper (I am kind of color blind so this was necessary)

The oil in the engine appears just about the same shade of red and there was no signs of grit or dirt.

So I added a 1/3 quart new oil to it the trans. I will admit, adding this put the oil level about a half inch to three quarter inch above what it should be. I made sure to check the trans oil with the engine running and hot as was instructed. Guess what? The problem has ceased to occur!!! It has been about a week now. (knock on wood)

Also, incredibly, the check engine light just went off by itself.

Any thoughts??

Jasguild