94' camry w/ no reverse

Sounds like you have a pressure problem inside the transmission. After verifying the fluid is at the proper level and manual valve is where is should be, you should start with a line pressure test and go from there.

Think I'd start by draining fluid and removing and cleaning the transmission pan - some have screen/filter. Then refill with fresh fluid drive it a week and then drain again. Total cost maybe $10.

whats the manual valve? im a mechanic but i have never really worked on

You can smell the dipstick to see if there is a strong burnt cork type smell, if so this indicates friction material in the oil. A slight smell can be normal but a strong smell is not. If you drain the trans fluid make sure you drain into a pan so you can look at it. You need to look for band and/or clutch friction material which will be gray or brown. Also look for metal shavings on the magnetic strip which is on the inside of pan on most auto trans. If you have a lot of any of the above then trans is probably damaged and needs overhaul. If not then a change of filter and fluid may help. HTH, davidj92

well i got to tear into the car tonight. i drained the tranny oil, replaced the filter, and filled it back up. the old tranny fluid filled up a one gallon bucket :eek: so i know it was way over full. but anywase, after putting it all back together i backed it up and it still didnt go. so i am waiting for tommorow to work on it some more, i dont think i gave it enough time to build pressure :confused:

go back to qslim's post about line pressure ~~~~~ I don't think it's simply a question of worn friction clutches or fluid, because your forward gears work fine.

I'm not a transmission expert, but would guess is something in the valve body preventing the reverse clutches from receiving sufficient hydraulic pressure to engage for reverse

Guessing, if you "tear into it " try disassembling and cleaning the valve body in solvent

Probably some tiny bit of grit in the wrong place

Total capacity for the transmission is 5.9 quarts, normal drain and fill 2.5 quarts, overnight drain and fill 3.5 quarts (apx.)

Try to get the right mind set. IMHO there's a lot more refinement in a Toyota than a Chevy. Just check wiring under the dash, for example. Think of it as if you're disassembling a Japanese camera - high level of precision, and every litttle thing has to be right to avoid problems later.

As you probably already know, intense cleanliness is required for transmission work. For example, don't use a rag to dry components, spray or soak in solvent and air dry or carefully blow dry with compressed air to maintain antiseptic cleanliness.

Could be that's what started your whole problem. Perhaps someone changed the transmission pan, wiped it down with a rag, and a bit of thread got jammed in the wrong check valve in the valve body.

what is the manual valve???

what is the manual valve??? ~~~~~~~~~~~~ never heard it called that - and it is not a valve - but they may be thinking of the shift linkage - the lever to which the cable attaches (from the shift handle on the console in the car). Haynes manual has a procedure for aligning the shift point correctly - loosen the lock bolt and start with the lever in Neutral I think - but it doesn't sound like that's your problem.