Camry Auto Gearbox Filter/screen

Hi,

As 90K miles is about to come up on my 1995 2.2 litre Auto Camry.

I though instead of just doing a standard gearbox fluid change. I would also drop the pan and change out the filter/screen.

Fluid has been changed circa each 18 to 20k miles during its life. I purchased it new.

I just rang my main Toyota dealer to order a filter screen . But was told there is NO replacement filter/screen available as a replacement part. And that the fitted one is not a serviceable item. They do offer a gasket for the box.

They had never heard of the pan been dropped,and the filter changed ever.

I have read I am sure on many occasions in this group where this has been recommended. I have no box problems but though it would be a worth while thing to do in the 90k situation.

So does the 2.2 lts auto not have this filter screen ?.

Tks

Johnny UK

Reply to
JM
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I think your 95 has the same engine and tranny as my 99. In that case, there's a nylon (?) screen that you wash with nothing but clean ATF. (It's important that you don't use solvents or detergents.) It will be obvious when you drop the pan.

Make sure you note where the magnets on the bottom of the pan are situated before you clean the pan - they slide around pretty easily.

Reply to
Nobody Important

I should have been more explicit: after you drop the pan, there's a metal filter holder that's held on by 3 (IIRC) bolts. You remove this filter holder and clean the nylon screen with ATF and a lint-free cloth.

Reply to
Nobody Important

Thanks for that,

So is it worth dropping the pan ? Or is ignorance bliss lol

Johnny UK

Reply to
JM

I dropped my pan for the first time at 135 000 km. The ATF had been changed at 90 000 km. I found a light (less than 1 mm) coating of grey powder on the pan. I found no metal filings in the screen or on the magnets.

In my case, I think the risk of contaminating the transmission by opening it up was not outweighed by the benefit of cleaning. But some other Smart People on this group (John Dole for one) think that our transmissions run dirty in general, so my case may have been unusual.

Reply to
Nobody Important

JM wrote:

== I have the '94 4 cyl. acquired with 80K miles (163k now) and some seepage at the (incorrect) pan gasket so I had the gasket changed and saw the fluid could have been a bit cleaner and there was some darker coating on the inside of the pan. The mechanic cleaned the pan in a solvent tank and installed a cork gasket. Turned out later it leaked again, so I purchased the gasket from the dealer. Now doing my own work I discovered two (2) stripped bolts. Thankfully, I was able to purchase longer bolts from the dealer and thread them through the case. So be careful about tightening the bolts into the aluminum housing. The torque figure is given in inch pounds. Use a criss cross progressive pattern with several passes and a gentle touch. However, if you've been changing the fluid regularly since new, it is unlikely you'll gain any benefit from removing the pan. I use all synthetic fluids, so that may make a difference, but every time I've drained the fluid since, it comes out very clean so I never intend to remove the pan again unless a leak were to develop and this is the position taken by Toyota - only fluid drain is required. I do change the fluid quite often though. If you do remove the pan, do not use any type of cloth. Just clean the inside with solvent (I used a spray can) and air dry. Even a tiny bit of thread catching on the cast metal can cause operational problems later. If you're careful it is not difficult, just keep the rags out of there. Dropping the pan is messy but not difficult and may be nice to see the condition. I don't believe you need to touch the transmission screen - there is no replaceable filter element. Yes you can replace the screen, but I don't see the need unless you purchased the car second hand.

Reply to
Daniel

I don't know if the A140 series Aisin transmissions for the UK market is any different. But if you look at the pictures in the Haynes repair manual (available in your local auto parts stores?), you will be able to see a flat, metal encased strainer with 3 bolts right in the middle of the valve body.

If you do a search on the net, say a Fram ATF kit, you should be able to see a picture of it. FRAM Part # FT1169 on

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for example.

There will be a layer of clutch material, part of the normal wear and tear (think of it as brake pad dust in the ATF, or it's equivalent) and some metal shavings. Since there is no way you can effectively clean an encased strainer, I just replace it. There just isn't enough pressure and volume when you "rinse" the strainer with ATF, and fluid takes the path of least resistance.

The Aisins are dirtier than the typical Hydramatic and Ford AOxD series. But the latter ones have real filters that do their jobs. So the "dirtiness" level is probably more subjective. I open up an Aisin and say it's full of it, relatively speaking.

It would be nice if Aisin put a real filter on it. Why not? Because the dirty Aisin will plug it up in no time. That's why Toyota is working fruitlessly on the new WS (World Standard) fluid and a new transmission with harder clutch material that doesn't excrete much in the ATF. They're still working on it last I checked....

Reply to
johngdole

John,

I know you're often commenting about the dirt in the Toyota transmissions.

snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote:

== I had a mechanic clean it in a solvent tank when I first acquired the car with 80k mi., worked just fine. (I was afraid to work on the car when I first bought it) == I open up an Aisin

== Using Mobil 1 synthetic ATF, changed at 5,000 mile intervals with each oil change, the fluid stays almost too clean so I'm going to 10,000 mile intervals. When I've dropped the pan there is no "dirt" -- the interior is fresh like new. Running the ECT switch on PWR all the time may help it shift more crisply with less slippage. Point is, with the fluid that clean you don't need a new filter and Toyota says the same in the service manual. If the fluid isn't changed for long periods of time, then you have to start over in getting the insides clean again. After I paid to have the fluid exhanged the first time, I didn't want to have to do that again, so I began draining it more often. For my way of thinking, at roughly $6 per quart for synthetic, overnight drain yielding apx. 3.5 qts., it costs me $21 for transmission service. However, a new transmission runs thousands of dollars, rebuilts are often filled with problems, and this way the original operates like new virtually forever. So in my own personal experience, the A140E transmission stays exceptionally clean inside. Has 165,000 miles at present. I also add 8 ozs. of Lucas transmission fix as preventative maintenance with each fluid change, so now maybe my cost is up to $25. If a new transmission is $3,000, still sounds like a bargain to me. My understanding is that heat degrades transmission fluid, that if it is overheated once then the degradation progresses more rapidly, and also the effect is magnified as the temperature rises incrementally. Synthetic transmission fluid and synthetic motor oil are more resistant to the oil breaking down at higher temperatures. However, I keep the engine cooling system in perfect condition - that cooling fluid is always like new also, so the tranmission cooler in the bottom of the radiator is always operating at optimal efficiency and the transmission never overheats. Another key to long automatic transmission life is getting the fluid level correct. The factory service manual gives the temperature for checking, and I have confirmed with a thermometer on the case, essentially it means driving at least ten miles prior to checking the level to insure normal operating temperature. My other Toyota was manufactured thirty (30) years ago and still runs fine to get parts when working on the Camry. Actually it runs great. Elsewhere I referenced an article with photos about a guy who put one million miles on his Toyota. Having things paid in full takes a lot of stress out of life and makes the maintenance costs with Toyota parts easy to justify, especially when labor is free apart from the one time cost of acquiring the correct tools.

Daniel

Reply to
Daniel

Daniel wrote: > ...

Thanks for writing all that, Daniel. It's posts like yours that make me come back to this newsgroup all the time.

Did you really change your ATF with every oil change? I've never heard of someone doing that. What's your thinking?

Reply to
Nobody Important

So the Mobil 1 synthetic ATF and Lucas oil may help slow down the aging effect of Aisin transmissions. But no layer of sludge at the bottom of the pan is like having no brake dust after braking for 5-10K miles.

Aisin with traditional ATF gets dirty, and I'm not the only one saying it. That's why after market valve body sleeves are available to reduce the effects of wear and sluggish line pressure. Your case then is more of an exception than the norm, as there are also Toyota transmission that doesn't see 100K miles.

Sure, the wear once starts accelerates rapidly. I'm down to draining/ refilling every 7500. Costs less than $10.

Reply to
johngdole

I refill about every 2 oil changes. I go by how dirty the fluid is and cut down on the interval. It's about 7500 miles now.

You probably don't have to, depending on your tolerance of how dirty of ATF gets.

Reply to
johngdole

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