99 Camry CE

[sandslady2]

Could someone tell me how hard it is to change the transmission fluid in my 99Camry CE 5 speed. Also, what kind of transmission fluid do I put in. Could somebody maybe post the steps please. If you think it is something that a rookie shouldn't be doing, please let me know that too.

Thanks!!

[Brian R.]

Here's a link to a '99 Camry Factory Service Manual:

http://oregonstate.edu/~tongt/camry/99/index.html


Your transmission uses 2.7 quarts of 75W-90 GL-4 or GL-5 gear lube.


It is easy to change the fluid in your transmission.


First, buy 3 quarts of 75W-90 GL-4 or GL-5 gear lube (I recommend Mobil 1 synthetic. It is expensive, but will last forever and probably give you a little boost in mileage - really, anything from a reputable lubricant company will work).


With the gear lube, buy a hand or drill-driven pump than will pump the lube out of the bottles and into a hole above the bottle. AdvanceAuto has a hand pump that will fit the standard 1-qt gear lube bottles. That’s what I use.


1. Put on the parking brake hard
2. Chock the rear wheels front and back so they can't move
3. Jack up the front of the car with a hydraulic jack (I recommend a high-lift 3-ton jack from Sears)
4. Put jack stands under both sides of the car just behind the front wheels as shown in your owner's manual. Get rid of the hydraulic jack for the moment, it will be in your way.
5. The transmission is just to the driver's side of the engine rear
6. Loosen and remove the fill plug first (see drawing below). It is probably a 10-mm allen (hex) socket size. You will probably have to buy one that will fit a ½-inch drive breaker bar, with or without an adapter. The plugs may be really tight and require some persuasion. (I am not sure of the drain/fill plug size, so check first. However, Toyota likes to use 10-mm allen sockets for these types of plugs so I’m guessing).
7. Put drain pan under drain plug
8. Loosen and remove the drain plug and catch the oil
9. Wipe up the mess you just made with paper towels
10. Make sure you know where the washers for both plugs are. They may be stuck to the transmission. If so, leave them be. Just make sure you have them either stuck around the fill/drain holes or on the plugs. Reuse them if they are not torn.
11. Replace the drain plug and tighten to 36 ft-lbs
12. Put the drain pan under the fill plug hole and pump the gear lube into the fill plug hole using a pump, until it is coming back out as fast as you pump it in - stop pumping.
13. Replace the fill plug (+ gasket) and torque to 36 ft-lbs. Done. Drive and you will like it.

[sandslady2]

Thank you very much. I will give my husband these directions and you can guess what he will be doing tomorrow. Thanks again.

[Brian R.]

You're welcome.