2002 Camry Wagon weird temperatures

[HOTPIG175]

Hi people,

I've owned many, many cars, both for business and personal use, but I am unnaturally fond of the mighty Camry.

The wagons.

Not the V6, but the old 5S-FE 2.2, and always auto. Had a company manual wagon, and it was a noisy dog, with less than 40,000km on it, but then, I guess everyone had thrashed it. The replacement Ford Mondeo didn't even make it to 30k.

Anyway, I don't get why the Camry wagon disappeared, unless it was the death of Toyota Australia.

Moving right along, I bought a mint 2002 wagon in Auckland, with one minor dent behind the l/h wheel arch, after my, (admittedly faithful KJ Laser ((320,00 km)) developed clutch and suspension problems), and it is SUCH a nice car to drive.

My partner has a late model RAV4, and I despise it. A 600 page owner's manual, dodgy cruise control, and kind of like driving a photocopier. I thought Camrys were supposed to be the world's most boring cars? Try a 2.4 litre RAV. If you can stay awake.

Think Datsun 180B on tranquilisers, and even then, it would be the better of the two...

My issue is that the last Camry had done 380,000 km, and it was a sorry neglected old beast, and finally blew a big-end while towing a tandem axle trailer up a very long hill on a very hot day, while fully loaded inside and on the trailer. Once it had cooled down, it ran again, but sounded like a biscuit-tin full of very big bolts. Still traded it for more than I paid for it. On a Mazda Tribute V6.

Not my best work. 12 mpg if you were lucky. Went like a bat out of hell, though. Gone now.

It just seems that the latest one, with just on 200,000 km on the clock, is down on power, not that I need masses of grunt, and it is insanely economical. It runs well, doesn't overheat, has a full service history from the previous elderly owner, but I am wondering if I should be running it on 95 octane, as opposed to the old one, which was gruntier on 91??? This is the edit: it's not overheating, but it SMELLS hot after driving in suburbia at 70 km/h, admittedly up a long and steep hill, maybe 6 km. Fans are going as they should, no apparent oil leaks. Engine is clean enough to eat off.

Not losing coolant. Oil is fine. Trans fluid is fine.

Temperature gauge sits on just below midway all the time, and doesn't get there quickly.

Yup, there's a thermostat in it.

Has new radiator and hoses, and aircon works fine.

Maybe a leak from the back of the rocker cover gasket where I can't see it, and landing on the exhaust?

It would be sad to bugger it up by flogging it, and, as I said I don't need masses of power, but with the old one, I was confident about passing /overtaking. Not now. It kicks down and takes off, but just seems way slower. It's fine around town, and still uses hardly any gas. Amazing.

Were the later 5S-FE motors less powerful? Or are the later wagons just heavier?

That happened to me with Corollas - as they got newer, they just got heavier, and no way could a 97 Corolla 1.3 OHC perform as well as an '80 thru '84 KE70 1.3 pushrod wagon.

Yeah, I know, I should have bought the bigger engine.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Sorry this is so boring, but I just need to figure out if something's wrong.

Edited February 17, 2019 by HOTPIG175
Pagination and spacing.

[campbeam]

Main thought is that the differential is in a seperate housing to the automatic transmission for this Toyota Camry series.

I was used to them being combined in my previous Hondas so overlooked replacing the differential oil when I was replacing the ATF. After about 100,000kms, I finally realised this. When I changed the differential oil in my 1998 Toyota Camry, it was very black.

[HOTPIG175]

Thanks Ashley.

I'll take a look at the colour, and let you know what I find.

I appreciate your response.

Cheers, Andy

[HOTPIG175]

Hi Ashley.

The trans fluid is red, and doesn't smell burnt or anything.

I still suspect the rocker cover gasket.

I really appreciate your response, and hope that I can reciprocate if you need it.

Cheers, Andy

[ZZT86]

When you say the temperature "doesn't get there quickly" - how long are we talking ? Essentially it should only take about 5min for the coolant to get to normal temp. If not then thermostat is buggered.

I presume it's not misfiring & the plugs are fine yada yada . . .

Peep inside the rocker cover through the oil cap - does it have sludge in it ? Does the PCV valve work ?

Take the intake hose off - is it coated in crud ?

My 2cents . . . .

[HOTPIG175]

Hi ZZT86,

Yeah, I think the PCV valve may be faulty.

On my first Camry, it split, and the car just reeked of oil. I'd forgotten about that,so will give it a new one a try.

Temp hits normal at around 5 mins.

Got new rad and hoses. Wonder if the trans cooler hoses are fitted properly?

As I say, it runs really well, and I have only put gas in it today, after running it for two weeks, and done well over 400km on one long trip, and much city driving. It had less than 3/4 of a tank when I bought it, so I'm impressed..

Oily smell is worse after driving up a very long hill, for a very long time, but oil and trans fluid are clean.

Temp gauge reads just where it should, and even running arcon on the hill makes no difference.

I check the coolant every morning, and it hasn't need a top-up, so definitely going to try the PVC valve.

Thanks for reminding me about that.

Will let you know the outcome.

Cheers, Andy

[ZZT86]

Going up a steep hill further inclining the motor backwards will leak all over that exhaust & it will stink. I would suggest replacing the rocker/cam cover gasket asap, it's pretty easy on a 5S-FE, it shouldn't effect performance though. If PCV isn't working properly then the engine may be sucking in oil dulling performance. You would need to inspect & test.

Edited February 19, 2019 by ZZT86

[HOTPIG175]

Hi people,

Actually, the bloody thing is running ok, and the oil smell has disappeared. Checked the level, and it looks fine.

I bought it off an old guy in Auckland, and he'd only driven it about 15km to work and back. He'd serviced it regularly, (or had it done), and it's got 252k on the clock, not rust and a minor ding.

I suspect that I'm using it harder than he was, as I have an hour's drive each way for work, but it just did 600km on $120.00 of gas, including in town. I just wonder if I have burned off all the residue.

Temp is staying just below normal, by about a millimetre on the gauge, it's not losing water, and I don't thrash it.

Maybe it's ok!

Compared to my Mazda Tribute V6, (12 MPG - on a good day), this is insanely good, and the Camry certainly beats the RAV4.(250-300km on a tank), plus, even though it's older, it's nicer to drive..

I still have to check the PCV valve, but work and physio got in the way. I wonder if the longer trips have cleaned it out?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Like they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, and I REALLY don't want to rip it to bits for nothing.

Has brand new radiator, hoses, thermostat, etc.

Cheers people.