Jim.

Old Mech, Is that your vehicle in the avatar picture? I guess it would be an OB2 (On Board Diagnostics 2) generation, meaning the computer codes (it if has a computer) would be easier to read without a code reader. Have you checked them?

I just did a quick Google search. It seems that Timken make one for that model. www.Timken.com

Please notify here or somewhere if you decide to wreck the car please Dave.

Yes Stephen, the evidence is clear; faulty CV joints and not just broken rubber boots. Not good is it? I would be hopping mad if that happened on a low kilometer new vehicle of mine. But that doesn't help much, I know. It makes me even more resolved to keep my recently acquired, low kilometers (125,000) 1993 model, manual transmission Camry Wagon. Everything I have done on it has impressed me with the standard and quality of the manufacture and assembly.

As it is still under warranty as you have just disclosed, I would suggest you get it into your Toyota agent as soon as possible. Today would not be too early! I'm surprised and dissapointed to read that you have had the repairs you list above done already at such low kilometers. I fitted new rubber boots to one of the drive shaft on my former 1994 Camry (Holden Apollo actually). This was done at around 350,000 klms. While cleaning and inspecting the CV joints prior to repacking and re-assembly, I was astonished at how good the condition of the joints were. I could not detect any discernable wear or slop. The clamps on the boots looked original and had the factory tightening method obvious. This car went on to do 410,000klms and the only thing that caused me to de-commision it and take it off the road was the auto transmission, which was giving trouble for the second time. Expensive fix; worth more that the vehicle I suspect. The engine was still not using much oil; about 1 ltr. between oil changes. This quality was observable on much of the other engine components and running gear of that car. Are the later model Toyota vehicles built with less stringent adherance to the former quality standards? Sometimes, after reading such reports as yours, I'm tempted to form that conclusion could be drawn. But I am loath to accept that, real as it may be. edit: What were the symptoms and indications you observed that resulted in the CV joints being replace? Knocking while turning at low speed and the like? Did you get to have a look at the old joints after they were removed and replaced? As a DIY mechanic of over 50 years experience, I am a sceptic about what dealer tell some car owners. I assume if the rubber boot was damaged from say a stick or some such, they might just replace the entire drive shaft due to the labour involved in dismantling, cleaning and repacking/re-assembly.

Stephen, I can't offer a suggestion for the cause of your rattle, but I suggest you also post your description here: http://www.automotiveforums.com/ It is more international and American I think. I've had good results on them forums. Jim.

Chris, I would start by checking all the individual earth plugs and lugs etc. They will be shown on the circuit diagrams. If one or more has come loose, it could be creating earth loops and causing problems. Also, it might be good to check the OBD (on board diagnostics). I suppose this is a OBD2 vehicle, which means you would need a OBD2 code reader. I'm not saying the problem is an open earth, but that is where I would begin testing. Darn frustrating, intermittent faults like you have!

Thanks for that link Warren. I will study it later.

What make and model is the vehicle?

Well, you have summed up the situation very thoroughly Hiro, thanks. The automatic car that I have retired and am now wrecking has done 410,000 klms and was still only burning about 1 ltr of oil between changes. I only took it off the road due to auto trans problems, for the second time. It was not worth the expense of reconditioning it again. It seemed a pity apart from that. Great engines. I did maintain it well and drove it moderately at all times. I drive like the "little old man" that I am! Just one small quibble in what you have written; changing down from fifth to fourth while going up a slight hill seems perfectly normal to me, but that is just my subjective experience and perhaps limited understanding. Conclusion: No larger wheels or tyres for this car! Anyway, I do less and less long trips now days anyway. Mostly just short/medium commute trips.

Can someone tell me of a stock 15 inch wheel that will fit the Camry? I have skimmed through the link above, thanks Warren. So I am aware of the caveats around changing wheel and tyre sizes. I'm interested in giving it a go. It would also raise the front end slightly. This brings up an interesting theroetical comparison: 1. Is it likely to result in longer engine life and better economy to lower the final drive ratio? After all, both the auto model and manual model have the same 5SFE engine, yet the manual one runs at considerably higher rpm for a given speed - both in top gear. 2. Is there a down side (apart from changing the odometer/speedometer) to doing such a modification? The gearbox has plenty of options in the lower gears for driving around town. A lower final drive ratio and it would make the car run at a lower rpm at highway speed in top gear. As it is now in standard form, there is plenty of available torque and power at highway speed. Or is the concept of "overdrive" just a way of adding another gear? It might be helpful to view the torque and power curves for this model vehicle.

Can anyone suggest a suitable after market Cruise Control for a 1993 Toyota Camry please? The ones that I have found advertised on ebay are not suitable for "ECU Speed Pulse Sensing". I'm assuming my Camry does have this.

I have a 1993 Camry wagon manual transmission. I do have an electronic service manual with wiring diagrams. However, they seem to differ to what I'm finding in some place in the vehicle I have. Does anyone have the radio section of the wiring diagrams for the Aus vehicle or know where I can find them? If so, could you post me a link to where I can find them or some details etc.?

Thanks Trent. I'm re-building the original distributor in the car I have just acquired. I have a spare one in it now running in the meantime. I've come to the view that the seal and "O" ring needs replacing frequently to minimise shaft wear - something that was first suggested to my by a mechanic friend. The old one, that is running in the car now, was so worn that I had to have the distributor housing counterbored 2 or 3 mm to allow the seal to run on a new position that was not worn on the shaft. It turned out to be a successful modification. It is worth noting here that the bearing was already feeling a bit gritty after only 125.000 klms, further indicating the need for frequent overhaul.

Ok Trent. I've got it.

Not all three of mine!

Trent, I'm asking about the big coil in the distributor which fits on the back of the engine head (left side) driven by one of the camshafts and not the ignitor which is mounted on the side of the engine bay. After some Googling, I realise there are several variants of distributors on the 5SFE engine, which is not surprising. Mine looks like the one in this picture and has two terminals only: http://www.partsgeek.com/1mbd4xv-toyota-camry-ignition-coil.html?utm_source=shopzilla&utm_medium=pf&utm_content=dc&utm_campaign=PartsGeek+ShopZilla&fp=pp&utm_term=Toyota+Ignition+Coil By the way, how do you post pictures on these forums, can you describe the process please?

We must have different models Trent. I have two spares on the bench and they both only have two terminals. Both the spares read around 4 -5 ohms.

Thanks Trent.

Can someone tell me what the test resistance should be for the distributor coil in a 1993 Camry 5SFE engine please? My electronic service manual does not list it in the specifications.

My recently acquired 1993 Toyota Camry (Australian version) with a 5SFE engine has this minor problem: The idle speed does not return to normal RPM of around 1000 or less sometimes. It will idle at 1100 or so instead. When it does this, I can push the cable driven throttle quadrant slightly and it will idle down to 950 RPM or so. I have read somewhere that the throttle body should be cleaned out periodically. Is this the case? If so, I will dismantle it and clean and check etc. Jim.

Thanks for the reply Hiro. I never though of using genuine Toyota oil filters. In fact, the genuine parts shop is a place I avoid if I possibly can. Source of last resort kind of thing.......... Put this down to an old man's parsimony! However, they (genuine oil filters that is) may be better. Do you know? Is it possible to quantify any superiority of them over, say, RYCO for example? I'll investigate further.

Thanks Trent. I'll get a proper aluminium one for the next oil change.

I just changed the oil on my recently acquired Camry and found the sump plug washer/gasket missing. I found a fibre on the correct size in the shed and fitted that on the plug and replaced it. Question: Is a fibre washer suitable for this task? Temperature is quite hot etc.

Thanks for the details Mr. Ke70