2008 Camry V6 - Found lots of issues during 60k service

[raytseng]

Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: gregk24
Originally Posted By: horse123
That's a V6 japanese car for you, and the reason Nissan has awful reliability, most people are buying the 3.5 in their car because they think it will have amazing reliability AND be fast.


Yes, because American V6 motors are works of art

Please, give me a Japanese made V6 over any other V6 any day.


Is there really a difference? They both have their issues. Personal experience (within the family) - never had an engine issue, but lost two Japanese transmissions way before 100k. No American powertrain issues and we've owned way more American than Japanese vehicles.

plus this camry was probably made in Kentucky or Indiana.

Toyotas are now "American" cars, whereas the "American" cars might be made in Mexico.

 

[dishdude]

No, I have two GMs in my garage. One was built in Michigan and the other in New Jersey...it doesn't get more American than that.

 

[Scott_Tucker]

That timing cover leak is so minor you could caulk it with RTV after cleaning it extremely well and probably seal it for a long time.

 

[Vikas]

Isn't this the engine being used in ES350, GS350 (IS350 too?) aka lots of Lexus cars? Does the car have any previous history i.e. somebody else had done some "work" in the past?

 

[ls1mike]

Thanks for the morning funnies everyone.

Throw some brakes on it. Do the shocks and struts and move on. The rest of the stuff is a non issue.

Plus I bet there are tons of cars. Including Toyotas and Hondas out there with same "issues" They are not really issues, they are machines. Stuff will weep like that. You will go mad trying to fix it, because it will happen again.
My trucks steering shaft makes the same clunk. 75 dollar fix...eh. I don't feel like doing it.

 

[Greasymechtech]

60k is a good life for a belt. Just change it.

Sad that almighty Toyota can't source a strut that lasts longer. But, no one really knows what those struts have been through. But, I seen plenty of 10+ year old Toyotas with original shocks/struts while replacing struts too often on newer models.

Oil leaks are sad. Makes you wonder if FIPG and OE sealants are all that good. Or, if an oil additive is dissolving them.

 

[JAC43]

Im curious, on the transmission fluid service, did you follow the DIY over on Toyota Nation, or use a different method?

 

[JustinH]

We have a 2008 Matrix and all the struts look like that. 68k original miles.

Ours has had a much different life, potholes in Buffalo, NY.

Critic, do you recommend the Monroe Quick Struts for replacement, or would you take apart the assembly and replace all the parts?

I am leaning towards the quick struts because they are $100 each, and they include the mounts and spring all in one item.

Less labor, and cheaper than going OEM.

Also, ours is not a high $$$ car. Maybe worth 7 or 8 grand.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: gregk24
Originally Posted By: horse123
That's a V6 japanese car for you, and the reason Nissan has awful reliability, most people are buying the 3.5 in their car because they think it will have amazing reliability AND be fast.


Yes, because American V6 motors are works of art

Please, give me a Japanese made V6 over any other V6 any day.
+1

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: dishdude
No, I have two GMs in my garage. One was built in Michigan and the other in New Jersey...it doesn't get more American than that.
And where were the parts made?

 

[camrydriver111]

I'm not a big fan of quick-struts personally. I've had them before and the spring inside them is not as good as OEM IMO. It made my car ride very stiff and jacked up my suspension.

This might be because Monroe sells the same part # for I4 and V6 variants of the same car. One part does not fit all. I had the I4, maybe in a V6 they would ride better, I don't know.

In other applications it might be OK, but I wouldn't take a chance on them again.

It seems to me that they are made for getting beaters back on the road, not restoring original ride quality.

 

[mehullica]

Timing cover might be leaking. For sure the right inner cv boot is slinging grease onto the block

 

[Lubener]

I would get the steering looked at. The other issues to me, do not require immediate attention. Just think, if you traded it in for a new car, the amount you would pay in sales tax would fix most of these problems if not all of them.

 

[hattaresguy]

A lot of issues for a 7 year old car? Throw a belt and a set of brakes on it, and that intermediate shaft is a known problem.

Those are not oil leaks, oil leaks don't count unless they make a mess on the ground.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
A lot of issues for a 7 year old car? Throw a belt and a set of brakes on it, and that intermediate shaft is a known problem.

Those are not oil leaks, oil leaks don't count unless they make a mess on the ground.


I agree, but you have to remember that the measuring stick on the internet for Toyota is that it needs nothing but oil changes for the first 200k miles.

 

[Vikas]

Something I just came across somewhere else on the internet; may be somebody is second guessing TheCritic?
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Unread postby FB01 » Mon Jul 20, 2015 11:40 am
Hi,

I have a Toyota 2007 camry and have put on 62K miles. I went for the normal check up and the person said i have below 2 issues which needs repair and cost is around 3000 dollars

1) Struts : Front and Rear struts are leaking (Leaking Leve is 2)
2) Engine Water pump leaking and changing accessory drive belt

I am not sure but do you think I need to change this immediately. Not sure if I need to do just 1 of the above first and other later on...

Any suggestion is appreciated

Thanks
FB

 

[PandaBear]

I babysat a friend's 08 Camry (4 cyl) for a year when he went to Taiwan. It is not build to the same quality as the mid 90s Camry (of my inlaws).

But, it is still a well build car and it is relatively problem free. IMO if you see any TSIB/recall it means the manufacturers screwed up and it is not the drivers / owners. Just change those struts, throw a new belt on it, new pads and rotors. New rotors, not resurface, because it is likely going to come back because the rotors have uneven casting density that causes it to expand / wear unevenly. I had this problem on my dad's Taurus before, rotors from factory would shake every 10k miles after we resurface them, it didn't go away until we throw some cheap parts store Chinese rotors on it.

Why the belt only chirp at reverse? Resonance frequency. I bet you it only chirp at a particular rpm in reverse too.

 

[PandaBear]

I wouldn't worry too much about the oil leak if the owner doesn't mind it. It is out of warranty, and who knows what would happen in the next 60k, 120k, 180k, 240k miles. He might need another car later on by choice or not by choice, and all the "effort" to fix the leak may not pay off anyways.

If he is bothered by the leak just use HM oil from now on.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Something I just came across somewhere else on the internet; may be somebody is second guessing TheCritic?
===========================================================

Unread postby FB01 » Mon Jul 20, 2015 11:40 am
Hi,

I have a Toyota 2007 camry and have put on 62K miles. I went for the normal check up and the person said i have below 2 issues which needs repair and cost is around 3000 dollars

1) Struts : Front and Rear struts are leaking (Leaking Leve is 2)
2) Engine Water pump leaking and changing accessory drive belt

I am not sure but do you think I need to change this immediately. Not sure if I need to do just 1 of the above first and other later on...

Any suggestion is appreciated

Thanks
FB


3k for water pump and 4 struts? Wow. I remembered the going rate for struts were around 1k for all 4 and water pump was around $500.

 

[Quest]

Originally Posted By: camrydriver111
I'm not a big fan of quick-struts personally. I've had them before and the spring inside them is not as good as OEM IMO. It made my car ride very stiff and jacked up my suspension.

This might be because Monroe sells the same part # for I4 and V6 variants of the same car. One part does not fit all. I had the I4, maybe in a V6 they would ride better, I don't know.

In other applications it might be OK, but I wouldn't take a chance on them again.

It seems to me that they are made for getting beaters back on the road, not restoring original ride quality.


If you want original ride quality---you must go with factory OE (sach) units, period.

aftermarket ones are not as soft-riding as some riders would expect them to be -- in my case: Monroe OEspectrum replacements struts give a firmer ride on my wifey's camry (I reuse the springs).

Q.

Lastly: I don't care about shocks/struts being firmer riding than original ones; so long as they hold up well and long-lasting.

Most of the aftermarket ones (Economy grades) are absolutely terrible in my regards: doesn't last long (in the case of KYB I had for my Mazda before: nitrogen filled gas all gone in about 8 months time). No cheep gabriels, sensen or leacre an any of my customers cars, not even on mine, period.

Remember this: you get what you pay for, period.