Drain plug - which one?

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Pszemol - 20 Nov 2007 21:47 GMT

How to tell which drain plug goes to transmission
and which to the differential? Are they the same?

In my 4-cyl 1995 camry I see the plug from the
differential has black magnet in there - the one
from transmission is just a bolt with no visible
magnet. It seems like there is a dimple in the
bolt tip... I found some black dust there, but
it does not seem to be magnetic a lot...

So which one is which? Does it really matter?

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badgolferman - 20 Nov 2007 23:04 GMT

> How to tell which drain plug goes to transmission
> and which to the differential? Are they the same?
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> So which one is which? Does it really matter?

The transmission drain plug for that Camry is up near the front of the
car on the driver's side. The pan it is attached to is rather large.

The differential is more towards the middle of the car and recessed
where it is harder to reach. The drain plug is visible but difficult
to get to and the fill plug is on the side of the housing is very
difficult to get to and fill without some sort of electrical pump. It
makes quite a mess when attempting to fill.

I am rather certain the 1995 is the same as my previous 1994 Camry but
they did change some things about the transmission/differential fluid
reservoirs shortly afterwards I believe.

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Pszemol - 21 Nov 2007 00:06 GMT

>> How to tell which drain plug goes to transmission
>> and which to the differential? Are they the same?
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> The transmission drain plug for that Camry is up near the front of the
> car on the driver's side. The pan it is attached to is rather large.

OK, I was talking about plugs removed from the car...
I have them both in my hands - how do I tell which one is which?

One has a magnet inside and the thread is slightly longer.
The other is non-magnetic and has shorter thread.

> The differential is more towards the middle of the car and recessed
> where it is harder to reach. The drain plug is visible but difficult
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> they did change some things about the transmission/differential fluid
> reservoirs shortly afterwards I believe.

Yes, I know where these things are - to refil the differential
it is enough to get a piece of flexible PVC tubing and put it
inside the filling hole left after removing the 17mm HEX fill plug.
You fill it from the top and fluid drains with the tubing to
the differential. Keep the oil draining pan underneath for
the moment you overfill.

I am just not sure if the drain plugs were assembled correctly
by the person who drained ATF before me... It seems to me that
transmission drain plug would have a magnet, not the differential
one.

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badgolferman - 21 Nov 2007 00:19 GMT

> I am just not sure if the drain plugs were assembled correctly
> by the person who drained ATF before me... It seems to me that
> transmission drain plug would have a magnet, not the differential
> one.

I would tend to agree with you.

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MarvinShos - 21 Nov 2007 17:15 GMT

I disagree!

The transission has a few flat magnets in the pan and so the magnetic plug is
for the differential.

>> I am just not sure if the drain plugs were assembled correctly
>> by the person who drained ATF before me... It seems to me that
>> transmission drain plug would have a magnet, not the differential
>> one.
>
>I would tend to agree with you.

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Marvin

Tomorrow's good old days are today!

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Pszemol - 21 Nov 2007 18:48 GMT

> I disagree!
>
> The transission has a few flat magnets in the pan and so the magnetic plug is
> for the differential.

So the mechanic did not make a mistake... OK.
I am glad I asked you guys before making a mistake switching them :-)

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