Transmission or trans-axle (differential)

ALEXANDER BAUER

MEMBER
1998 TOYOTA CAMRY
3.0L
V6
2WD
AUTOMATIC
229,100 MILES

I replaced output shaft seal after previously replacing only the CV axle. After putting everything back together I go to test drive and car makes a terrible sound like the teeth of gears or splines are slipping and not interlocking. I used a mallet to reinsert the CV axle because it is help in by a snap ring and the axle but only. The transmission has been shifting smoothly and operating well. Fluid is clean and at proper level. I had been having a clunk when shifting to R and D, worse to R, but it had subsided after tightening bolts on differential cover. Could the hammering in of CV broken something in differential? Or possibly whole transmission is fried? Car will not move. Does not make any weird sounds in P and less in N.

7 Replies

STEVE W.

MECHANIC
13,576 POSTS

Put a bar up at the end of the CV joint and see if it is actually seated or if the joint can move up/down. Hitting the end to seat it should not hurt the transmission as it does take a bit of a slam to seat the axle over the ring. If the axle was not on the splines and you drove it in, that could do internal damage.
If it appears the axle is seated properly and you do not see anything you could pull the cover off and look at the gears.

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Thursday, February 22nd, 2018 AT 10:06 PM

ALEXANDER BAUER

MEMBER
4 POSTS

It appears seated, but does have an unusual amount of play. I already removed side plate, and visually I cannot see anything wrong. I am going to remove entire differential cover tomorrow hopefully. I have read it can be difficult to get out.

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Thursday, February 22nd, 2018 AT 10:15 PM

STEVE W.

MECHANIC
13,576 POSTS

Play is not good. Was the axle a re-manufactured unit or new? It could be that it is not the correct inner joint and barely contacts the splines. I know a lot of folks will not use anything but OEM axles on Toyota's and Honda's because of fitment problems with the aftermarket parts.

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Friday, February 23rd, 2018 AT 9:56 AM

ALEXANDER BAUER

MEMBER
4 POSTS

You know what is funny. I bought it New, but it has a 30mm axle nut. The re-manufactured one on the other side is a 32mm. I was just thinking the same exact thought. Possibly it is just a tad to small and is slipping.

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Friday, February 23rd, 2018 AT 11:30 AM

STEVE W.

MECHANIC
13,576 POSTS

It is very possible. Toyota used a lot of different axles for the Camry even in that same year, the four and six are different sizes plus there are two different sized axles for the V6 as well. Probably worth checking.