My Review of the 1997 Camry

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: supton
Can we define what "lack of power" actually means? Has to downshift once? In that era, it was a 4spd auto, right? At altitude I could see perhaps a double downshift if the hill was steep enough, although not at 75mph, but perhaps 50 or even 60mph. Also, it likely unlocks the convertor often, and I'm not sure that should be read as lack of power as much as it's geared such that it's simply rev'ing too low (so as to reap mpg's).

I wonder if the cable is opening the throttle body / plate / butterfly / whatever fully.

I haven't checked if it's opening all the way, I believe it is but I'll see. At 60 mph in the hills it'll drop into 2nd gear and scream at 5,000 rpms and continue to slow down.

Something is wrong then, seems odd that it runs well the rest of the time, cars get a bit tired with miles but not that much.
Fuel or air restrictions, or maybe the timing is off somehow?

 

[cptbarkey]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
if you are disappointed in a 97 camry's acceleration, I am not exactly understanding how you think a 04 TDI will be any sportier. It will in fact be about the same if not slower. Go the V6 route if its that important to you, and avoid toyota's if you dont like a Novocaine driving experience.


You must not have driven a Volkswagen TDI. I went on a 5,000 mile road trip in that TDI last summer and while it is not a racecar it has gobs of torque and can hold any hill at any speed you want. On an extremely steep hill it can do 80, 85, or any speed just by dropping into 5th gear.


i didnt drive one, i OWNED one for over a year. holding hill acceleration is uhh well technically interesting but its still 0-60 in 15 minutes.

 

[BISCUT]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: supton
Can we define what "lack of power" actually means? Has to downshift once? In that era, it was a 4spd auto, right? At altitude I could see perhaps a double downshift if the hill was steep enough, although not at 75mph, but perhaps 50 or even 60mph. Also, it likely unlocks the convertor often, and I'm not sure that should be read as lack of power as much as it's geared such that it's simply rev'ing too low (so as to reap mpg's).

I wonder if the cable is opening the throttle body / plate / butterfly / whatever fully.

I haven't checked if it's opening all the way, I believe it is but I'll see. At 60 mph in the hills it'll drop into 2nd gear and scream at 5,000 rpms and continue to slow down.

Something is wrong then, seems odd that it runs well the rest of the time, cars get a bit tired with miles but not that much.
Fuel or air restrictions, or maybe the timing is off somehow?


I have to agree something is wrong. I paid attention to mine today. Going 60mph thru a rough corner and then accelerating up the hill for say 1.5 miles with turns...floored it and the tack went to 5k. Kinda holds a second and then starts pulling slowly (it is a 2.2 4cy) but keeps pulling and say about 4 seconds later your at 75. Weak, sure! Gets the job done, Sure! Compared to F150 and BMW in my sig it's a dog....but a great car.

 

[hattaresguy]

Your car must be a weak example, or my memory is rusty because the last time I drove a Camry of that vintage was a decade ago in HS. But I thought it was decent enough for what it was, its not Autobahn burner but running at 80 was never an issue.

 

[itguy08]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994

I haven't checked if it's opening all the way, I believe it is but I'll see. At 60 mph in the hills it'll drop into 2nd gear and scream at 5,000 rpms and continue to slow down.


Sounds like the one we had as a rental circa 2001.... With 5 of us in the car in the interstates of VA. Hill, it would drop it to second and made that sucker scream going up hills. All to maybe maintain 60. Yeah it was a dog. We did get decent fuel economy but it was a dog and I sure wouldn't want one at all.

 

[Nick1994]

Well I took a video on 100% flat ground on the highway with the A/C off and my foot to the floor the entire time. I guess it's ok on flat ground but it tanks on inclines and A/C on. Just seems empty with those RPMs up.

http://youtu.be/E6rhpJX1b6M

 

[BISCUT]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Well I took a video on 100% flat ground on the highway with the A/C off and my foot to the floor the entire time. I guess it's ok on flat ground but it tanks on inclines and A/C on. Just seems empty with those RPMs up.

http://youtu.be/E6rhpJX1b6M


That is how my 95 runs with AC on and a hill....also screams/whines a lot louder than yours. Shifts on mine hit the 5k rpm mark pretty quick then the car starts the whine and pulls forward.

 

[Turk]

Post your 0-60 time.

Then I'll post our Camry's 0-60 time.

Unless you've given up on the car, then I won't waste my time & money.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I haven't checked if it's opening all the way, I believe it is but I'll see. At 60 mph in the hills it'll drop into 2nd gear and scream at 5,000 rpms and continue to slow down.


I think something's missing from the story here. The YouTube video you posted earlier correlates with what I've experienced in your vintage Camry. Floor it and it'll rev up, but it'll move out smartly. It's not an LF-A, but it'll move itself fine.

But you said earlier that you can have it floorboarded on a hill, in 2nd gear, and it's still slowing down? That must be one seriously steep hill, or you forgot to mention that you were pulling a 4,000 pound trailer! I've never come across a hill on a public highway (which usually have grade limits) that would cause a properly-operating passenger car to not be able to keep a 60 mph speed. Where is the location where you're having the problem? What stretch of road in particular?

 

[SwampSurvivor]

It's a 4 cylinder? Doesn't seem that bad for a 4 cylinder.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Doesn't seem that bad for a 4 cylinder.

+1

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I haven't checked if it's opening all the way, I believe it is but I'll see. At 60 mph in the hills it'll drop into 2nd gear and scream at 5,000 rpms and continue to slow down.


I think something's missing from the story here. The YouTube video you posted earlier correlates with what I've experienced in your vintage Camry. Floor it and it'll rev up, but it'll move out smartly. It's not an LF-A, but it'll move itself fine.

But you said earlier that you can have it floorboarded on a hill, in 2nd gear, and it's still slowing down? That must be one seriously steep hill, or you forgot to mention that you were pulling a 4,000 pound trailer! I've never come across a hill on a public highway (which usually have grade limits) that would cause a properly-operating passenger car to not be able to keep a 60 mph speed. Where is the location where you're having the problem? What stretch of road in particular?

On some hills on my trip to Montana last week

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: Turk
Post your 0-60 time.

Then I'll post our Camry's 0-60 time.

Unless you've given up on the car, then I won't waste my time & money.

The 0-60 actually kind of surprised me. It's just a lot of highway power loss.

http://youtu.be/44m8SobMofo

 

[Quattro Pete]

Again, that seems fairly normal. I4 NA engines typically do fine 0-60... it's acceleration above 60 that can be slow sometimes.

 

[BearZDefect]

I've driven a couple of that generation Camry with the 2.2 liter engine. I even drove one to Atlanta and back. They aren't brisk. Their top end is weak. But in the usual driving range of 2-3,000 rpm they did fine. I set cruise control to Atlanta and only a couple of the steepest inclines made it drop down from top gear to race at 4,000 RPM at 70+ MPH.

If I compare it my 1997 i30 (aka Maxima) of that same era, my i30 can climb ALL the inclines both ways on that route without changing RPM at 70+ MPH. But that is comparing a 3.0 to a 2.2

If I compare it to more recent i4 sedans I've driven with 5 and 6 speed automatics paired with 2.4 and 2.5 liter engines, the modern engines have better output at high RPM, but they are geared too tall and cannot climb any hill around here on cruise control without increased RPM - definitely unlocking the TCC and often downshifting too.

Overall, I found that generation Camry to be comfortable, and easy and relaxing to drive. Boring, sure.

And for reliability, they both fell victim to lack of maintenance or careless shop work that caused catastrophic cooling system failures.

 

[BISCUT]

I did the 0-60 phone stopwatch test 2xs with the 95 2.2 in my sig. Ground was basically flat both times. I got 12.47 and 13.1. Not anything truly lazy for a 19yr old 2.2 4banger NA. That was also with AC on....mine seems to dog under AC load.

 

[Nick1994]

Camry is sold. $2,200

I bought it for $1,700 in November

 

[supton]

Nice profit!

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: supton
Nice profit!

Yup, only thing I spent money on while owning it was gas, spark plugs, a $99 timing belt kit, tie rods, and 2 tires. Cheap, it did it's job.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

So what's replacing it?