# No Power in gear! **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** toyota, camry\ **Created:** [March 26, 2019, 1:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-power-in-gear/137257 "2019-03-26T01:45:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sawyerpierson\_149952](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@sawyerpierson\_149952](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sawyerpierson_149952)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 1:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-power-in-gear/137257/1 "2019-03-26T01:45:45Z")
I have 1991 Toyota Camry dx with the 4 speed automatic transmission and the 4 cylinder 3s-fe engine. I have recently changed the cv axles, alternator, MAF sensor, and distributor. I drove the car for 4-5 days with no problems. The car previously didn’t have much power so I was hoping for an improvement. Today (the 25th). We changed the thermostat as the car previously overheated 1 time so we changed it as preventative maintenance. When we pulled out from our main road the car stayed in 1st gear for a vary long time. It had previously taken slightly longer between some shifts but never as drastic as this. When we turned around to come home the car had NO POWER!!! I could not get the car above 20mph and drove home with the hazards on. The car is not perfect by any means but now it’s not even drivable. I was going to try and fix it up but now I’m not sure it’s worth it. The car also needs motor mounts and leaks a LOT of oil. I think the coolant is leaking out somewhere as well but we’ve been maintaining the fluid so it would not overheat and we never drive it with the oil light on. I have a oil pump gasket that we need to install as from my research that is a common large oil leak on the Camry. Any help anyone can give is greatly appreciated as I would rather not have to go through buying another car. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 2:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-power-in-gear/137257/2 "2019-03-26T02:43:31Z")
Is there a chance you may have accidentally disconnected the vehicle speed sensor (on the transmission) or the throttle position sensor? Generally disconnecting either of those would throw a code and turn on the CEL, but still worth the time to double check those. As far as being related to the recent work - CV joints: Unlikely as long as no grounds got disconnected to make room for the work. - Alternator: Possible cause. Before first start of the day battery should measure about 12.6 v, then 13.5-15.5 after starting the engine. Does it? - MAF sensor: Possible cause. Near the throttle position switch, and if the part is faulty the engine won’t run well. - Distributor: Possible cause. Check idle ignition timing to spec with a timing light, and verify it advances as expected w/increasing rpm. You’ve checked the transmission fluid level, right? ---
**Author:** ![cwatkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@cwatkin](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cwatkin)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 3:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-power-in-gear/137257/3 "2019-03-26T03:15:11Z")
Any check engine lights? I had a car worked on after a deer collision and had sudden stalling and loss of power with a check engine light soon afterwards. I pulled into a nearby AutoZone and had the codes read. IT was somewhat of a generic code pertaining to various sensors on the engine and said it could be a bad connection. I unplugged and reconnected all the connections, cleared the code, and never had issues after that. I figure they didn’t have something quite snug after the body work but at was an easy fix.