Overlooked maint. item

One of the more frequently overlooked maintenance item on any vehicle is the fuel filter.

I've seen people go as far as replace injectors, pumps and regulators and not see any improvement.

Think about it. How much gas does your truck actually go through?

I've got the v6 so you can assume to see that I get around ~20 MPG.

In the 1400m I've already put on my truck since I've gotten it, that's roughly 70 gallons of gas from various stations, driving conditions... not to mention the 12 year old tank.

We change air filters regularly (or should) and for each unit of air, there is a proportional amount of fuel that goes through the engine.

It only makes sense TO CHANGE THE FUEL FILTER TOO!!

Proof:


This was straight out of the tank end of the filter.

After a little bit of sediment action...




It took me 20 minutes. Literally. 20 minutes and now most of the quirks that my engine was having... gone.

It now has remarkably more pep and only time will tell about the MPG and my hot start issues are gone

For $16 see what difference it makes.

 

That gunk there is why it's a good reason to get URDs external fuel filter



Just recently I got his installed on my truck and now can replace the fuel filter at regular intervals

 

Any way to post a walk through on how to do this?

I am a total knob, so use crayon, small words and lots of pictures if possible

 

x2. I'd rather have the external one especially since my truck is almost new still, pay a little now to save a lot later

 

walkthrough: http://www.customtacos.com/tech/index.php?article=175


All of our first gens have external filters I have no idea about 2nd gen but you still have to consider that if one of them gets clogged, having one down the line is going to do nothing less keep it out of your engine, you'll still have less than ideal flow rate.

3.4 is under driver door behind frame. IIRC 2.7 is near airbox and a pain?

The fuel PUMP is in tank I did this to avoid having to change my pump.

 

And I did this without removing the mounting bracket, I just removed the clamp bolt and then bent it out of the way. Kind of a pain getting it back in there but it wasn't too bad with straight pliers and an open ended wrench.

I couldn't find my extension bar and necessity is the mother of invention as the saying goes.

 

Second Gens have the fuel filter in the gas tank which is impossible to replace unless you buy a whole new tank. That's why URD made this external filter, didn't realize you had a first gen haha

 

you pump much more fuel than you actually burn. It cycles back to the tank, then up to the engine and around and around again. A million years ago in a toyota class I was in, they told us the filters were good for the life of the vehicle. I choose to replace at 60k.

 

I saw your sig and noticed that hahahaha. You second gens always butting in

But still, I edited my post to say that even with a second filter, if one of them gets clogged you're still going to run into problems.

It will keep the grit out of your engine but it won't flow any better.

Unless of course it bypasses the internal filter, but as to that I have no idea!

 

Hehe better let everyone know let it be a 1st gen or a 2nd right?
I don't have that internal filter anymore, just have that external filter

 

Thank you very much.

 

2.7 is on driver's side of engine block.

 

Same place as the 22re and it is a bitch to get to.

 

Yep. I hated it on my 1997. My 2003 is a 3.4 and much easier on the frame rail.

 

Anyone with a second gen attempted to replace theirs?

 

Nice pics and good reminder. Don't pay any attention to those 2nd gen guys. They always post everything in second gen (including stupid polls like "what's you favorite food?") and they always assume everything is about them, so they don't bother to notice details like this thread is posted in the 1st gen forum.

 

not being a smart-ass here was a write-up I used, and had bookmarked.
http://www.4runners.org/writeups/fuelfilter/index.html


thanks for posting the pic for others to see what comes out of a old fuel filter, usually I am too dirty, to mess with a camera by that point, but thats close to what came out of my truck when I did mine after I bought her.

 

I didn't post a write up, merely a friendly reminder to change it at regular intervals.

There is a Tacoma specific (3.4l) that I posted above that others will find useful.

I was fairly dirty at this point too but as the gas smell was making me nauseousness and I washed my hands after pulling it out I figured might as well ya know.

I think there is a DIY link posted in the MOD sticky for both the 3.4 and 2.X.

If there isn't anyone with a 2.X feel free to drop me a line and we can make a write up if you bring the parts and a beer or two!

Happy wrenching!

 

I'd take an easy to reach oil filter and a PITA fuel filter over the opposite any day.

 

Reminder bump for anyone who hasn't done this...