DIY - 2.4L / 2.7L fuel filter relocation mod

@DJB1

Yeah, I know. I waited like a month after reading the DYI thread before I posted because I knew my opinion would not be very popular. Finally, my conscience won out.

But that location was chosen for the same reason almost all fuel lines/filters and brake lines run along the inside of the frame, even though it causes them to rust: maximum protection. It is also part of the reasoning behind moving the pump to the tank and adding impact activated shutoffs to the "newer" (compared to our first gens) designs. Of course, electrical vs mechanical also provided efficiency improvements, but it also moved them to a safer location.

 

I posted this in early Aug. I recently bought a 95 from a local salvage yard. Coincidentally, it had the condition I was describing. It had a left front hit which pushed the rad support, battery, and relay box rearward by 10-12 inches. There were four wires cut inside what was left of the relay box. The fuel line was kinked, but did not rupture.

I now feel pretty good about saying, don't relocate your fuel filter to the left side fender apron.

 

I had fun doing this. I don't look at it as a headache, I look at it as a challenge.

 

Nice mod. Ill be doing this next time i swap my fuel filter

 

Thanks keakar for the inspiration!

I think my 1998 SR5 5SPD RWD 2.4L Tacoma had the original filter @208K.

I relocated the fuel filter next to the brake booster, without having to extend the fuel line.

Next, I'm going to bend the steel fuel-line, which will place the fuel filter closer to the firewall, and mounted to the firewall, or the back of the intake manifold.

I dumped the contents of the old fuel filter into a stainless bowl, and it was a rusty mess, and the tank has to be dropped.

I decided not to bother trying to clean this tank, once I found out, that Dorman makes a galvanized fuel tank, that's also powdercoated, with a lifetime warranty.

What's a good fuel pump, I'm deciding between Bosch and Airtex.

What PSI does the Tacoma need?

 

Why not the Denso?

 

I guess Denso would be ok...

The one Bosch pump had a lifetime warranty, and came with a new harness.

 

It is just that your OEM pump has lasted a really long time...I would be tempted to run with another one of those. Unless the price was way different.

Toyota OEM parts are crazy variable in price. Sometimes the OEM is cheaper, or the same, as AM. Other times...well, we all know about some of the super-expensive OEM parts.

$30 OEM shock absorber.
$250 OEM exhaust down pipe.

Geeze.

 

The places I checked, that were reasonably priced @ $80 were backordered.

In hindsight, I should've hunted one down, or gone with the Bosch pump.
I bought a Kemso 340LPH liters per hour performance pump, and the pump was slightly longer, and I had to cut 10mm of the steel tube, that's connected via the 1/4" hose to the pump. Made in Japan and it has a lifetime warranty.

The pressure hose broke loose, and started turning like normal, but then got really tight, so I had to do all the work with the pump assembly connected to the pressure hose and steel pipe.

Its a really nice gas tank setup and it's really easy if you drain the tank first, which I didn't do.

It took me a while, but I re-relocated the fuel filter. Its now secured to the back of the intake.
All the 1/4" fuel lines without pressure fittings were replaced, both by the tank, and in the engine compartment.
The new tank wasn't totally needed, there was a fine layer of rust dust on the inside of the tank, which easily wiped clean.
I still have not found a source for the rust seen in the fuel filter, and in the tank.
The only place I can think of, is inside the steel lines, or in the Denso fuel pump.

I had a VDO pump go bad on my 16V Scirocco, and the gas in the fuel filter was gray, from machining itself apart.

I'm going to open up the old fuel pump, and see if there's anything rusted.

If the filter shows any rust again, I'll just run new steel lines...

 

Thank you for the video. I bet the mechanic shop lied to me about it "not having a fuel filter". That is a ton of work to get to that damn filter. I've never seen Toyota do this before and make a part impossible to change out.

 

I had an 80 and an 82 Supra. The fuel filters were in the same location as my 97 Tacoma. Pain in the ass.

 

Thanks. I will not be using these mechanics in the future. They just didn't want to work on it and potentially snapped bolts

 

I like this! I will say I can see both points of relocating it and keeping it under the manifold. Bought a crunched taco and also thought about how the filter would of done if it was moved.

 

Getting crunched was one of my main concerns, and I didn't want to mess with the pressure hose.
I bent the steel fuel supply line instead, and mounted the fuel filter behind the intake, in front of the firewall off and mounted off of the round vacuum device, with the fuel line under the M/cyl.

Could you post pictures of the engine compartment of your crunched Tacoma? I'm trying to see how my mod would hold up in a crash.

 

I was gonna do the relocation mod but the way I changed the filter worked pretty good. First thing I did was I got the the front banjo bolt fitting loose on the filter, then loosened the banjo bolt fitting on the fuel line. I then went in from the wheel well and loosened the top bracket bolt, then I removed the lower bracket bolt. With that being done, I could then loosen the retention bolt above where the lower bracket bolt is located. With that done, I then removed the fuel rail banjo bolt and also the front banjo bolt on the filter. I was able to then slide the filter out of the bracket and up out of the engine bay. I was able to remove the rear banjo bolt on the filter while working on the floor. I could then easily re-attach both banjo bolts and fuel lines on the new filter while it was outside of the engine bay. After that, installation was just reverse of the removal. Hopefully this helps someone.

 

Solid write up brother. Just did mine. It took my amateur hands a few tries to tighten all the leaks.

Did your 5/16th hose follow the same path to the fuel rail as the OEM? Or did you go behind the intake entirely?

 

I have a 2004 Tacoma xtra-cab 2wd with a 2.4l engine. I just finished putting a new fuel filter in. It was a pain. My forearms are bruised from getting my hands at the various bolts.
An odd thing happened that maybe someone can shine a light on. I went through the driver's side wheel well this time. I got everything back on and then tested the fittings by running the engine. There were no leaks but I noticed that I had left the old washer on the right-side bolt head so that there were 2 washers at the bolt head. I saw the washer at the filter side of the fitting so now there were 3 washers total on the supply(?) side. It was getting dark and I was tired so I left it as is for the next day. The next day I removed the bolt and the old washer but now, after I got it back together, gasoline was shooting up against the engine block from the filter-side of the fitting. I managed to tighten the bolt a little more but the leak persisted at a drip. I took the bolt back out, put the old washer back on with the new washer, and now there is no leak.

I don't know if damage was done to the bolt and/or to the filter and this is why the 1 washer set up at either side of the fitting didn't seal. I also worry that the double washer at the bolt head might leak at some point.

 

Has anyone else managed to break a fuel line while trying to swap out fuel filters?

 

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it and make sure to only use the correct number of washers next time.

 

Like the hard line? Or the ones going to and from the filter?