Changing the fuel filter

What involved in changing the fuel filter on a Tacoma 2002/4cylinder? You can not see the rear fuel line(from the fuel tank) connection since it is under the intake manifold. Does removing the starter motor help make the job easier??

Reply to
Stephen Lascari
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You should not have to remove the starter. That fuel filter is a real bear to change. We did ours with just open end wrenches, patience and a few bloody knuckles. Good luck. Scott

Reply to
zonie

Removing starter makes it a little more accessible -- but just a little. Make sure you use a flare wrench on the fuel line nut as they are on tight and are easily rounded off.

Reply to
Wolfgang

remove the left front tire

Reply to
Karl Rove

If it isn't clogged, don't change it. They designed the thing with enough surface area to never need replacement. They made it hard to reach for a reason, or so I'm told.

Reply to
Sean Elkins

Nonsense. If that's the case, why has it since been moved on newer Toyotas?

I changed mine at 70,000 miles (actually firestone did it for me while they were aligning the vehicle). you should have seen the crap that poured out of the old one. it only took them an hour to do, which was less time than I could manage, plus I admit: let them deal with the hassle of changing it.

Reply to
Karl Rove

Check your manual--what's the recommended interval for changing the fuel filter? IIRC from my 97 Tacoma, there isn't one.

I had mine changed at about 70K as well, but I think it was a waste of money.

Google this newsgroup about fuel filter changes on Toyota--there was a thread a few years ago about Toyota intentionally making them hard to access so people wouldn't change them needlessly.

Reply to
Sean Elkins

If I relied on my owner's manual recommendations, my truck never would have made it this far with so few problems. It's a simple cartridge filter that Toyota placed in a bad location, to which no one answered my original question as to why it was then later relocated.

If it's not meant to be regularly replaced, why are there so many aftermarket filters available?????????????????

Finally, my dealer (Bell Road Toyota) said to change it by 60,000 miles.

: > I changed mine at 70,000 miles (actually firestone did it for me while they : > were aligning the vehicle). you should have seen the : > crap that poured out of the old one. it only took them an hour to do, which : > was less time than I could manage, plus I admit: let : > them deal with the hassle of changing it. : >

: >

Reply to
Karl Rove

Dunno---why did they move it from under the hood to on the frame when they were still carburated 22R's?

We do agree that the owner's manual recommended intervals are a bit long, but if the Toyota has a recommendation of 'never' then even it you change at half the recommended interval that's still 'never'.

Because there are people that are willing to buy them????????????????

And I'll bet they wanted to be the ones you hired to do it.

Give this a read:

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Reply to
Sean Elkins

: : Dunno---why did they move it from under the hood to on the frame when : they were still carburated 22R's?

An inspired stroke of bad engineering contaminated by Toyota's association with Generally Mediocre (GM)? Why did my Toyota have a GM "green (but blind) eye" battery in it (which was the first component to fail after only a few month's service)?

: : We do agree that the owner's manual recommended intervals are a bit : long, but if the Toyota has a recommendation of 'never' then even it you : change at half the recommended interval that's still 'never'. : >

: > If it's not meant to be regularly replaced, why are there so many aftermarket : > filters available????????????????? : : Because there are people that are willing to buy them????????????????

Any part that carries the volume of fluid that a fuel filter does is highly prone to failure. Now what exactly does "lifetime" mean? The life of the vehicle or the life of the filter? The lifetime of a butterfly is grossly different than the life of a tortoise.....

: >

: > Finally, my dealer (Bell Road Toyota) said to change it by 60,000 miles. : : And I'll bet they wanted to be the ones you hired to do it. : Can't argue there; just like they did when my crap and bunion bushings went bad. Whoops! New $1500 ("remanufactured") rack instead of $15 worth of bushings. Same when inner tie rods went bad. Whoops! New $1500 ("remanufactured") rack instead of new tie rods.... Wrong on both counts! Two things I try to avoid in life: more pastries (have you seen my picture lately?

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) and dealing with the dealer.

: Give this a read: :

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ec7516bd/d5fa405710a871e1?lnk=st&q=toyota+fuel+filter+replacement+surface: +area&rnum=1&hl=en#d5fa405710a871e1: : >

: >

: > : > I changed mine at 70,000 miles (actually firestone did it for me while : > : > they : > : > were aligning the vehicle). you should have seen the : > : > crap that poured out of the old one. it only took them an hour to do, : > : > which : > : > was less time than I could manage, plus I admit: let : > : > them deal with the hassle of changing it. : > : >

: > : >

Reply to
Karl Rove

Did you read the post referenced above? It makes an interesting read, even if you ultimately reject the reasoning behind it.

Reply to
Sean Elkins

Karl Rove wrote: snip

Do only GM batteries fail? Do only GM batteries fail in a short time?

True, they aren't willing to listen to experience and have to have their own way, no matter what. "Damn the consequences, fire the torpedo!"

And the life of a filter is different than a butterfly, so on't use one as a filter, it won't last. Most recommendations are the filter will last the life of the car.

Why didn't you get involved with the repairs before spending the $3000 instead of dissing them because you spent your money?

Your choice, yet common knowledge is that many times (some, not all) dealers are cheaper and have better service available due to the fact that they only work on one brand, know it thoroughly and have access to any information available on it. Read your Wiki, will restrain myself form making hasty generalizations and negative comments about politicians.

Better link:

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Reply to
davidj92

: : Do only GM batteries fail? Do only GM batteries fail in a short time?

You get no points here

: And the life of a filter is different than a butterfly, so on't use one as a : filter, it won't last. Most recommendations are the filter will last the : life of the car.

"Most" ?? WTF?? I don't think so. No points here either

: : Why didn't you get involved with the repairs before spending the $3000 : instead of dissing them because you spent your money?

Wrong. I didn;t spend $3000. Apparently your reading skills are at grade one level; or you live in a red state

: : >Wrong : > on both counts! Two things I try to avoid in life: more pastries : > (have you seen my picture lately? : >

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) and dealing with the: > dealer. : : Your choice, yet common knowledge is that many times (some, not all) dealers : are cheaper and have better service available due to the fact that they only : work on one brand, know it thoroughly and have access to any information : available on it. : Read your Wiki, will restrain myself form making hasty generalizations and : negative comments about politicians.

Go back to square one and learn how to read Usenet posts. Then cite some sources that qualify as "Most"

Reply to
Karl Rove

Don't need your points.

I can read, that's what I told you I did to your Wiki, remember? Do your own googling for "most", whatever that means to you.

Reply to
davidj92

Must be on drugs; sure as hell can't read

: > You get no points here : : Don't need your points. : : > Go back to square one and learn how to read Usenet posts. Then cite : > some sources that qualify as "Most" : : I can read, that's what I told you I did to your Wiki, remember? : Do your own googling for "most", whatever that means to you. : :

Reply to
Karl Rove

Which you try to prove by top-posting. If there's somethng specific you feel I haven't read that's pertinant then let me know instead of reverting to school-boy tactits and saying "can't read". If you want to converse without this name calling and personal attacks then that can happen too. davidj92

Reply to
davidj92

"Karl Rove" wrote

I'm not a big fan of Delco batteries but, I got 70 months from the original battery on my '00 Taco. I could tell it was going away since last winter, but I decided to see how long it would last. 2 less starts and I'd been stuck in NO with Katrina.

Reply to
frito

I'll push car batteries to failure too - but I have this nasty habit of doing dual-battery conversions in my personal vehicles, so I'm not stuck for more than a few minutes.

Been There, Done That, Don't feel like doing it again, but thanks anyways for the offer... ^_^

And the LandCruiser has an "Emergency Start" switch on the dashboard that pops a starter solenoid on #1/0 cable between the batteries. Instant self jump start from the drivers seat without opening the hood... ;-P (Still have to do that to the Work Truck.)

Riding an old car battery to failure without a backup plan in place (like one of those "Jump Pack" batteries in the trunk) is just plain stupid - change the battery at the first hint of impending doom. As in "Gee! It almost didn't start that time..."

You can stand there waving jumper cables, but if nobody stops...

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Reply to
Bruce L. Bergman

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