Help! Fuel filter stuck on 1HD-T

[0culus]

Howdy all! First off, great forum. Always come here first when I have questions. First time posting though! Hoping someone else has dealt with the same problem has has some advice. I'm fairly handy at wrenching but this has me yanking my hair out!

I have a relatively new to me (as of last summer) 1992 HDJ-81, 1HD-T, and cold weather package. Overall the truck is extremely nice, quite low km, and runs fantastic. One BIG problem however, is that I discovered that I could not remove the fuel filter a few months ago when I did an oil change. I decided to revisit it today, again without success. Actually managed to tear one of those cloth type strap wrenches clean off.

I have a brand new OEM filter ready to go on, but I just. can't. budge. the old one. I quintuple checked the threads and watched videos of others doing this do verify I'm turning it the correct direction. Current filter is not a Toyota filter...it's a "DRIVEJOY" which appears to be some sort of Japan third party parts brand. All the more reason to get the fuel filter to a known state.

At any rate, I gave up for now (still drives) to reformulate my plan. I've had a thought to maybe find a replacement filter housing/fuel heater assy and replace the whole mess so I can deal with the stuck filter at my leisure (and hope the threads aren't boogered). I'm not having much luck finding the P/N on mine (23300-17050). Perhaps the non fuel heater version could work since we are headed to warm weather, and give me time to work on the old one? Anyone know the part number for that?

Thanks!!!

 

[AirheadNut]

I've had similarly stuck fuel filters on various JDM Toyotas. For one that was really bad I ended up removing the entire housing/filter assembly and putting the housing in a bench vise so I could get a big wrench on the filter. Took a lot of force but it finally came off. If I remember correctly the housing with the heater is NLA, but the non heated version should be readily available. Search somewhere like partsouq.com or megazip.net using your frame number, the parts diagrams should have both heated and non-heated versions listed.

 

[duece71]

I have had a tough time as well with the fuel filter last time I changed it (January), its positioning doesn’t lend itself to being able to get decent leverage on it to unscrew it. You might have to take the mounting assembly apart and maybe remove the lower bracket to clear enough space to get your hands around it or an oil filter wrench in there. I have to keep remembering to “Hand Tighten It” only.

 

[R.E.M.]

I just did this a couple days ago and had to use this jaw type wrench. It came off with moderate effort, but the risk is that this bites into the housing and then you’re committed.

Didn’t have to remove the mount.

 

[Mikeybro]

I literally did this last night. Couldn't get the dang think off. So disassemble the whole thing which is only 2 12 mm bolts and then did on the bench. Just for funs, I stabbed with screwdriver and untwisted that way.

 

[0culus]

I just did this a couple days ago and had to use this jaw type wrench. It came off with moderate effort, but the risk is that this bites into the housing and then you’re committed.

Didn’t have to remove the mount.

View attachment 3879701

Oh, interesting. I don't think I've seen one quite like that. I already dented it with the strap wrench I broke, so not much more damage to do unless I still can't get it off. Where did you get that thing?


Thanks all for the messages. What I've decided to do is go ahead and get a non-heated filter housing on order. Once that comes in, I'm going to replace the whole thing (and the unknown age fuel hose) and then work on freeing the stuck filter at my leisure. My climate is warm enough that we really don't need that heater anyway.

 

[janyyc]

I don’t know exactly how the fuel filters on the 80’s look, but a good trick is to unscrew the whole housing, flip it upside down, and screw it back on. That way you don’t need a bench or a vise.

 

[0culus]

I don’t know exactly how the fuel filters on the 80’s look, but a good trick is to unscrew the whole housing, flip it upside down, and screw it back on. That way you don’t need a bench or a vise.

Huh, that's an idea. Anyway, my parts from Amayama came in. Here's a fun one: I ordered the fuel filter cap assy that was clearly labeled as the one for non fuel heat. Everywhere online swears up and down that the fuel heater one is no longer available. Guess what arrived? Fuel filter cap assy WITH a spot for the fuel heater!

 

[bj70bc]

Huh, that's an idea. Anyway, my parts from Amayama came in. Here's a fun one: I ordered the fuel filter cap assy that was clearly labeled as the one for non fuel heat. Everywhere online swears up and down that the fuel heater one is no longer available. Guess what arrived? Fuel filter cap assy WITH a spot for the fuel heater!

order 10 more

 

[OM617YOTA]

I had to pull the fuel filter assembly off my 1996 1kzte as well and replace the filter on the bench. The FSM might actually say to do that.

Didn't snug it up to 9000 ft lbs like the last one felt like, and I'll be changing it regularly so hopefully it won't be as stuck next time. I carry a spare filter and tools to change it with me(probably unneeded holdover from my 617 days) but would really hate to do that job on the side of the road.

 

[0culus]

Does anyone know what size of O-rings to get for the heater assy? I'd like to refresh those as part of this process. Nothing else wrong with my heater.