Inside a 200k mile fuel tank (1 Viewer)

[bloc]

I'm throwing my rig a bit of a 200k mile birthday party, and as part of that I dropped the tank and installed a new fuel pump as PM. The logic for this was the few reports of bad fuel pumps (Teckis, others), or fuel pump ECUs (CharlieS, seems like a couple more) which I believed at the time had fuel pump issues contributing.

Many of us were surprised to find that our trucks don't have a real fuel filter. After decades of working on cars of all kinds I took for granted that it was necessary.. and this super-reliable rig not having one never sat right with me. Well, after dropping the tank.. toyota knew what they were doing.. at least with the fuel put into this truck for 100k before I got it, and the 6000+ gallons over 100k miles I've added.

So here's a short thread to share what was inside my tank after double what much of america considers a vehicle too old to own.

TL;DR. As long as we use decent fuel in the US, we don't need a fuel filter.

Yep.. that's it. The inside of the tank was totally debris-free, and the filter sock only had minor grime. I'd run that filter sock for 500k of the same fuel without reservation.

Edit: I can also say after disassembling the fuel pump that in my case it didn't need to be changed. It didn't have the wear that Teckis' did and probably had plenty of life left. Next step is considering tossing in a fuel pump ECU.

 

[TheComedian]

If you are normaly in „normal“ areas the fuel will be konda always in top condition.
I had it the other direction when I was like in northern Africa… there you need to change the diesel filter every tank or every second full tank(s) of diesel
The other benefit of have been in the dessert is that even years after been there you’ll always find some sand

 

[bloc]

If you are normaly in „normal“ areas the fuel will be konda always in top condition.
I had it the other direction when I was like in northern Africa… there you need to change the diesel filter every tank or every second full tank(s) of diesel
The other benefit of have been in the dessert is that even years after been there you’ll always find some sand

Agree 100%. I would even say if any of us North Americans were to spend much time in Mexico or Central/South America they could have very different results. But yes the fuel in the US is very high quality and the vast majority of us here don't need any extra filtration to have a long-lasting vehicle.

 

[TimCFJ40]

Thanks for the pics! Impressively clean, although not surprising to me.
For curiosity sake, do you generally run your tank low every fill up, or do you fill up at 3/8 of a tank (or something more than when the light comes on) just to not ingest the (non existent apparently) trash at the bottom of the tank as some folks recommend?
I run mine down to 1/8 or lower every time to stretch range, and because I don't believe there is much to worry about from running the tank low, as your pictures show.

 

[linuxgod]

Agree 100%. I would even say if any of us North Americans were to spend much time in Mexico or Central/South America they could have very different results. But yes the fuel in the US is very high quality and the vast majority of us here don't need any extra filtration to have a long-lasting vehicle.

Does the petrol version overseas include some sort of filter? If not I'd wager that even gas in developing countries is "good enough" that the filter isn't needed, otherwise Toyota would have added one to the non-US builds

 

[bloc]

Thanks for the pics! Impressively clean, although not surprising to me.
For curiosity sake, do you generally run your tank low every fill up, or do you fill up at 3/8 of a tank (or something more than when the light comes on) just to not ingest the (non existent apparently) trash at the bottom of the tank as some folks recommend?
I run mine down to 1/8 or lower every time to stretch range, and because I don't believe there is much to worry about from running the tank low, as your pictures show.

The bulk of those 100k have been roadtrips where fuel availability wasn't as guaranteed as around town.. so I'd say the majority of the second half of the life of the vehicle were somewhere between 1/4 tank and the light.

As it is the inside of the tank has some interesting baffles and channels to direct fuel to the pump module bucket when it is low.. IMO even without the tank being low I believe things resting on the bottom will end up near the pump module anyway, due to natural movement of the vehicle and downstream effects of that movement triggering fuel flow.

One thing is certain.. this is not just a wide open fuel tank with a pump and sock at the bottom. The pump module is quite interesting.. there is a small bleed line off the pressure side that creates a siphon to fill the pump module bucket even if the rest of the tank is very low.. and the fuel in the module is what the pump actually draws from to feed both the rails and the siphon. All of this was impressively clean.

 

[manofthewoods]

I'm throwing my rig a bit of a 200k mile birthday party, and as part of that I dropped the tank and installed a new fuel pump as PM. The logic for this was the few reports of bad fuel pumps (Teckis, others), or fuel pump ECUs (CharlieS, seems like a couple more) which I believed at the time had fuel pump issues contributing.

Many of us were surprised to find that our trucks don't have a real fuel filter. After decades of working on cars of all kinds I took for granted that it was necessary.. and this super-reliable rig not having one never sat right with me. Well, after dropping the tank.. toyota knew what they were doing.. at least with the fuel put into this truck for 100k before I got it, and the 6000+ gallons over 100k miles I've added.

So here's a short thread to share what was inside my tank after double what much of america considers a vehicle too old to own.

TL;DR. As long as we use decent fuel in the US, we don't need a fuel filter.

View attachment 3424668

View attachment 3424665

Yep.. that's it. The inside of the tank was totally debris-free, and the filter sock only had minor grime. I'd run that filter sock for 500k of the same fuel without reservation.

Edit: I can also say after disassembling the fuel pump that in my case it didn't need to be changed. It didn't have the wear that Teckis' did and probably had plenty of life left. Next step is considering tossing in a fuel pump ECU.

Just to back you up...
When I did the same thing to my '97 LX450 two years ago; my tank was the same, clean. At 372k miles no less.

 

[bloc]

Just to back you up...
When I did the same thing to my '97 LX450 two years ago; my tank was the same, clean. At 372k miles no less.

Good stuff.

You reminded me I’ve done a couple 80-series pumps.. one I don’t remember the mileage but it went bad, the other was to install a Supra pump after around 300k. Those tanks were metal so not quite as gleaming but not much to note in the tank or strainer.

 

[ColoradoNick]

I run mine with the fuel light on often enough... which means there is only something like 4 gallons left. The margin of error on the fuel indicator means if you fill at 1/4 tank you probably have 10 gallons left lol.

 

[TomEf]

As a bit of a counterpoint/devil’s advocate:

I killed a fuel pump in my 100 with dirty fuel. Loaded up two brand new fuel filters with junk and the pump couldn’t push through.

Also, here’s a picture of my fuel filter from my E34. That drain pan was new when I put the filter in it and let it drain out from the fill port.

 

[bloc]

As a bit of a counterpoint/devil’s advocate:

I killed a fuel pump in my 100 with dirty fuel. Loaded up two brand new fuel filters with junk and the pump couldn’t push through.

Also, here’s a picture of my fuel filter from my E34. That drain pan was new when I put the filter in it and let it drain out from the fill port.

View attachment 3427071

Mostly Utah fuel?

 

[hdj105]

Does the petrol version overseas include some sort of filter? If not I'd wager that even gas in developing countries is "good enough" that the filter isn't needed, otherwise Toyota would have added one to the non-US builds

Yes we do in Australia, p/no. 23300-50140, on inside of LHS chassis rail about level with the t/case.

 

[stonepa]

Agree 100%. I would even say if any of us North Americans were to spend much time in Mexico or Central/South America they could have very different results. But yes the fuel in the US is very high quality and the vast majority of us here don't need any extra filtration to have a long-lasting vehicle.

I never had much of an issue with gas station fuel anywhere in central or south america but if I bought anything roadside i filtered it before it went into my tank.

 

[kcjaz]

Yes we do in Australia, p/no. 23300-50140, on inside of LHS chassis rail about level with the t/case.

Interesting. While maybe it isn’t necessary in the US I wonder what the reason is to delete the filter? What would the downside of a fuel filter be?

 

[bloc]

Interesting. While maybe it isn’t necessary in the US I wonder what the reason is to delete the filter? What would the downside of a fuel filter be?

Cost, more required maintenance, potential point of failure

 

[kcjaz]

Cost, more required maintenance, potential point of failure

sure, but in the spirit of "over engineered" I wouldn't think a fuel filter would be that big of a deal from the cost, maintenance, and potential failure perspective. Most of a LC isn't necessary for the US.

 

[TomEf]

Mostly Utah fuel?

In the 100 yes. E34 was pretty much all California.