Lifetime Fuel Filter???

[Joe_E]

I finally figured it was about time to change the fuel filter in the wife's '91 . I tried this once before but wound up with the wrong filter which is another story.
I'm working about 1000 ft. from a dealer so I call them to see if they have one in stock. The guy at the parts counter says it's a lifetime filter and shouldn't be replaced and is insistent about it.

I get home and check the FSM and no where does it have in the maintenance schedule it should be replaced either.
True?
Good or bad move not doing it?
I know it's a pain in the balls job and all.

 

[Ebag333]

Aside from it being a difficult job, these fuel filters are designed for third world countries where they might...well...actually filter something.

You can order one from cdan to replace it if you really feel the need, but just about all Toyota service centers will insist that it's a lifetime part. Considering that there are plenty of people running around with well over 200k miles and no issues, I personally would not replace it unless I suspected a possible problem with it (such as getting some bad gas).

 

[Grench]

"Lifetime" is a conditional term.

Is lifetime how long they expect until the engine starves of gas, goes lean and dies?

Is lifetime the original purchaser's? I don't know who that person was for mine.

Is lifetime the 5 years / 60,000 miles that these were warrantied for originally?

I'm probably expecting mine to live a lot longer than most car dealerships would like it to. A while back I was troubleshooting a problem that turned out to be a bad EFI computer. In the process I replaced my fuel filter, added a 2nd large diameter low pressure drop one in-line between the stock filter and the tank that is easier to change and have a 3rd one that runs between the 2nd tank and the transfer pump.

My wife's truck's fuel filter got changed when we did the head gasket on it 3 weeks ago. It is -easy- to change with the intake half off.

So, how do you define "Lifetime"?

That said, if it isn't causing you issues and it isn't convenient to change it at the moment, I wouldn't bother until you do the head gasket.... which if you have a 93-97 looks like an eventuality for all of us.

 

[94landcruiser]

I had mine replaced when the HG was done, as stated above, it's easy to get at without the head in the way.

 

[dixie_cragger]

I've actually seen a rig (citadel's 40th) with rerouted fuel lines and the fuel filter moved to the upper driver side firewall. I wasn't sure if the rerouting of the fuel lines affected the truck's performance but after replacing my own fuel filter a couple months back, it got me thinking...

 

[Izeloz]

Easy to change...maybe half an hour on a '91 3FE. I replaced mine when I bought the truck as part of my baselining. It's on the passenger side of the motor. A bit of a pain, but not as bad as a RAV4 or 22RE pickup or 4runner (under the intake mounted on the block).

 

[jonheld]

UHHH...no.

The fuel filter on a 3FE is mounted on the inside US passenger side frame rail just forward of center of the motor.

Replace with OEM along with the 2 copper washers on the banjo fittings. Start the motor and pull the circuit opening relay (driver's kick panel). THis will depressurize the fuel line and minimize fuel spraying all over you when you loosen the fittings. Also remove the fuel filler cap to depressurize the tank.

 

[Izeloz]

Yeah, sorry about that. My bad. I was thinking of that pain of a 22RE fuel filter. Thanks for the correction. It IS on the passenger frame rail.

 

[Joe_E]

UHHH...no.

The fuel filter on a 3FE is mounted on the inside US passenger side frame rail just forward of center of the motor.

Replace with OEM along with the 2 copper washers on the banjo fittings. Start the motor and pull the circuit opening relay (driver's kick panel). THis will depressurize the fuel line and minimize fuel spraying all over you when you loosen the fittings. Also remove the fuel filler cap to depressurize the tank.

Thanks for this little tidbit of info on depressurizing the line.
She picked up a little bad gas the other day giving it a stumble. I told her to stop at her regular station and get 10 or so gallons to mix it up . Seemed to work as of last night. Maybe i'll hold off on the filter until i'm really in the mood to get dirty, rust flakes in my eyes, and use alot of profanity.

 

[TCH2FLY]

As a former Toyota ASM we used "Lifetime" to refer to items with no specified replacement interval.

If you want the piece of mind and have the time and $.... go for it.

 

[powderpig]

I believe that a few years ago it was a 60k service item on the cruiser. I like to change them out no longer than 100k. Yes the filter really does work, I have seen some with dirt come out the In side of the filter. I have seen some trucks perform better after service of this item. I personally do not believe that the fuel filter is a lifetime service item.

 

[sdbrassfield]

I have never heard of any filter under any application automotive or otherwise as being a lifetime filter unless they are serviceable (cleanable). Your gas filter can not be serviced or cleaned. Replace it. When to rplace is the question.

The 3fe filter takes 15 minutes to replace...

 

[hj60]

Our fleet policy is replace gasoline filters every 30k miles or 1000 hours. (Diesel filters get changed at every service.)
This included the 22RE Hiluxes when we still had all of them. (Still have 1, but the operator maintains it himself now.)
I have seen all manner of filter issue. From free and clear to so plugged you couldn't blow 150PSI shop air through it.
Bad gas happens. Dust gets in your tank. Dust gets on the hose nozzle. Punk kids put things on the pump nozzle. Punk kids put things in your tank. An old friend of mine couldn't start her nearly new VW one morning. Finally got it to start, but it ran like crap. Couldn't go more than 20 or 30. Drove it to the dealer (about 2.5 miles away) and left it. They called back and said someone had put vasoline or something similar in the tank. They flushed it and replaced the pump.
I just bought a fuel filter and will be changing mine tomorrow. It's piece of mind. 260k+ miles, who knows if it's original and how many tanks of bad fuel it's had to filter in its lifetime?

 

[4xoddic]

how many tanks of bad fuel it's had to filter in its lifetime?

Hmmm, my 88 FJ62 just found a new home, I think we replaced the filter once in 18 years (for ).

I was trying to find a filter to use in-line on a Pertroworks' poly fuel tank replacement on my Samurai GTi 1.3 DOHC project. Stopped in at fav Import Mechanic, sign reads: We Don't Work on British Imports = MGs & Triumphs (they've had this policy for a while, and since I owned a Midget 1970-75, I don't blame them).

He sold me a plastic one for an early Bug (in the display case for Dune Buggy Bling). Said they hadn't seen a clogged filter in a # of years & I likely didn't need one.

I do make it a habit of not filling up while the Delivery Tanker is pumping into the tanks & roiling up debris like the cig butt the original installer tossed in for good measure on Day 1.

I'd be more concerned if I were buying gas from a nino hawking Pemex Magna in a 5 gal. Peanut Oil bucket, unless he were throwing in a watch or 2. (No offense meant to anyone starting their kid out in the business world.)

 

[cruiserdan]

Whoever is calling the fuel filter "lifetime" is not correct. Toyota does not consider it "lifetime" nor do they consider it a maintainence item.

They DO consider it to be a replace as required part such as door handles, valve covers, tail light bulbs and so-on.

I.E. you change it if you have a problem with it.

 

[Grench]

Rambling

I.E. you change it if you have a problem with it.

You're never going to sell them that way.

Seriously though, if a truck has 130,000 miles on it and is in for a head gasket anyway, just do it. No point in putting an old one back on if you already have it off.

If we're just looking for something to PM because the guy is bored with his desk job and find wrenching cathartic, check the parking brake end to end for rust and free movement. Don't forget to lube up those bell cranks. Then remove your drive shafts and wobble the U joints about feeling for anyplace they catch. Then remove the birfields, repack them and swap sides. Then...

Oh, and don't forget to check the tire pressure so you're not wasting gas. What exactly that pressure should be is a loaded question if you have anything but stock tires on it...

And the parts keep piling up and I keep working late.

Has anyone else taken vacation time so that they have time to wrench when their truck isn't broken?

 

[Range Cruiser]

Where I am the fuel is particularly dirty. A regular part of servicing is to back flush the fuel filter (easy to do on the 100s), and there is always a reddish brownish contamination that comes out. Just a part of life here.

With a new 2009 200 series VXR, with the 4.7 V8, I want it to remain as pristine as possible. It has only two tanks of fuel through it and I am considering adding another fuel filter. This would be easy with the 100 series, as it is very accessible in the engine bay, but on the 200 I haven't even found it yet.

Anyone know where the filter is, and if mounting a second is feasible?

 

[WarDamnEagle]

Where I am the fuel is particularly dirty. A regular part of servicing is to back flush the fuel filter (easy to do on the 100s), and there is always a reddish brownish contamination that comes out. Just a part of life here.

With a new 2009 200 series VXR, with the 4.7 V8, I want it to remain as pristine as possible. It has only two tanks of fuel through it and I am considering adding another fuel filter. This would be easy with the 100 series, as it is very accessible in the engine bay, but on the 200 I haven't even found it yet.

Anyone know where the filter is, and if mounting a second is feasible?

I think you'll have better luck if you post this question in the 200 section....just a suggestion.

 

[lextechautomotive]

Just friut for thought, being that there was a slight gas shortage in the south east due to refineries not up to 100% and service stations running out of gas, i have seen many vehicles in the last 3 weeks with poor driveability concerns related to contaminated fuel. I relate this to the gas station fuel tanks being sucked dry therefore consumers getting the "botton of the barrell" trash, water etc... from the stations tanks.
I have never removed a fuel filter from any Lexus or Toyota vehicle and not found some type of contaminate come out of the filter. Morall of the story change the filter when you feel it's necessary.
This is one of the items that does not apply to" if it ain't broke don't fix it".

 

[flintknapper]

Just friut for thought, being that there was a slight gas shortage in the south east due to refineries not up to 100% and service stations running out of gas, i have seen many vehicles in the last 3 weeks with poor driveability concerns related to contaminated fuel. I relate this to the gas station fuel tanks being sucked dry therefore consumers getting the "botton of the barrell" trash, water etc... from the stations tanks.
I have never removed a fuel filter from any Lexus or Toyota vehicle and not found some type of contaminate come out of the filter. Morall of the story change the filter when you feel it's necessary.
This is one of the items that does not apply to" if it ain't broke don't fix it".

Not an 80 series filter (off of my LX470) but darn sure NOT 'lifetime'.

Yes the filter did it's job... the fuel I poured out wasn't off colored, but the the filter can become quite 'clogged up'.

You won't see or know about all the 'funk' in one unless you cut it open (see mine below). My fuel pump started whining...and its no surprise why.