Thinking of putting off replacing your fuel filter? (1 Viewer)

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Did mine on the driveway during a thunderstorm as it got dark and the mosquitos swarmed in.

Reading up and extensions make it not so bad.

Filter was about 13 years at the time and didn't look as bad inside as the pictures at the start of this thread.
 
Plus one on the extensions! Also get yourself a 17mm stubby ratcheting wrench. It’ll make a world of difference. Another thing I wish I had is a big piece of white paper to put under the area. It would have made finding the crush washers that WILL fall a hell of a lot easier to find. Haha
I read where someone had removed the battery box I don’t see where that would have helped. Just more work imho.
 
Doing this today thanks to you guys. So how are you guys cutting the old ones open for a look without self-immolation? Saws-all seems like a bad idea, as does a dremel or a die grinder. Tx
 
Drain, let sit for a while, cut...that's all I remember: no drama. No need for anything stronger than a dremel.
 
I used a sawsall (didn't have any of those small cutting disks for me dremel) and part of the filter paper where it was cut crumbled, but still could see the residue left from many thousand gallons of gasoline. Surprised how brittle the filter media gets, seems like there would be a better media than treated paper/cellulose ??
 
Doing this today thanks to you guys. So how are you guys cutting the old ones open for a look without self-immolation? Saws-all seems like a bad idea, as does a dremel or a die grinder. Tx

Why cut it open?
The old one will be dirty, new one will be clean.

Not knocking anyone, but un-sure what is gained by cutting them open other than satisfying curiosity.
 
And another thing goes on the list of items to do.

Truth be told I have no idea if mine is original or not (somewhere between 280k and 300k I'd guess, none of the POs had ever recalibrated the odometer for the 35s, nor do I have record of how long it's been on 35s).

I know it hasn't been changed in the 30ish k miles I've put on it. Would have to check POs records but maybe it was done.

Are they date stamped at all in a location you can see without removing it? Cruiser and I are in diff locations at the moment or I'd look for myself.

What's the worst that happens running and old one? Just reduction in mileage or does the gunked up old one end up letting the gunk intp places it shouldn't be?
 
And another thing goes on the list of items to do.

Truth be told I have no idea if mine is original or not (somewhere between 280k and 300k I'd guess, none of the POs had ever recalibrated the odometer for the 35s, nor do I have record of how long it's been on 35s).

I know it hasn't been changed in the 30ish k miles I've put on it. Would have to check POs records but maybe it was done.

Are they date stamped at all in a location you can see without removing it? Cruiser and I are in diff locations at the moment or I'd look for myself.

What's the worst that happens running and old one? Just reduction in mileage or does the gunked up old one end up letting the gunk intp places it shouldn't be?
I believe the one I changed last summer on my cruiser had some sort of date listed on it. IIRC it was from 2007 but it didn't look nearly as bad as the pictured one in this thread
 
Done. Original with 235k on it. Will cut it open as soon as guests leave this evening...
 
I cut mine open out of curiosity :idea: , people without curiosity are busy texting each other photos of themselves falling over the edge of a cliff :oops: , licking donuts o_O, or some other mindless activity :p.

The fuel filters don't seem to have a date code on them, the 3-4 I've looked at (new and used) all have an 07 on them.
 
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Well, mine looked exactly like other's have. Dark brown/grey with some chocolate pudding like goop in one corner and the fuel dribbled out of the torn media like espresso. Mine even had some sand grain looking bits in it. Odd, as back at around 150k I pulled my fuel pump out of the tank for PM to change the filter sock on it. The tank was spotless and the sock was intact - just stained a dark color. So, dunno how those could get in unless they're actually some kind of moisture/water related calcium deposit things. On cutting, I just tossed it in the vice and hacksawed it in half in 30 seconds. Thanks so much for the help and links.

Below are the absolute BEST set of directions on how to do this. Plus a little Aussie humor for fun. Once you've done it, you'll see why these work so well. Critical to just start the threads of the fuel lines and filter bracket bolts as he directs. I took off the LF tire and the rearmost 2 plastic splash panels which gave me great access to the fuel line bolts from the wheel well. I don't know how he got the fuel lines from below but with the wheel off you can see and get in there with WAY more room and tool choices. Once I saw how easily it came out, I did not bother to notch the inboard bracket end. Waste of time, frankly. (from poster VALDEN, who only has 3 posts):

QUOTE:
Hello all. First post here.

I replaced the fuel filter on my 1FZ-FE petrol engined 80 series Landcruiser yesterday. First time by me. It really wasn’t that difficult so I thought I’d describe the straightforward method I used. No tricks or special moves involved. No wheels or plastic removed. No jack stands needed.

Parts needed: OEM replacement filter, which comes with four crush washers. You’ll need those, so check they’re in the box. I didn’t order new banjo bolts and didn’t need them.

Removal:

Move the car into the garage. No need to remove the front left wheel, nor to put the car on jack stands if you can fit under with a creeper. Can’t fit under? Reduce your beer ration.

Engine off. Open the fuel filler cap to relieve pressure.

Tuck a towel under the fuel filter to catch drips. There’ll be about half a cup. Try not to let the cigarette fall out of your mouth during the next step. Don’t smoke? Congratulations. You might last longer than your Landcruiser.

Use a 17mm spanner to crack the two banjo bolts at each end of the fuel filter. Fuel will leak. Don’t remove these bolts yet.

From under the car, reach up with long extensions and a wobble joint to the two 12mm bolts that mount the filter to the manifold. Crack and loosen them so there’s some movement of the filter but don’t remove them yet.

Remove the banjo bolt at the front-of-car end of the filter. More fuel will leak. The rubber fuel line will flop around. When the leaking stopped I put a small, clean plastic bag around the end of the fuel line, secured with a rubber band, to keep dirt out. There are two crush washers on the banjo bolt, either side of the fuel line. Make sure they’re removed. Put the banjo bolt aside and keep it clean.

The little bit of movement of the filter will now make it easier to remove the banjo bolt at its rear end. Remove the two crush washers. The fuel line here runs straight to the injectors, post filter, so keeping dirt out is imperative. The fuel line is metal so won’t flop. There wasn’t much dirt around this metal fuel line so I just let it hang there without covering it. The less disturbance the better.

Get under the car with the long extensions and remove the inner 12mm filter mounting bolt; the one closest to the engine block.

From up top, support the filter and remove the outer 12mm mounting bolt. Try to keep the filter level to reduce fuel spillage as it’s manoeuvred out. If you’re still smoking, turn your head away to avoid sparks landing on your hands. They’ll be wet with fuel.

Inspect and clean the banjo bolts. Mine were in excellent condition, after 160,000kms of use. I blew them out with shop air before re-using them.

Installation:

With minimal disturbance, clean the end of the metal fuel line that is hanging from the inlet manifold with a clean, lint-free cloth soaked with shellite. Clean the inner part of the fuel line end ring with a cotton-bud soaked with shellite.

Take the banjo bolt you’ll use for the rear end of the filter, ensure it’s clean, then fit a new crush washer to it. Fit this through the end ring of the metal fuel line and then place another crush washer on the banjo bolt. The end ring of the fuel line will now have a crush washer on either side of it. Let it rest there.

Hold one of the 12mm filter mounting bolts with your lips, next to your cigarette. Or place it somewhere handy.

Orient the new filter, maneouvre it into place, slide the guide prongs around the metal fuel line and screw the banjo bolt into the threaded end of the filter, but not all the way. Take care that the mounting legs of the filter are not tangled with the mounting stubs of the manifold. If they are, remove the banjo bolt and start again. Clean again if necessary.

Keep supporting the filter with your hand while retrieving the 12mm bolt. Fit it through the outer leg of the filter and into the mounting stub of the manifold, but not tight yet.

Get under the car with the extensions and the other 12mm bolt. Install it through the hole of the filter’s inner leg, but not tight yet.

Up top again, snug up the rear banjo bolt, finger tight.

Clean the front fuel line end ring with the lint free cloth, shellite and cotton buds. Install it to the front end of the filter with its banjo bolt and two new crush washers; one either side of the fuel line end ring. Snug it up, finger tight.

Use two 17mm spanners to put a little tightness onto the two banjo bolts, simultaneously.

Get under the car and put a touch of tightness onto the two mounting bolts. Get up top and put some firmer tightness onto the banjo bolts. Get under and tighten the mounting bolts some more. Take the banjo bolts up to 29Nm / 22 lb-ft. Tighten the filter mounting bolts to 21 Nm / 15 lb-ft.

Start the engine. Check for fuel leaks, i.e. there shouldn’t be any. Job’s done! :)

UNQUOTE
 
Why cut it open?
The old one will be dirty, new one will be clean.

Not knocking anyone, but un-sure what is gained by cutting them open other than satisfying curiosity.
Thats exactly why I cut it: Curiosity. Hacksaw, anything else will cause sparks and well...💥🔥
 
Mine was the same as op and felt like a pound of dirt at 190k. Took 30 minutes or so.
 
replaced mine..took about 15 mins. under the car...not sure why anyone would put off replacing???
15 minutes?? Maybe after smoking that funny tobacco and getting into
the time-warp thing they talk about :happy:.
That's on my list for sometime this winter. I've had one sitting in the box for like 3 years now...

Maybe I'll try @Kernal's idea, to save some time.

:smokin:
 
Thats exactly why I cut it: Curiosity. Hacksaw, anything else will cause sparks and well...💥🔥

I get the curiosity factor.

Aside from that, what did anyone learn from cutting them open? An old filter is dirty on the inside.

This is not coming off right. And not directed at anyone in particular.

I'm not against people cutting them open, but even if you had a fuel delivery issue, changing out the filter either results in a solved problem, or you continue trouble shooting.

There's so many variables in fuel quality, location where you refuel, typical mileage etc over the life of a filter that there's nothing too learn by cutting it IMO.

Anyway, happy hacksawing if that's what satisfies your curiosity.

If you're more of a hack it open with a grinder kind of dude, set up the GoPro first :rofl:
 
To the above awesome step by step I would add: to disconnect the battery!
 

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