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Fuel Filter

13K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  Romag 
#1 ·
After reading all the posts here on fuel mileage, I'm sure I need a new thermostat. But at 93,000 miles I also probably need a new fuel filter. So my question is this: Is this the fuel filter on my 2007 FJ Cruiser (see photo) and if it is can this be replaced by any generic filter, or should I get a Toyota filter?



I've noticed that since I moved to a colder climate area that my gas mileage is getting worst. When it's really cold here (in Cedar City, Utah) it seems to take longer to get the engine hot, so a thermostat is going to have to get replaced also. Funny after looking at it, it's the only one on a vehicle that I've seen that is located on the outlet from the bottom radiator hose and not the top?

Thanks in advance,
Don...
 
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#2 ·
That's not your fuel filter. Your filter is inside the fuel tank. Toyota says you never need to replace it.
 
#3 ·
That must be one huge fuel filter inside the tank.


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#4 ·
In my opinion it was a stupid idea to make the fuel filter non serviceable. In order to change it you must buy a whole new fuel pump assembly which is around $500-$600. A good solution is to buy the URD fuel pump kit as it comes with an external fuel filter which you can change out yourself whenever you want.
 
#6 ·
In my opinion it was a stupid idea to make the fuel filter non serviceable..
That ranks right up there with a non serviceable transmission!!! I mean whose idea was that?????????????
 
#8 ·
Here's what I think Toyota was thinking:

1. Clogged fuel filters after the fuel pump cause fuel pump failures.

2. Any debris that makes it past the in tank filter sock is not going to clog injectors or damage cylinders.

3. Why double filter fuel?

4. The fuel pump is going to fail before the filter sock clogs.

5. The fuel pump is more sensitive to debris than the engine is.

With regards to number 1, I think the majority of drivers out their lets things like fuel filter changing slip, and the perceived reliability of Toyota's inspires people to worry less about maintenance. Every fuel pump I've ever changed had a nasty fuel filter after it that nobody took care of. Once we got our commercial accounts to regularly change their fuel filters, we had to deal with less fuel pump changes.

2. Every petrol vehicle I've seen in modern times has a filter sock in the tank, external filter or no external filter. Most fueling system issues I've ever seen have nothing to do with the injection system and are usually a problem of fuel pump failure. An external filter is going to encourage fuel pump failure when it gets clogged with fine particulate that wouldn't have damaged the engine in the first place.

3. Why would filtering a fuel twice make any difference. I could see a fuel/water separator coming in handy, but I've pretty sure the toyota engineers designed the in tank filter to filter the fuel down to the point where a certain size particulate could past through and not harm the engine. Why filter it again and possible clog the line with a spent filter?

4. Fuel pumps are under a lot of stress. It is an electric pump that has to pump fuel at a certain pressure for long periods of time, but can't be built so hardy that it's individual components can arc and cause fire. Your fuel pump is going to fail at some point, and it'll probably be way before an intake sock fills up.

5. Fuel pump being delicate, sensitive electronic motors do not like debris, they are the devices that really need the filter. Yeah, you can install an external pump with an external filter before, but I would wager that it would be less reliable than an intank. The fuel in the tank actually helps cool the pump and the tank helps insulate it from the elements. Exposing a fuel pump to the elements and less cooling is probably fine if it's easier to change. But will you always be able to get that aftermarket pump? I dont know....

I would like to see an aftermarket sock that would work with the in tank pump. That would give me a helluva lot more piece of mind dropping the tank and changing that thing than an external filter. That said, when my stock pump goes out, I'll certainly be looking at URD options. However, if you move the filter from in front of a pump to behind it, you've certainly missed the point of filtering. Which is to protect the delicate components from debris. Not sure how the URD stuff is laid out yet. I've ran out of musings on this... Sorry for the repetitiveness, it's morning....
 
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