Ilovemountains

Good morning! I swapped out the ORIGINAL fuel filter Sunday evening at 145,000!!!!!!!!! I never thought that the filter would be that dirty, I mean as soon as I broke the line loose from the input side thick rust colored fuel and crap came out! My truck has not ran this good on the highway in YEARS. Is it possible that having a dirty fuel filter would cause poor performance. It is almost like there is more pressure getting to the injectors because when I pull out now and hit the gas it actually MOVES and I can hold 75 on the highway under 3,000 RPMs in OD with NO problems, I drove to Albany NY yesterday and it ran along better than it has in a LONG time! I am going to cut the old stock filter open and see just how bad it really is!

Maddog

Well thats it .........Im gonna make mine a proirity.I bet mines just as bad.

Ilovemountains

Words of advice, break the lines free before unbolting the filter and the Autozone filter that I bought doesn’t seem to be as high quality as the Toyota filter and be very careful that you don’t cross thread them when you install the new filter, I almost did and I am sure I would have a leaking mess on my hands! I don’t know why Toyota engineers put the filter where they did because it is not in a very fun area to work! BUT Either it’s just me or it made a very big difference in the performance of my truck!

SLC Punk

Where is the filter located on your truck? Mine is on the frame rail, but that is where GM, Ford and most other truck makers put their filters.

I try to change my filter every 45-60K, I don't believe that "Lifetime filter" that Toyota claims.

Mad Chemist

Yeah, new filter can make a huge difference. Make sure to put a little teflon tape on the threads to get a good seal.

roger

Yah, I think what they mean by "lifetime" is maybe 100k miles, after which they will want to sell you a new truck

I remember reading an issue of Grassroots Motorsports where they were dyno tuning their Honda CRX project car. They got something like 3.5hp just by changing the fuel filter. So yes it does make a difference.

Ilovemountains

mine is on the frame rail also, its just where it is on the frame rail, the out let side of the filter is above and behind the torsion bar bracket making it pretty fun to get a 14mm wrench on it to break the line free! I think it would be good practice to change it every time the trans fluid gets changed, perhaps every other. They filters are pretty cheap too! Have fun and dont light a match

bamachem

the condition of the fuel filter will affect how much fuel you can get to your injectors. the more clogged the filter, the higher the pressure drop across the element is (i.e. less efficient), and the less fuel that the fuel pump is able to push through it to the injectors. a new fuel filter means that you can force more fuel to the injectors and at a slightly higher pressure due to the reduced pressure loss across the filter element... they're only $15 or so at Autozone and like $30 at the dealer. it's well worth it in my opinion.

Figit090

yeah, starve the engine of fuel...it'll be starved of power....

MLesch

Ive heard that the filter is hard to change on the 22re, anyone tell me where it is and how hard it actully is to change on a 1st gen 4runner.

Ilovemountains

I had a 22R that was carb fed on my 1990 2wd and the filter was very easy to swap out, 2 hose clamps and the spring clamp that held it in place, it was more or less avove the axle on the passenger side, a little off white plastic job! The one on the V6 isnt that bad just a little tight of a spot!

kyle_22r

when i bought my truck the filter was so bad that i couldn't hold 50mph

Figit090

what exactly does the fuel filter use to filter the fuel?? In RC Nitro models like the one I have, you can get fuel filters and they use a really fine steel mesh...and i mean really fine. but i've never seen the inside of any other type of fuel filter...

what do full size trucks use?

Maddog

orded it today from toyota,will get it tomorrow.I will try & install it on friday,if the baby has a long enough sleep.
Any tips ?

superjoe83

most fuel filters use a paper media, much like an oil filter

Yoda

4 cylinder 22RE, the filter is above the starter, under the intake manifold. You can see it if you look through the right wheel well. Some say it is easier to change through there. I did mine when the head was off.

HondaTec521

Yoda has it right .It's bolted to the block(passenger side)under the intake manifold.The only way to get to it(engine assembled)is thru the right wheel well.My 85 has a small removeable plate on the inside of the w/w.A body lift helps.I'd stick w/factory toyota.it's not a "fun"job and you don't want to have to redo it in case your aftermarket filter springs a leak.

Highland Runner

You should try to change the 22re fuel filter on a Celica.

Jantha

I just changed mine last night. Definately a do it yourself job...It's not hard at all on the 2nd gen. Takes a little bit of patience, but all in all pretty easy.

I could swear it made a difference too... doesn't seem like I have to mash the pedal as far to get a little speed going.

Figit090

a better fuel flow will tend to do that...