I tried to change my fuel filter last weekend and it wasn't to hard. Well the parts that I could do were easy. I had trouble getting the out line off the filter.....the line closest to the tank came off pretty easy. I let all the fuel drip out (almost 4 litres and over an hour later) and when I tried to loosen the other line it wouldn't budge?? I sprayed it with some penetrating lube and let it sit for a bit and attempted again. NOTHING! Now I just wanted to see if anyone else had this problem and how they solved it? I don't want to fork out 50-80 dollars to get this changed since the task would take no longer then half hour to and hour to do. This time I would pull the fuel pump fuse. Think I should take some heat to it? Warm it up like you gotta do to suspension parts? hahaha

 

keep heat away.. there is no way to get heat to a part without a flame, and a slipup, or leak or anything could cuase an explosion....

pulling hte fuse isnt going to do anything... its still going to gravitationally drain out... you need to release the pressure in the system

 

Oh I thought by pulling the fuse it would cause no fuel to run in the lines and the engine would just suck out the fuel in the lines and then it would run dry like you had an empty tank of gas?? I was joking about the heat. Me and my uncle were joking around about that and I thought I would pass on the "stupid" humor. I tried to release the pressure by taking the cap off but I think that did zip....

 

when I got my 89 I don't think the filter had ever been changed tryed to get it off but it just twisted the lines so i cut them and ran rubber lines no problems since

 

Rubber lines? you replaced the entire system with rubber lines? or just the part you broke? How much work to do this?

 

just the couple of inches near the filter and used a universal fuel filter about the same size maybe bigger

 

Don't want to get flamed here....but did you open up the fuel door on your truck to relieve some of the pressure? I helped my brother change his on a Chevy truck this morning and he did that. Just checking.

 

yup i beleive he did that

 

Yeah I have encountered this a couple of times, I am told that Toyota actually used different thread pitches on the mating parts on some of them and that is why they are so tough to get apart. Your best bet is a good quality fuel line wrench, but if the nut is already buggered up you might be beyond that. The bottom line is that they just suck...

 

That sucks. I booked it to get changed this Saturday. Hope he has the right tools for the job. I also am getting the Front and rear diff's, transfercase, manual tranns fluid and possibly the brake line fluid all changed. My dads 01 Tundra just had its tranny fail. I don't want to risk having mine done. But at least mine will cost alot less then the 5grand it cost to change his.

 

Thank God I work at a dealership where I have acess to specialty tools.
I had a time trying to get my filter off, but I got one of GM's fuel diconnects, line wrench, and a regular wrench. Since most likely you wont have a fuel disconnect what you can do is get 2 small flathead screwdrivers and pry both quick disconnects off.

 

QUICK DISCONNECTS!?!? no one told me about those, are you sure they are on my truck? or maybe just one your 98 runner? But I know what you mean about not having all the right tools. I am just going to bite it on this one. I need some more power!! Hope the fuel filter replenishes it.

 

IronMike, heres a question for you:

You mention that you work at a dealership, is it a Toyota one? A friend of mine has been a Toyota mechanic for about 17 years now, and he told me that at one of his Toyota service schools they were discouraging replacing the fuel filter, that it really is not necessary with the filters that they run It seems awfully fishy to me, have you heard anything like this?

Thanks

 

Gee Im not toyota certified but that sounds like a loud of crap....sure don't change the filter so we can get them back in here down the road to sell them all new injectors....sure that dude wasn't in the wrong room at school and was really in the ford class

 

Mike, if you don't mind me asking, whereabouts in SC? I haven't been too happy with my current mechanic and want to make a change.

 

Are you using 2 wrenches?? I know I had a hard time with mine till I figured out I can put one wrench on the actual filter and one on the line. I was able to get way more direct torque on the line/fitting and it came lose right away.

 

I work at a Chevy dealership (I know i know and I drive a Toy). No I've not heard that, the reason we do so many fuel pump replacements IS because people dont change their fuel filters. And as far as the quick disconnects it may be different,my '98 4Runner did have it.

 

I'm in a tiny little rinky dink town called Pickens. If you can find it with out getting lost go for it! If you are close by just PM me and I will tell you where it is. We do just about any vehicles, tractors, and fleets. We are so danged slow, thanks to KIA.

 

Yes you should be able to on both sides, one is for the line and the other the filter itself.

 

I am just about as far away as I can be and still be in SC. I live on Hilton Head Island, aka "Paradise." Well, at least it was more like paradise when I first arrived! Sorry about hijacking this thread.