98LimitedCustomized

I just replaced my fuel filter on my 98, easy as pie. I took me all of 5 minutes, using nothing but a 19mm and 14mm open ends and a bucket. I do wish I would've wore rubber gloves! (anybody know how to get the gas smell of your skin?) I was going to see if it's worth my time to cut open the filter and see exactly how dirty it is.... anybody want to see it? I could really care less cause there's a new one on there regardless.... but if there's interest I'll grab a beer and the dremel and hop to it and take pics....

Ironmike4x4

NO! Just even a small spark can cause a hazzard. You can tell how dirty it was just by tilting it to the ends and see how dirty the gas is. To get the smell out... just take a shower with some strong soap.

Sludge

I cut my filter open to check out the paper filter inside. It was caked with dirt and other stuff. Just wait a few days and use tin snips to open the filter this way you wont make any sparks and burn up the paper inside.

tulsa_97SR5

I'm curious to know, but don't end up on darwin's list. Maybe use karate, or a plasma torch.

Seriously though, would a vise & some big pliers be enough to tear it open, without sparks? Maybe you could dry it out for a week or something first.

Stegall984R

no. throw it away. lol your hands will stink like hell for ever with gas

98LimitedCustomized

Okay I couldn't help myself, I just HAD to see what it was like. Long story short, it was SICK. I can't post pics till tomorrow night, but you'll see. Also, I'm gonna put about 100 miles or so on tomorrow of mixed driving so I should be able to guage accurately the performance changes if there are any.... I used a hacksaw to be safe by the way... and my hands were already really stinky so I'm still gonna deal with that for a while! As a thought, I did the math and figure that filter has seen 7,000 gallons of gas... pretty crazy! And figuring gas at an average of 1.75 a gallon, that's $12,250 worth of gas!!!! Pretty staggering when you think about it that way! I sure hope we can running some pure ethanol or other form of fuel soon.....

habit

Have you tried using an Orange based hand cleaner to get rid of the gas smell? I got one with pummice. Boy do I love the smell of that when I'm done! My hands and even fingernails get super clean, and again, smells great.

Worth the investment.

Habit.

4RUNR

Teeth don't make sparks.

98LimitedCustomized

Yeah I use the GOJO with pumice all the time, it's a must have. I used the hack saw over the dremel cause there is an arc of electricity in the dremel....

Old Yotaler

-And figuring gas at an average of 1.75 a gallon, that's $12,250 worth of gas!!!!
-Pretty staggering when you think about it that way! I sure hope we can running
-some pure ethanol or other form of fuel soon.....
Biodiesel all the way, SVO (straight vegetable oil)
The way Henry Ford orginally designed his engines...
Hemp oil, veggie oil, any oil you can think of with a decent combustion rate..
Im switchin out this 22re ASAP for an import diesel..
www.dieseldoctor.com
www.gobiodieselnow.com
www.journeytoforever.org
The future is now. Either that or WW3. or WB3... ouch..

wimpywade94

What the heck are you babbling about?

wade

98LimitedCustomized

I think he was just throwing out a couple of the possible alternatives to gasoline.... cause it's no secret burning gas is pretty bad for the environment and also in a limited supply. I'm no tree hugger/environmentalist but I would like to see some more sustainable energy sources. He threw out those diesel sights because at this point it looks like there is a lot of possibility in the diesel engines.

Bigblock

i was working on a Camry at yota stealer one time ,we pulled up some paperwork from toyota that said (as clean as fuel is today you should never have to change your fuel filter)we loao.

Ironmike4x4

Someone asked me about that in a post before since I work for GM. I've never heard of that and I think that's just a load of BS. We've had too many fuel pumps go bad just because people dont change the fuel filters.

98LimitedCustomized

Yeah those in tank pumps for the trucks and SUV's along with the transmissions must keep GM dealerships alive! Nah, just kidding.... but it's well known how many fuel pump problems there are on those.... in your opinion is it the not changing the filters or just a bad pump design? I just know it's sure a costly repair when you've got to drop the tank and such....

Jason B

Cool, let us know if you get better mileage.

This is a great write-up:

http://www.4runners.org/articles/fuelfilter/

95ToyotaPU007

I used a pipe cutter to open mine. The trick is to put the filter on a vise, then cut it open by turning the pipe cutter. Also to keep from getting all that gas onto your hands, put a clean white paper towel over a coffee can and pour out the gas in the opposite direction of flow.