help needed w/leaking fuel filter - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

jjanari · 06-12-2004, 08:55 AM

Hey guys, I've got a '96 camry w/the 4 cylinder

1st off, removing the fuel filter was a pain, specifically the bottom 14mm bolt. granted, it had never been changed and the car's got 100k. in any event, I put the new toyota filter on and found that installing the lower bolt was extremely difficult. I stopped and removed the lower bolt again to make sure I wasn't cross-threading, but I wasn't. It's just very difficult to screw the lower bolt in. In fact, I'm close to stripping the lower bolt, even though I'm using a flare nut wrench. in any event, the filter is still leaking fuel like a sieve from the bottom bolt. specifically, it's leaking from below the lower bolt, not from the bottom of the filter, so I'm concerned that I've somehow bent the fuel line. in short, I'm not sure if i should continue trying to tighten the damn thing or the damage (i.e. bent fuel line) is already done. any suggestions?

If I've bent the line, what can I do, short of replacing the entire line. I did a quick search and saw a suggestion of cutting out the bent line and installing a flex hose or something like that. thanks.

jjanari · 06-12-2004, 10:50 AM

sorry guys, quick correction. where I say lower bolt, I, of course, mean the lower nut.

5Sfte · 06-12-2004, 11:17 AM

Sounds like you have damaged the hardline where it connects to the bottom of the filter. Time to chang it out. That line costs a pretty penny to. I know it's over a $100.

***2wickedtoyz*** · 06-12-2004, 01:44 PM

i wouldn't put a flex hose. go to a junkyard and look for anothe toy to get that hose from then just use a pressure fitting to attach them together

jjanari · 06-13-2004, 09:35 AM

thanks for the replies, guys.

2wicked, could you give me some more details as to the best way of replacing the damaged line? What exactly is a pressure fitting and where would I get it? I appreciate your help.

***2wickedtoyz*** · 06-13-2004, 10:26 AM

go to a parts store and ask them if they carry any and where are they then the will point you in that direction and you'll see what i'm talking about they are made out of brass and work great

jjanari · 06-13-2004, 10:52 AM

I've looked at a couple pictures of pressure fittings on the net. how do you go about attaching the pressure fitting to the existing fuel line? do I need to cut anything, or does it pretty much bolt on? I did do a search and saw that people have replaced portions of the line (but w/o giving much details as to how it was done). I just want to make sure I don't make things worse. thanks for your patience.

Camdaddy · 06-13-2004, 11:50 AM

I had the same problem, I just cut the fuel line and then used flexible fuel line and used a totally different filter.

jjanari · 06-13-2004, 12:30 PM

camdaddy,

where did you get the flexible fuel line and what type of filter did you end up using? I assume you had no problems w/leaks. do you have any pictures, by any chance? thanks.

Camdaddy · 06-13-2004, 01:56 PM

no porblem with anything what so ever, been 1 year already, yeah I can try to get a pic tonite or tommorrow. I used a fuel filter off a early model Mustang, the filter was the same size as the camry fuel filter. Its also plastic so it won't rust out like my last filter.

amerikim · 06-13-2004, 02:25 PM

reading through jjanari's post suggested to me that the bottom bolt was over tightened, crushing the fuel line. Thats why the difficult tightenening, it's gone past the point.

I would remove it and look. Hack job would be to cut the fuel line below the bolt line and replace it with line. Use good quality armoured fuel line. Aftermarket fuel filter should be okay, just make sure diameter of openings are large enough so as not to impede flow.

Or do the junkyard survey or just call your Toy dealer.

Just a little restraint on the wrench next time.

jjanari · 06-13-2004, 07:21 PM

again, I appreciate the replies. I'm trying to avoid a trip to the shop because they'll likely want to replace the whole line (i.e. much $$$). therefore, if anyone has any pix of something they've done themselves, short of replacing the whole line, I would appreciate seeing them. yeah, I suppose I could've been too tough on the wrenching, but i was doing it slowly and checking for leaks along the way...it was leaking from the very beginning, even before I had made that many turns on the wrench...oh well. thanks again for your help, guys.