fuel filter replacement troubles - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

duke_togo · 10-23-2004, 01:42 PM

I'm having a bit of trouble putting the new filter in place. I have it mounted and I'm trying to screw in the bottom line fitting and having trouble starting the thread.

Since the line is hard to move and is slightly out of line with the filter, it's difficult to get it started in the thread, and the threads in the filter itself are starting to look bad.

Thoughts? Any tips?

CrawlingEye · 10-23-2004, 02:45 PM

Buy a new filter? They're like $5 for an OEM filter.

karazy · 10-23-2004, 03:13 PM

Can you not put the line on before securing the filter?

duke_togo · 10-23-2004, 05:06 PM

CrawlingEye, karazy, thanks for the comments. I didn't get a chance to read them before my eventual fix, but you are right on the money.

I tried a thread chaser from a tap and die set first, but I guess I had screwed up the threads more than I thought. For those of you attempting to replace the fuel filter, make sure you hand thread more than you think you need to. I wasn't paying much attention, and didn't get it started enough, so when I started tightening with the line wrench ... messed up filter. Live and learn.

I ended up getting a new filter. I don't know where you got your $5 OEM filter, CrawlingEye, but mine cost $30 at the dealership (and it was $21 at Napa). Next time I'll buy one from you ... :-)

Also, it was easier to hand thread with the new filter _before_ securing the filter. Good call karazy. Duh to me. This time around it only took me about 5 minutes. In order to get a better angle, I actually worked on it from my driver's side wheel well.

Parting thoughts, I had planned to remove the fuel pump fuse before I started to relieve the pressure in the lines, but I couldn't find it. Anyone know where it is? A lot less fuel came out than I thought, so it ultimately was not a big deal, but if someone knows ...

Thanks again for your comments.

CrawlingEye · 10-23-2004, 09:15 PM

You shouldn't have much of an issue with the gas coming out. I can't say how expensive your filter is (I have a 5SFE not a 1MZFE, which is likely the difference in price) My filter I got from auto-zone and it was $5-10.

bighoss · 10-31-2004, 06:26 AM

Hey Duke_togo, I just attempted to change my fuel filter in my '96 Camry 4 cyl. I was SUPER careful when loosening the bottom fuel line from the old filter as I've read that it's easy to break the line or strip the nut. I finally got enough leverage to loosen the bottom nut, but then after a few full turns, the nut actually tighted right up again!? I got nervous thinking that if I wrenched on it harder to get it out, something bad would happen. Did yours do the same? I even tightened it back up and loosened it again...no luck, got tight instead of coming out. Did this happen to you at all?

Also, really interested in how you worked through your wheel well, I bet you had much more working room.

I'm all ears!