I was thinking of changing out the fuel filter on my 98 Tacoma with the 2.7L engine (59,000 miles). I notice in the Haynes manual it says the filter uses banjo fittings to secure the filter to the line. It also says to use a flare nut wrench to remove them. Having never fooled with banjo fittings before can someone tell me what kind of wrench this is and what size I need. Thanks for any advice.

Bob Smith
C'ville VA :think:

 

I just used a combination wrench (open-end/box) to do my 3.0. I would imagine yours is similar.

 

I guess the 3.0 and the 2.7L 4 are different. I just looked at the filter on my truck and I can't believe how hard it is to get to. It sits under the maifold. The front fitting is easy to reach, but everything else is buried with no obvious access. I can't see how it is done without removing the manifold. Now that would seem like a brilliant bit of engineering. Anyone actually changes this themselves? Perhaps this is why Toyota seems to consider it lifetime part.

 

i found that when i changed mine i took off the fitting that goes to the fuel rail then pulled the filter out the front with the rear line still attached, make sure you don't loose the copper washers there are two of them

 

Is the filter held in place by a clip or holder? When you pulled it forward did it come out easily or did you have to work it out of some sort of "holder"? How much slack was there in the line? Thanks for the help.

 

I have a 2.7l 4runner. The fuel filter is under the intake manifold. Where the 4 curvy tubes go into the engine. It is held on to a holder which is mounted onto the engine. You first take the top and bottom nuts that hold the holder and than you can rotate the filter so i can remove the banjo fittings. All you need is huge extensions for your socket wrench a small hand hopefully and 2 people suggested. I took off the driver side tire. And took those rubber access things off and that how you get into it. Expect about 1.5hours of labor for the first timer. BTW make sure to relieve pressure by unscrewing the gas cap.

 

I changed mine a while back and started a thread on it. I think you will need a 17mm socket to take the banjo fitting loose.

It took me a while to change mine, but I could do it pretty quick now if I had to.

Jack up the truck, take the tire off and put it on a jack stand. That way you can work through the fender.

I could get the front fitting loose with a regular length 17mm wrench from the top of the engine compartment, but the rear one is a pain to get to with limited space and you have to do it through the fender. I bought a stubby 17mm but it was on too tight to loosen, so I did like Joe and followed the line back up and loosened at the top of the engine near the rear of the valve cover and pulled the line with the filter still attached. As Joe said, be careful since there are washer on both sides.

Hopefully you can get both banjo fittings loose without doing that, but if you aren't succesful you can always do that.

Tools that will make it easy is a very long extension or several you can put together, a universal joint, and magnet inserts for your sockets. The magnets helped to keep from losing the bolts that bolt to the block. It was also handy for putting them back in.

I got all this info from the fellas here, so I was prepared when I changed mine.

 

excellent tips fellas. ive been trying to figure out how to do this for about a week!