Whoa Wheelingnoob, sorry I didn't mean to offend you, I think my response came off the wrong way. I appreciate the info you offered up from Toyota, I was just saying I didn't understand when, if at all, they were supposed to be changed, I have never heard of a fuel filter never having to be changed. Does Toyota still use these kinds of fuel filters?

As for the fuel contamination things, I was reffering to the 11 or 12 posts in this thread before yours. The ones saying as long as you use "good" gas and don't go below 1/4 tank you will fine. That's what I meant by the air filter comment. It's like saying you only have to change your air filter if you are driving in "dirty" air....all air is dirty.

 

Hmmm....didnt know about the life time FF.Still glad I changed it since Im the third owner in 19 years.Changed my battery to,it was 12 years old.Interesting discussion though,its why you gotta love yotatech.I do know that every vehicle I have ever owned had a fuel filter service interval in the owners manual,just saying.You probably would never hear a grease monkey or any lube/oil quick change place say " oh no sir! your fuel filter is good for 600 katrillion miles or 1 zillion years which ever occurs first" lol.

 

Mine is the factory original filter, and I have no reason to warrant changing it. Hell, it's the factory fuel pump too.

It's a 1990 4runner with 186,000 km on the clock.

 

if it ain't broke don't fix it

 

Mine had 234,000 on it.Ive been broke down on side of the road and had to be towed because of clogged fuel filter(in another vehicle)No thanks on doing that again.

 

No offense I just felt it warranted and response. I do understand that its a strange idea and it felt against the grain of common automotive maintenance. I do not know if they still use the same filters, I have not worked at Toyota for a few year now.

I changed the fuel filter on my Supra once I put in a high flow pump and now have changed that to two Bosch filter to go along with the two pumps, there cheap insurance.

If you feel the need or want to change it then by all means do it, there cheap and fairly easy to change.

 

Yeah the one on my '92 3VZE Pickup doesn't look too bad, right on the inside of the frame there, but then again it does look pretty damn rusted and the "cage" or whatever is around it does not look like it owuld be fun, ruste doesn't describe it, more like seized, corroded or rotten.

A lifetime fuel filter sounds pretty good, when I think about how bad that rust looks.

 

My new one should be good now till 2028.

 

Wheelingnoob or anyone else that might know does the original fuel filter bypass.Mine was original and my fuel injectors were getting clogged.The debris was pretty large and I was suprised it got past the filter.I changed the filter.

 

No, they do not bypass like an oil filter. Chances are, somehow, your fragmented and particles left the filter media and became your clogged injectors.

 

I changed mine after 21 years, when i replaced the cyl head . And I had the filter ready to go for like 8 years. When I would look under there to start it i said , Pfffft not today.

 

True on that.

 

same thing on my surf...changed the original fuel filter at 100,000kms, it was a SOB and rusted to ....its now 114,000, but i picked up a spare filter and put it in a 'replacement parts' kit i have in the back for emergency repairs.

 

My '88 4 Runner has 320,000 miles and the original fuel filter. I had bought a spare nearly 2 decades ago, but due to location of the filter have not changed it. I'm about to do the SeaFoam treatment on my engine and gas tank. Not sure, but this may necessitate a fuel filter change.

 

I just replaced the original fuel filter on my 02 4runner (after 113K miles). I recommend changing it! The gas that came out of the inlet side of the fuel filter was full of dirt. I wasn't having any issues with the truck before I replaced the fuel filter, but I figured it was good (and cheap) preventative maintenance. I purchased the new filter online from Champion Toyota in Houston ($27 + $8 for s&h). If you live in Houston, you can save $ on the s&h if you let them know you'll pick it up at the dealership. The filter came with the bracket, which makes replacement much easier and faster. Make sure you use a pipe wrench on the flare nuts, so that they don't get damaged. Replacing the fuel filter was not hard at all. I'll probably replace it again after another 100K miles (assuming I still have the truck).

 

Its a little different on a 90 4Runner Chico,lol.

 

I just did mine and I am not very mechanically inclined. It was pretty easy, just took a while to unscrew nuts. Getting the fuel lines out and then back into the new Filter was the trickiest part, felt like I was going to bend or break the fuel lines.
My truck as almost 250k miles on it, only had it 2 years so not sure if its been changed before. Ive had issues with surging/bucking when the engine cold so I thought id eliminate one possibility of poor or inconsistant fuel delivery. The FF didnt make a difference to my issues but after I cracked open the old one with an axe I am glad I changed it. The filter "layers" were all a dark brown -> almost black in colour.