I'm super frustrated. I thought I'd spend 15 minutes to change the fuel filter on my 96 3.4L 4Runner yesterday, and instead spent 2 hours NOT changing it, devoting much of that time to wrestling unsuccessfully with a previously rounded off flare nut, and finally giving up and simply re-tightening the other end of the filter again. The rig has about 243K on it about now, and I have put the last half of that on myself in 6 years. I have not changed the filter since I've owned it, and don't know if it EVER has been, but obviously it's high time it was. I finally had to resort to the greatest sin a mechanic could commit - using visegrips on a flare nut, but given the already lousy condition of the nut I had no other choice. And yes, I did hose them both down w WD-40 well ahead of time. Even with the vicegrips the flarenut would not budge, and now it's REALLY f'd up. I'm thinking I'm just going to replace the whole damned fuel line from there forward. Any suggestions where to find a new one? Not interested in a used one that already has ANOTHER half-rounded off flare nut fitting.

 

Never mind - just gonna get a repair kit and cut the line and replace the end. ˟˟˟˟˟˟ flarenuts, hate those things...

 

PB Blaster is a much better solvent than WD40. Might have worked better.

 

I just replaced my fuel filter yesterday, at just over 300,000 miles. The first time I replaced it was at 100,000 miles.

I found that the flare nut cracks loose quite easily if you grip the flare wrench and the 19mm wrench at the same time & squeeze. In your case, a vice grip wrench and the 19mm wrench.

Counter holding is key, or else the fuel filter will just twist on the mounting bracket.



Andreas

 

What repair kit are you using? I'm in the same boat with my '89 Truck.

Thanks

 

This was my thought as well.