Fuel Filter Replacement

[bicol-ini]

hello, ive got free time so i replace my fuel filter, the old seems like been there since new, a caution when you do this make sure you at least have a pan that will hold at least a gallon thats almost what i got draining the lines took about 30 mins,

tools needed a 19mm 14mm 17mm and an 8mm for the filter clamp, and of course the fuel filter i used the bosch fuel filter,

[Canopy]

hello, ive  got free time so i replace my fuel filter, the old seems like been there since new, a caution when you do this make sure you at least have  a pan that will hold at least a gallon  thats almost what i got draining the lines took about 30 mins,

tools needed a 19mm 14mm 17mm and an 8mm for the filter clamp, and of course the fuel filter i used the bosch fuel filter,

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On other posts I understood, perhaps incorrectly, that the fuel filter on this model Lexus did not normally require replacement. After you removed yours, did it look like it needed to be replaced? Was it full of gunk?

[92Lex]

Next time just wrap a small bag around the fuel line and tie it up with a rubberband.

You can't really see through the filter to tell if there's gunk in it. To check it, just blow some air through one end...if it's not clogged then you should be able to feel air coming out of the other end.

[VMF]

you DO have to replace the fuel filter

every 30k miles, otherwise the car will loose power and eat extra gas.

the location of the fuel filter makes it really hard to access and requires a lift

i recommend just askin a shop to do it, let them soak in gas and fumes.

i paif 20$ for replacement when i got to the shop with my filter and it took them 20 mins to replace and the guy was soakin in gas! some of it got even into his eyes!

my advice, dont do it urself

[silvermate]

i mean its good maintence for the vehicle, but i've heard over and over, from very reputable mechanics and enthusiasts that say, its not something that needs to be done, on the LS, unlike domestic cars (and others) which yes need to be done every 30K miles.

i've heard of them replacing them after 200K and seeing no wear whatsover and the filter being in perfect or "like new" condition

but yeah it couldn't hurt, i like replacing everyting, its fun to me.

[SRK]

The filter doesn't care what car it is attached to. Its purpose is to remove particulates from the fuel which might damage the fuel system. This means its purpose is related to the fuel that is put in the tank. Put contaminated fuel in the tank, the filter will plug. Put only good clean fuel in the tank and it will last almost forever, regardless of the car the filter is attached to. The idea that because "it's a Lexus filter" means it doesn't have to be replaced is ridiculous.

This myth, wherever it started, reminds me of the one circulating a few years back about the Rolls Royce that snapped an axle, and when the owner went to pay the RR service department they said "Rolls Royce axles don't snap" and no charge was levied. Yeah right, and I've got this bridge you might be interested in buying....

Change the filter. Routinely.

[bicol-ini]

hello, its hard to argue, but i guess pictures says a thousand words, you decide its your car, in any equipt that has a filter, whatever the location inline or with in it has its own service life, its part of maintenance, i work for a brandname refinery, i know whats in the gasoline that we buy, so the arguements that a brand name is better than non brand name is a good one, your choice, remember not every corner of this country has a refinery, so you have an idea where the non brand name comes, anyways, attached is pictures of my filter cut into two,

[SRK]

Good call changing that filter! :o

[Canopy]

hello, its hard to argue, but i guess pictures says a thousand words, you decide its your car, in any equipt that has a filter, whatever the location inline or with in  it has its own service life, its part of maintenance, i work for a brandname refinery, i know whats in the gasoline that we buy, so the arguements that a brand name is better than non brand name is a good one, your choice,  remember not every corner of this country has a refinery, so you have an idea where the non brand name comes, anyways, attached is pictures of my filter cut into two, 

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Those pictures were worth two thousand words. You convinced me. Thanks for the follow up.

[bicol-ini]

hello, were here to gather and share opinions as well as information,

[pgupta]

hello, were here to gather and share opinions as well as information,

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I went through my maintennace handbook for a 96 Lexus and did not find any instance upto 150K service for replacing the fuel filter in the factory service recommendations.

The pics do indicate the fuel filter is dirty. What I would like to know is whether you had a problem that replacing the fuel filter fixed? Like rough idling or lack of power during acceleration.

From what I have read elsewhere, the Toyota EFI fuel system is designed so that the filter can last almost a million miles before clogging to the point that it needs to be replaced.

I rather not muck with high pressure fuel lines if I don't have to.

[Econ]

hello, were here to gather and share opinions as well as information,

←

I went through my maintennace handbook for a 96 Lexus and did not find any instance upto 150K service for replacing the fuel filter in the factory service recommendations.

The pics do indicate the fuel filter is dirty. What I would like to know is whether you had a problem that replacing the fuel filter fixed? Like rough idling or lack of power during acceleration.

From what I have read elsewhere, the Toyota EFI fuel system is designed so that the filter can last almost a million miles before clogging to the point that it needs to be replaced.

I rather not muck with high pressure fuel lines if I don't have to.

←

One thing that you'd have to understand about the fuel filter is that it's the first line of defense against the crud in the bottom of your fuel tank (and/or the crud in the bottom of a station's tank) for the fuel delivery system. So there's not really a way to design a fuel system that would prevent the fuel filter from getting dirty/clogged. It depends on the gasoline that you buy.

That said, fuel filters (particularly of the size in my 1991 LS 400) can last a very long time before you notice a problem. My 2000 Cougar, however, needs a new filter every 30k or so because a) the filter element is much smaller, and B) the system is more restrictive, so small fluctuations in flow rates wreak havoc with fuel delivery.

The proper procedure for replacing the fuel filter will remove latent pressure in the line, so you needn't worry about that. The hard part about it is that the fuel tank is located above the fuel filter, so gravity does it's job and lets fuel flow. I've had some luck with rubber corks that I purchased at my local hardware store, but nothing I did really -stopped- the flow outright, and you still have to uncork at some time to re-connect the line.

[silvermate]

The filter doesn't care what car it is attached to. Its purpose is to remove particulates from the fuel which might damage the fuel system. This means its purpose is related to the fuel that is put in the tank. Put contaminated fuel in the tank, the filter will plug. Put only good clean fuel in the tank and it will last almost forever, regardless of the car the filter is attached to. The idea that because "it's a Lexus filter" means it doesn't have to be replaced is ridiculous.

This myth, wherever it started, reminds me of the one circulating a few years back about the Rolls Royce that snapped an axle, and when the owner went to pay the RR service department they said "Rolls Royce axles don't snap" and no charge was levied. Yeah right, and I've got this bridge you might be interested in buying....

Change the filter. Routinely.

listen man.

what i said was i have "heard" first hand from a lot of very reputable Lexus mechanics and enthusiast that said the LS fuel filter is not a big maintence item. that "they" have said it does not need to be replaced for a very long time, if EVER.

don't fly off the boat. we are discussing, obviouly the forum is based on opinions, and the opinion i offered i gathered from very reputable sources, so i added them.

if you feel differently (and you just like everyone else is entitled to his/her own opinion, thats what LOC is about) change your fuel filter, you aren't gonna hurt my feelings

[blake918]

Silver, you are absolutely correct in your findings on the filter. I tried to get my local Lexus dealer to change my filter since I've heard of so many people changing them as maintinance percautions, and they said no, we don't do that service unless you notice something wrong with your car, and they further diagnose the filter as the problem. For a Lexus dealer to turn down a job at $100+ an hour, you know they aren't kidding. I've never gotten a bad tank of gas-not to say that it isn't possible, so my filter will most likely be a lifetime situation.

[pgupta]

Silver, you are absolutely correct in your findings on the filter. I tried to get my local Lexus dealer to change my filter since I've heard of so many people changing them as maintinance percautions, and they said no, we don't do that service unless you notice something wrong with your car, and they further diagnose the filter as the problem. For a Lexus dealer to turn down a job at $100+ an hour, you know they aren't kidding. I've never gotten a bad tank of gas-not to say that it isn't possible, so my filter will most likely be a lifetime situation.

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Here is another post I found on the forum "pro"-changing fuel filter. Since I am having the same hesitation problem occasionally, I am going to give it a shot tonight and report back!

There was another long post I read elsewhere on Google about the design - there is some kind of "sock" through which gas is sucked from the tank by the fuel pump which helps leave most of the sediment back in the fuel tank. This seems to be common to all Toyota designs hence the lifetime on fuel filter.

QUOTE(AaronKooshball @ Dec 22 2004, 03:48 PM)

Thanks for the help guys. I ended up changing the fuel filter (lucky me) and it fixed it. Story is, i drove the car back from the dealership with little to no gas in it. That means i sucked up all the sediments on the bottom of the tank and clogged the filter. i'm running fuel cleaner and fuel injector cleaner through it now to help fix it more. Whhheeewww that scared me.

[pgupta]

... I tried to get my local Lexus dealer to change my filter since I've heard of so many people changing them as maintinance percautions, and they said no, we don't do that service unless you notice something wrong with your car, and they further diagnose the filter as the problem. For a Lexus dealer to turn down a job at $100+ an hour, you know they aren't kidding. .....

......Here is another post I found on the forum "pro"-changing fuel filter. Since I am having the same hesitation problem occasionally, I am going to give it a shot tonight and report back!

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Well, stopped by the Lexus dealer last night to buy the part --- they have to order it for me. Tells me something about how often they must be replacing it!

Its a $45 part so I will still do it - but I am having my doubts once again on any postiive outcome from this excercise!

[Econ]

To relate my fuel pump experience: Most modern cars have that filter sock attached the fuel pump. The particulates that are stopped by that sock would damage the filter, but the sock won't strain out the same impurities that the filter will. In fact, the sock has to be fairly porous or it would cause resistance in the suction action, which will burn your fuel pump out faster than anything (pumps push way better than they vaccum).

You'll find that cars built within the last couple of years probably have 2 ports with sock filters attached. This is the reason that my other car's fuel pump can't operate near max flow with less than 1/4 tank (per the guague, really < 1/8th by volume) - one port is oriented downward, and the other upward. The upper port never clogs, and the lower port simply sucks the deritus on the bottom of the tank into the sock. Once the tank gets low, the upper port is above the gas line. The correct orientation, of course, is horizontal vs. vertical (thanks, Ford).

And here's a pirate.

[r3dlin3]

I've had a at least 4 cars and of course ANYONE will tell you that changing the fuel pump is one of the things to do when doing a basic tune-up.

At least that's what I thought.

Spoke to my Lexus service tech at Lexus of Marin. He said that they DON'T change fuel filters on their cars.

I told him that I had 180k on my car and he said

"don't need it."

And I said, "but isn't that a lot of miles?"

and he said "yes, but you don't need it."

So after spending another 1-2 minutes trying to convince him that I needed one he told me that he could order me one but it would make no significant difference.

That cut filter picture does look like it's been through a lot but if you really wanted to prove that it was that unusable you should test how well fuel flows through it rather than basing your judgements on what you can visually see.

Numbers talk.

[TheMoorPrince]

My mechanic, I’ve known and used for several years and multiple cars, informed me that the ‘98 LS400 does clog and once replaced my check engine light goes off and I found my fuel consumption decreased and MPG improved too. (The only time my “check engine” light comes on is when it was time to replace the fuel filter.)
It seems more than reasonable that filters are meant to capture detritus.  Oil filters perform the same way yet I wager no one disputes the importance of changing that filter every X thousand miles. 
Since then I have been more interested in doing many maintenance acts on my own.  With time, patience, following the steps and with the right tools anyone can do most of the simple jobs, to include replacing the fuel line filter.  I always spray the bolts with degreaser/WD40 too.