Fuel Filter - replace?

[Floed]

Hi all,

I'm a noob - with a 2005 d4d sr5 extra cab. It's got 245000 on the clock. Not long after I bought it (back at the 35000 mark), it got a gutful of dirty fuel and died. Fortunately we were able to id where the dirty fuel came from and the servo admitted liablility - all fixed up on servo's insurance...excellent. No probs since.

Today, immediately after filling up, got the flashing fuel filter warning light. Drained the filter.

I have NO idea how long it's been since the filter was replaced - but I'll be blowed if I'm going through a d4d full of water again. Should I get the filter replaced - and will the toyota service dept be happy to do it? Any clues on ballpark price , or other advice would be great too!

Cheers.

[packeteer]

mate it costs less than $30 for the filter, and you can change it yourself in less than half hour.

There are even videos on youtube showing you how

[cooper92]

beat me to it packeteer

here is a link if your unsure mate also might want to look in to a second filter/water separator as a bit of extra protection ill put a pic of a kit i got for $250 that includes bracket, second filter and all fittings if you would like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9SLVYH2Dm0

[Floed]

Thanks packteer and cooper92 - thats good to know.

I guess I'm just a bit paranoid after my first dirty fuel escapade. It started with flashing fuel filter lights too. I acted on all of the warnings and drained the filter each time - but still ended up with a stuffed motor.

Maybe I didnt ask the right question(s) - I'm not the most mechanically minded person in the world I guess, what I want to know is, if the filter was full of water, is this an indication of an expensive problem around the corner - or is it common and is the fuel filter just doing its job? Should I take it in to be checked out, or am I being paranoid! Should I have expected the fuel filter to have water in it with the recent rain/hot/humid weather then a couple of cold nites? - likely just condensation?

[07luxyTD]

$19 for a ryco filter at super cheap and 10mins to do, just make sure you give the bowl a good clean out. Connect your supply line from the tank use the primer on top of filter and prime till fuel is coming out then connect output hose back on few more primes then off you go

[cooper92]

The d4ds do not like water at all and acting on it as you have done is about the only thing you can do.
If it happens more than once on same tank then could be water in tank and a full system flush and check by a mechanic could be a good option.
If you do a bit of a search a few plases are making electronic alarm systems that are very sensitive and a lot more effective than your stock filter at picking up water in fuel to safe guard yourself.
Google "water watch system" should find some more info.

Cheers Ryan

[2007Lux]

Here is a good thread to answer your fuel filter questions

viewtopic.php?f=29&t=8834&start=100

[Floed]

Thanks to all for your replies. I looked at the youtube vid - looks like a piece of cake - even for a girl, right???
WRONG!
Undo plastic ring - check

remove top of filter unit - check (although filter was stuck up in the top of the filter rather than sitting down in the body - no worries, it came free with next to no wriggling)

remove bottom o-ring - check.

replace filter - check

replace bottom o-ring - check

replace top of filter unit (making sure that it has seated - two locating tabs are seated in their respective grooves) - check

do up plastic ring - check

prime - EPIC FAIL!! leaking like an effing sieve!

undo plastic ring - and re-tighten - about a million times... still leaking.

At wits end - WTF am i doing wrong??

[cooper92]

Is it leaking in one spot or the whole way around?

sounds like your doing it all correct? maybe check the o ring around the top of filter body and make sure it isnt marked or cut? but if it is ok and plastic ring is tight should be good to go?

[Floed]

Just one spot, I think. Only thing I can think of is maybe the plastic ring has been cross threaded - it was clunky to undo, and is a bit sticky to do up..?

Will check o rings....again

[cooper92]

Hmm if it's one spot I would have thought o ring split but if it is crappy to do up and undo it could be cross threaded and just not pulling up tight on one side.. If its cross threaded should be able to see threads are bured and cut up?

[Floed]

got crap light, but doesnt look like threads are burred - o rings look ok. Lucky for me I'm in a small town, the local mechanic is three blocks away - should be able to drop in tomorrow arvo to look at it for me. Lucky I have another set of wheels to get to work

[cooper92]

Might be your best bet, he will probs do it up just as you have been and it will work
Sorry I couldn't help mate hope you get it sorted and back on the road asap.

Would really suggest looking in to a second diesel filter/water separator if you get a bit of bad diesel or think you are at risk of water in fuel cheap insurance really.

Cheers Ryan.

[07luxyTD]

They can be an absolute pain to do the plastic ring up. Best way i have found is sit it in the vice,sit the top on in the correct alignment tabs ( there are a few) when you get one-two revolutions of the plastic ring, check the gap around hte top is paralell. When its tightened correctly should only be about a 1mm-0 gp around the top from mem anyway. Will actually feel it when its in the right spot sorta locks in

[Floed]

Thanks 07luxyTD - oh for a shed with a vice..... And you're right, that plastic ring is gonna give me bloody nightmares! Of course, the dual battery kit means I have less room than usual - so it's hard to get a light in there to see if it's properly threaded with a parallel gap. This is really driving me mad cos I'm not (usually) a useless chick, little jobs like this aren't usually a problem for me, dammit!

Ryan, I'm sure the mechanic will simply do it up and go away shaking his head and muttering something about stupid bloody women!! And I'll def look into a secondary filter - but someone else can fit it (assuming there's still room with the second battery in there!) - cos I've had a gutful!!

Cheers fellas!

[cooper92]

oh well gota have a go!

Sure can get them to fit with second battery straight bolt in unit.


still in box as im not home to fit it

[dervdave]

It might be worth running a couple of bottles of Wynns Dry Fuel or similar through the system
http://www.wynnoil.co.uk/products-wynns ... ryfeul.htm

[Steve9R]

worth installing my mod as well in the pre 2009 models..

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=5924

if you have water in your filter, you need to clean your tank out to remove all traces of water.. changing the filter with a new one will give you temporary relief, but not for long if you have a tank full of crap fuel..

Steve

[2007Lux]

As my car is out of it's extended warranty period I have stepped up to the plate to do some of the serving myself. I did the fuel filter on the weekend and man what a bitch. Undoing the screw ring was really hard, I ended up using a set of vice grips at full extension which didn't quite fit but did the trick. replacing element inside was easy. Another thing worth mentioning is that the whole filter assembly unclicks off the steel mount by pulling back a small metal with a big flat head screw driver. Doing the thread back up was hard, very hard at first, so I rang a mechanic friend who said make sure the top of the filter hosing is in the locating tabs (CHECK) and then make sure you push down to seat this onto the bottom half of the filter housing (which I hadn't). If you have a fair bit of play after putting the top on than you haven't pushed the top down hard enough. He also told me to put CRC on the plastic ring and thread and a tiny bit of rubber grease on the o ring. I did the first but didn't need to do the second as I found the ring did up tight with a lot less effort than my first attempt. I am now wondering if the CRC will effect the integrity of the o ring? Anyone got thoughts on this?

[packeteer]

which CRC did you use? if its the standard 5.56, then the MSDS may help:
http://www.crcindustries.com.au/assets/ ... 3-msds.pdf

fwiw, I think it will be fine