Topic: 1994 toyota pickup 22re fuel filter

[jackiet]

So I decided to change my fuel filter.  the truck has almost 300,000 miles on it so i thought it might need doing.  Bought a WIX filter.  Took off the wheel and got the old filter out.  Installed the new filter with new washers.  Line out leaks fuel.  Took apart again put back together still leaks.  line in is fine.  Sequence goes - bolt- washer- fuel line- washer filter.  Still leaks.  bought new filter- put it together- still leaks- and not just a little.  And again line in is fine it's line out.  I can not figure what the heck I am doing wrong.  Any ideas  Please???

[redneckcustoms13]

Does your filter have the little tab that the line indexes into? If so make sure your line is actually mating flush with the filter and that is indexed in that tab. Some have it some dont.  It's a very simple design. You have your bolt/washer arrangement correct. Are you sure the line out doesn't have any dings or flaws with the surface?

[:)bestgen4runner]

Dry it off with compressed air
Put safety glasses on
Have some body else crank engine for a second while you look at it threw wheel well.
Most likely you damaged the line.
Best of luck
Please post what you find.

[Mudder]

Last time I changed my fuel filter, with a Napa gold (wix) I had to tighten it pretty darn tight to get rid of the leaks I had

[jackiet [OP]]

I was wondering if that might be the problem.  I got the bolt off with an open ended wrench and am tightening it with a socket. I have seen the copper washers referred to as "crush washers" and it seems like you would have to tighten it down pretty hard to crush anything. I just don't remember the original filter being that hard to break loose.  But I am doing something wrong.  I don't think I damaged the banjo fitting when removing it. and there are only so many things that can go wrong here.  Maybe this should have come under the heading "if it ain't broke" but it was starting to hesitate some and I thought this might be the problem.  I've had this truck since it was new and with the exception of the timing chain replacement about 150,000 miles ago, I have done all the work on it. I've done alot of learning on that poor truck!  I'll give it a try in the morning and see how it goes. Thanks!

[emsvitil]

Try annealing the copper washers with a torch to soften them up.

[jackiet [OP]]

Try annealing the copper washers with a torch to soften them up.

I'll have to look that up so see what it means, but it sounds like a good idea!

Dry it off with compressed air
Put safety glasses on
Have some body else crank engine for a second while you look at it threw wheel well.
Most likely you damaged the line.
Best of luck
Please post what you find.

I can start the truck- as I don't have a helper - it runs but leaks.  I can see the fuel coming from the area at the banjo fitting.  I thought I might have damaged it but I was not rough at all when removing the bolt and did not force anything. But by process of elimination- if the filter is fine..... I was going to look into replacing the banjo fitting- but I don't know if NAPA carrys them or if I'd have to order it- there are definitely some hoses under there that look like they could be replaced. I was going to see in the AM how the banjo fitting attaches to the fuel line and how long and where that fuel line ends up. Yikes. I really did not want this to turn into a big job!

[H8PVMNT]

The location of that thing makes it tough to see what's going on.  I agree with the annealing trick.  Also putting anti-seize on your threads and washers will help things go together and tighten up nice.

[jackiet [OP]]

Ok- well, on one site I was reading before doing this job, they said that you really didn't have to put the second bolt back onto the filter (the harder to get to top bolt).   So that was all I was doing- the bottom bolt.  But- I noticed when tightening up the banjo bolt, that the whole bracket was bending and that was preventing me from really tightening it down.  So, I bit the bullet and reinstalled the top bolt.  Tightened it up- as tight as I could get it without starting to bend the top of the fuel filter.  Still leaked- but just a little.  So I looked into plumbers tape and whether it would stand up to gasoline. No. But PTFE tape for gas fittings will.  (thanks Internet) Voila! No leak.  Thank goodness.  I will keep an eye on it though. Thanks to all!