Replacing a fuel filter on a Toyota 20R

"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck) 01/25/2015 at 19:16 • Filed to: fuel filter, Toyota, 20R, whatthefuck

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A how-to, coupled with a disturbing discovery!

(EDIT: Sorry about the formatting! I shouldn't have taken portrait photos...)

I had recently been having fuel problems with my pickup. It would start lurching at highway speeds. Used to be once in a blue moon but now it's almost undriveable. Car wasn't overheating, all gauges were good. Luckily I had a similar problem on my last pickup (had the 22R), so the sensation of a bogged-down Toyota accelerating in vain was very familiar to me.

The easiest, and cheapest, and best outcome, is if the fuel filter is clogged. And for a whole $5.00, I feel no guilt about this guess. But wait isn't the fuel filter is all the way inside the gas tank? How will we ever —

Hah, no. This isn't a modern car. Look at it hang there in all its easily-accessible glory!

Two hose clamps. So easy, even I can do it. The only thing you have to remember is that the little arrow points towards the fuel line going to the carburetor.

As you can see, this isn't the original fuel filter anyway. Now we check to see if the fuel filter was actually clogged, otherwise my fuel problems are caused by something else.

No visible blockage going to the carb line.

Uhh... *ahem* Yes, well, we appear to have an obstruction from the tank line. Something solid and very green. Almost looks crystallized.

You can even see the tint of green through the plastic...

This calls for a closer examination.

Definitely dirty and used, but still looks in functional form. I see no green whatever stuff in the filter itself.

Yep, totally functio— Oh God, more green stuff... More sawing is required.

Yeah, that's packed in tight. It's not crystal at all... It's plastic? Let's dig that stuff out.

Tiny, green plastic shavings! In my fuel filter! I have no idea what the hell hath happened! The good news is that now my truck should run good as new 35 years old! The bad news is how the hell did this plastic get in my gas tank...

Have a wonderful day.

Jedidiah > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 01/25/2015 at 19:18

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Well there's your problem.

The80thARG > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 01/25/2015 at 19:25

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I thought maybe it was clogged with scallions.

Steve in Manhattan > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 01/25/2015 at 19:28

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I had an '87 Toyota 4x4 ... was that a 22R engine in it? Whatever it was, it could not be killed.

Big Bubba Ray > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 01/25/2015 at 19:51

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I too have discovered weird things in fuel filters for my car. About a month ago I sawed one open and a lady bug fell out. No idea how it could have gotten in there.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 01/25/2015 at 20:00

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The R engine! Yes!

Dogapult > Steve in Manhattan 01/25/2015 at 20:50

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Yeah. the early 81-84 22rs were even MORE unkillable!

Steve in Manhattan > Dogapult 01/25/2015 at 21:08

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I dumped that truck on its side in a snowstorm way back when ... a couple good ol' boys helped me push it back up into its wheels, and I drove it home. Indestructible.