Fuel gauge not working?

I've seen this problem on 4 of my vans so far and each time it ended up being the same thing (fuel level sending unit inside the fuel tank). The 1st couple times I fought with it and pulled the entire tank out of the van. The last couple times I left the tank partially installed and was able to complete the job much faster! Doing it this way will save about 1/2 the time and the difficulty level is reduced. Here are some pictures I took while doing the job. Note, this is a 4wd van, but the procedure is the same on a 2wd.

1st step is to use up or drain most of your gas. In this case I drove the van until the low fuel light came on, then did the job (if you drain gas, familiarize yourself with safe gasoline handling practices before attempting). Jacking the vehicle is required, so safely lift and secure the vehicle for access. In this case, I left the front wheels on the ground, put my jack under the rear differential and jacked it up until the rear wheels were about 1 foot off the ground. I secure the vehicle by placing jack stands under each side of the rear axle. Once you have access underneath, remove the (5) 12mm bolts that secure the plastic tank protector, drop it down and get it out of the way. Note: picture shows front 3 bolts (rear bolts not shown).
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...r/IMG_9570.jpg

Next loosen the (2) 12mm front tank mounting bolts but don't remove (make them very loose).
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...r/IMG_9560.jpg

Next pull the sending unit electrical plug from it's spring clip mount and separate it from the wire harness. Pull the 14mm bolt that secures the tank support strap, and pull the strap down and out of the way.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...r/IMG_9565.jpg

Now completely remove the rear tank mounting bolt and allow the tank to drop. It will drop about 8" before the fuel hoses pull tight. It's okay to let it hang on on these hoses as long as tank is mostly empty.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...r/IMG_9567.jpg

Here's the tank hanging by the hoses.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...r/IMG_9556.jpg

This is the cool part, as a pure coincidence, the area between the RR tire and the wheel well lines up perfectly with the sending unit on the hanging tank. This is the perfect access tunnel for reaching in and removing the sender! Note: Before removal, it's a very good idea to blow the dust and debris off the top of the tank with compressed air. Focus on in the immediate area of the sending unit flange. A 90 deg scribe followed by more air works well to loosen and disperse the dirt and crud from inside the Phillip's head screw cavities before attempting to remove them. Be sure to wear eye protection and avoid breathing the dust while using compressed air.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...r/IMG_9554.jpg

There is the perfect amount of room to pull the sender out and replace. The sender has a long arm with a swinging float. There are several bends in the arm, so it is necessary to rotate and change angles as you lift.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...r/IMG_9551.jpg

Once out, you can use an ohm meter to check the range of resistance. This is one of those rare instances that an analog ohm meter will work the best. Once hooked up you can move the float up and down and you can watch the needle on you meter make linear movements with the float position. If there are dead spots (and there likely will be), then you can either replace the entire unit or try to repair. Last I checked Toyota still had these available. Keep in mind that 4wd and 2wd vans use different senders. I'm not exactly sure what the difference is, but they call for different part numbers in the EPC. Toyota Part # 83320-80034 is used for 4wd & Toyota part # 83320-29857 is used for the 2wd. Prices vary from place to place, but you can expect it to cost between $100 - $150.

IMO, although possible, repair is not probably not your best option. I have done this successfully in the past, but I didn't feel it would be a lasting fix. I guess it depends on the condition of the rheostat and the contact spot on the arm inside. If you choose to go this route, disassemble the little metal box by bending the tabs. Carefully inspect the rheostat and the arm. If the arm and/or the rheostat aren't worn through, then you might get lucky. It's important that these parts be clean and that there is enough tension on the sliding arm to make good electrical contact with the rheostat coil. I found using a pencil eraser is great for cleaning these contacts.

The rheostat arm can be re-arched by forcing it past it's normal travel and making it slip on it's shaft. Once it's extended beyond it's normal travel and is away from the rheostat you can grab it near the base with a pair of needle nose pliers. Once the base of the arm is held steady, you can carefully bend it (be careful not to go too far). Once you are satisfied with the shape of the arm, rotate it back to it's normal range of travel and retest using the ohm meter. Reassemble in the reverse order of disassembly and you should now have a working fuel gauge. Tim

Thank you for another awesome post Tim!!! I've been putting this off since I bought Sue, relying on my mileage instead. I guess this is now on the list for when it dries up.

I've tried a few online vendors. So far 83320-80034 has been discontinued.

That sucks. I'm doing a major project on my van right now and finding this "NLA" scenario very familiar. Looks like you'll be stuck repairing the old one or finding one in a salvage yard. Tim

I'm wondering if the sending unit is the same across multiple applications and only the arm varies.

Do you know proper resistance values full and empty for a good unit. It would be easy to test against another new part.

Also, how many inches does then end of the arm travel on the van sending unit?

It would be easy to weld the end of the van arm onto another sending unit.

I aim to replace my fuel pump soon. I want to do it all in one shot and be set for the next 100,000 mi. Like you, I value my time over doing the job twice.

And why no aftermarket support?

Aftermarket companies target markets that bring good sales. Parts that fit multiple year, make, model vehicles are typically where they focus. Specialty parts that don't sell well and/or only fit a small range of vehicles are not something they want to waste time with. These sending units would fall into this category. That being said, they do make universal sending units and it's possible one of these could be made to fit. When things get beyond repair and used parts dry up (we're almost there), then such repairs will be required. Until then it just makes more sense to repair or find stuff in salvage yards.

The range of resistance is ~3 ohms (empty) to ~110 ohms (full). Resistance values for both 4wd & 2wd are the same, so I would speculate the difference in sending units might be with the float arm (4wd tanks are physically different from 2wd tanks).

I don't have any of these currently laying around so I can't measure arms. If you can still get this for a 2wd, then I'd probably get one and compare when the tank is removed. Then rework/modify as required. Be sure to share what you find out! Thanks. Tim

Here is a toyota fuel sender for as little as $30.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/03-Toyota-Matrix-fuel-level-sensor-sender-unit-Part-83320-02050-OEM-/331087738319?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories &hash=item4d165df5cf&vxp=mtr

The resistor box looks like the one in your picture.
I would just have to get the Full angle and Empty angle to match the van and mount it to the lid.

The wire diagram in the manual says the van sender is only 2 wires.
I asked about the 2wd part # when discussing the NLA status with some vendors. The 2wd unit is also NLA.

Yeah, who knows. I just placed an order with Toyota today. 8 out of the 12 parts ordered are NLA. These are things I need now. I've got the dash apart and the windshield out. Would really like to put new spray nozzles and wiper parts in. I'm having my parts guy look into ordering stuff from Japan, but probably no dice there either. So I'm likely stuck with adapting something else or finding good used ones in a salvage yard. That's not an option now though as there have been zero 86 - 89 vans in the Portland area yards for months now. There is currently 1 85 van at the Sherwood, OR Pick-N-Pull, but that's it. Tim

I would like to go this route.

VDO 226-164 - VDO Fuel Tank Sending Units

http://www.jegs.com/i/VDO/918/226-164/10002/-1

I just need to find it locally so it can be returned easily if it doesn't work out.

Yeah, that's a universal aftermarket like I was referring to above. I've rigged these up before and these are adjustable (depth of tank and length of float arm), so you should be able to come up with an acceptable travel. Ohms are close enough so empty would be correct. It might only go up to 3/4 on the gauge when full, but it's empty that's important. If having it read full is an issue you could probably adjust a bit with a resistor, but probably not worth the effort. I'm thinking the hole in the tank would be too big, so you'd probably need to fab an adapter disc. Tim

I'm dropping my tanks to swap the pump and sensor and clean it out. Lots of chunks cam out when I pulled the drain plug.
Hopefully I'll be able to find an equivalent level sensor.

Right now i cant break the fuel lines that have compression fittings. I have flair nut wrenches but the small side still wants to round over.
I tried a crows foot wrench and an impact. no love.

Any words of wisdom tim???

Not all tubing wrenches are created equal. The cheap ones aren't much better than standard open end wrenches. I have no idea what you're using, but take a look at the meat on this high quality wrench and compare to yours. If yours aren't like this one then this could be your problem. Of course once you round the nut you're done.........hopefully that hasn't happened yet. Tim

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...psfb3d9624.jpg

Thanks Tim.

I only use my flair nut wrenches once a year so they are from harbor freight and havent failed me in the past. It might be time to upgrade.
Also key is to clean the tar off the fittings and put a drop of penetrating lube on there.

I noticed 2 things.
1. my vapor check valve going Tank to engine is bad is this worth tracking down another? Rock Auto doesnt list it in the Fuel or emissions section.

2. What is the extra sensor and wire on the fuel level sensor?

I rang out the fuel sensor and resistance looks smooth all the way through. 112 - 3.4 ohms. Perhaps the issue is in the dash. My gauge doesn't go much past 1/2 way the the fuel light comes on. It has since i purchased the van.
The light has always been accurate.

Good point with the penetrating oil, this can help. So can heat, but for obvious reasons I'd not want to use an open flame here :shock:. Any time you see a faulty part in your fuel system (especially when things are exposed) I would highly recommend replacing it. The only vapor check valve I know of is between the charcoal canister and the tank. It's Toyota part #90917-10020 & sells for around $40 (assuming it's still available). I wouldn't expect to find this part aftermarket (OEM only).

Checking the tank sensor with a digital ohm meter can be problematic. Analog is much preferred for this job (marginal sensors will be much more obvious). Still, if you're getting good results the full range, this indicates a problem with the gauge head. There is a test outlined in the manual for this. That single wire sensor IS for your low fuel warning light, so even if the rheostat coil is messed up it won't effect the low level warning light.

While you have the sensor out, make sure there is a little tension between the contact arm and the rheostat coil. Once the rheostat cover is off, the contact arm can be rotated beyond it's normal travel. Once off the coil surface it should deflect slightly downward. if it doesn't, bend it slightly downward, then put it back into it's normal range of travel. Using a pencil eraser on the coil and the contact arm is a good idea. Have fun :wnk:. Tim

PS: When it comes to cheap tools, I understand the struggle and agree they often do the job just as well. Tubing wrenches are an exception. The problem with the open end is flex. Some of the cheap tubing wrenches are no better than a standard open end wrench (I learned this the hard way). When tube fitting nuts come off easy there is no need for a tubing wrench.........it's the stubborn ones that make the expensive wrenches worth while. The last thing you need to worry about while having this sort of problem is to stop and go find/buy the right tool.......or worse yet, rounding off the nut. If you plan on turning wrenches in the future, these are a "must have" thing for your tool box. To be honest I rarely use my tubing wrenches, but when I need them I'm always happy they are there. They have paid for themselves many times over.

Is this the check valve you speak of?
Attachment 1470
I'm going to try to plug in the fuel sender on the car and check response on the gauge. I also picked up the vdo sender to check signal out put and reception.

On s good note the tank looked clean and the fuel pump sock looked new.
I'll check pump out put tonight.

Yes, that's the one I gave the part number for (above). I was going to suggest testing the gauge with the new sender but wasn't sure you got it. Just keep in mind it's not an instant response. Fuel gauge travel is slow........sometimes will take a couple of minutes to catch up to sender position. Tim

I didnt have time to call on the check valve today. But $40!! :dizzy: is it worth it?. I can probably pickup a universal from mc master carr for less.

This is a specialized check valve. It's not just the inlet & outlet sizes, it's also the spring pressure inside of it. IMO not worth messing with substitutes unless OEM is NLA. Tim

BTW, how did you determine the old one was bad?

I saw the arrow on it. Blew both ways through it by mouth. It passed air both ways. There is more resistance one way than the other. It may be working if you say it has some sort of pressure relief in it.


I ran range of motion on my fuel sensor. The gauge does not go below 1/2 way . I feel a gauge cluster coming.

The VDO sender does fit. but the bolt pattern has a slightly larger bolt center. Slight grinding will be required. I think I'll install it and start looking for a gauge.

There is no pressure relief feature. The spring will only determine how much pressure it takes before flow occurs in the correct direction. If yours flows both ways then you're right (it's toast). Most check valves are for a pressurized liquid, so if you buy a universal one, that's likely what you'll get. Depending on the amount of pressure it's designed for, it may not flow either direction for low pressure vapor.

That's nice to know about the VDO sender. Not a perfect replacement, but as these vans get older & OEM parts become extinct, aftermarket parts like this will be required to keep things in working order. Tim

I blew out the rear main oil seal in my 86 van (back-up work van) so I pulled an 87 out of the bushes (back-up to my back-up). Since it had been sitting so long I started by draining the old gas out and testing the fuel system. Well darn it, looks like the fuel pump has failed. That's funny because same exact thing had happened to the 86 when I drug it out last year (it had sat for 13 years). So I dropped the tank & pulled the pump. I had reworked the sender just before I parked it so I know it was clean then, well it sure isn't clean now. I was taught to park rigs with full tanks when long term storage is expected. Yes, the gas will go bad after a few years, but it keeps the air and moisture away from the metal parts and protects them from corrosion. Well evidently that's not true anymore. Check out the condition of things (worst of it was submerged under the gas). I'm not sure why, but I think changes to the fuel market must be causing gas to become corrosive when it sits for long periods. I've been resurrecting dead vehicles all my life and have never seen severe corrosion like this on parts submerged in fuel.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...ps0e7b1192.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...ps4eaf4322.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...psaad46a65.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...psdf4ac8d2.jpg

The funny thing is, this is exactly the way my 86 looked when it sat 13 years with the same gas. Next time I store one of these I'll have to fill it with something else.......diesel maybe? The thing is, I never know how long they're going to be stored, so I hate putting something other than gas in there. Maybe I'll just drain and store them dry? Tough call. Suggestions?

I had a lot of trouble with rust clogging my injectors on the 86 (with rust) after it's long sleep, so I decided to clean this tank. I rinsed the big stuff out with water, then put about 20 rocks inside (ranging from the size of grapes to the size of ping pong balls). My son & I shook the crap out of it (to break up the rust) and I washed it out again. Next I put the rocks back in along with about a cup of phosphoric acid thinned with isopropanol (eats rust). We shook the crap out of it again and left it for the night. Hopefully the acid will take out more rust during the night. In the morning we'll shake it again, remove rocks, rinse, and I'll take some more pics. To be continued. Tim

Quote:

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Originally Posted by timsrv

The funny thing is, this is exactly the way my 86 looked when it sat 13 years with the same gas. Next time I store one of these I'll have to fill it with something else.......diesel maybe? The thing is, I never know how long they're going to be stored, so I hate putting something other than gas in there. Maybe I'll just drain and store them dry? Tough call. Suggestions?

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Been doing research on the web & I think I just answered my own question. Seems that ethanol accelerates corrosion (I always avoided that until it became standard........about 15 years ago). The answer is to use an additive with corrosion inhibitors. Looks like this is a good one: http://www.amazon.com/STA-BIL-22240-...ormula+sta-bil

Yeah, I've heard that ethanol attracts water and is prone to corrosion. I think all the newer cars are built for it by using more plastic parts.
It's like when they took silver out of diesel. We had to start using lubricity additive to not kill injection pumps.
What is the life expectancy of stabil?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by coronan

What is the life expectancy of stabil?

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I'm not sure, but next time I park something it's getting a dose. I expect to drain gas on anything that sits over 5 years, but didn't expect to see this degree of corrosion. Now I'm worried about my other vans that have been sitting. I hope I don't have to go through this again, but I'm sure I will. Tim

Got it all done and was driving the van. Here's some pics of tank and the pump bracket after the acid treatment..........and lots & lots of flushing/rinsing:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...psb0b848db.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...psd1ec98b4.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...psc27bf533.jpg

How long had that van sat with gas?
Is there an easy way to drain the gas? I'm attempting to replace my fuel pump but I cannot get the gas out of the tank with a siphon. I see a drain plug but wonder what seal I'll have to replace when I do that.

dont remember a seal at the drain bung, but it has been a bunch of years

This one had sat for 10 years. There's a rubber gasket attached to the drain bung. On most of these the bung has a recessed 3/8" square drive hole (a 3/8" ratchet or breaker bar works perfect here). On others I've seen a 17 mm hex plug. I've pulled these drain plugs lots of times and I've never messed up the original rubber gasket. I've always been able to just screw it back in and have it seal (knock on wood).

After putting this tank back in my 87 I drove it and found it had more problems than I wanted to deal with, so I pulled the tank back out along with the engine. I'm going to put the engine & tank in my 86.

Update: Here's a thread where I'm documenting this job: http://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/s...ngine-Overhaul

Thanks. I just removed the bung, gas, and put it back and no leaks. :yes:

I thought cleaning the tank would be enough, but the screens on my injectors got clogged AGAIN after only 5k miles. I did just put new injectors in when I cleaned this tank (actually rebuilt ones from Dr Injector) & I did notice the screens they used have less surface area and a finer mesh than the originals, but still figured the factory fuel filter set-up would be good enough to protect them (I figured wrong). These injector screens also have plastic in them (which I don't like). Considering what a PITA it is to remove and clean injectors, I went ahead and purchased new stainless steel injector screens for my injectors (but I'm hoping I won't need them). Today I made a mod that will hopefully avert the need to pull injectors again. I removed the factory style fuel filter and replaced it with a hot-rod style canister type. It has a replaceable pleated paper 10 micron cartridge inside. I'm looking forward to easy future filter replacements (and cheap too).

The big challenge here was finding a suitable place to put this that would also allow access for easy changing of cartridges. After looking around there was only one place (under the power steering reservoir) so I put it there. Here are some pics of the mod.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...psf86d5209.jpg http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...psac550284.jpg

I took a piece of 3/16" X 1" steel, drilled holes to match the holes in the reservoir bracket, then welded the filter bracket to it. Here it is after a coat of paint.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...psd4719168.jpg

New bracket will fit behind the power steering reservoir bracket like this.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...psa2e445ef.jpg

Next step is to get the old filter & hose out of there. Good riddance!
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...ps05b93c8f.jpg

I used a clean mason jar to catch drips from the inlet hose of the old filter :doh:. No gas left to see what might come out the the other side.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...ps2eefbab0.jpg

I dig through my scrounge bucket and find some bolts slightly longer than original bracket bolts & install filter bracket behind PS reservoir bracket.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...ps1186e5c0.jpg

Here's some close-ups.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...psdc3859bd.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...ps45044d41.jpg

I cut the banjo fitting off the 8mm metal gas line. Fortunately 8mm is almost identical in size to 5/16" diameter tube. I'm able to use a brass adapter that goes from 5/16" compression to 1/8" FPT. If Amazon is out of stock, Napa also has these HERE. Attached to that is a 5/16" push-on hose end X 1/8" MPT or https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/WH_10005B102. The hose is Barricade MPI 225 psi 5/16" ID fuel line (can't be too careful when it comes to fuel).
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...ps5d98e6a9.jpg

On the filter side of this hose I use a 3/8" X 1/8" NPT brass bushing and another push-on hose end.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...psd7cc7363.jpg

I cut the M14 X 1.5 swivel fitting off the 8mm steel line and use a 5/16" compression X 1/8" MPT brass adapter, then a 1/8" FPT brass elbow followed by another push-on hose end. For the other end of this hose (filter side, scroll up to see) I use a 3/8" X 1/4" brass bushing, a 1/4" MPT X 5/16" MFL brass elbow and a 5/16" swivel hose end.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...pscb0ba172.jpg

And here's the best part. With a 1" socket, extension, and ratchet I can remove the bowl from underneath (without jacking) and change the paper cartridge!
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...ps9e721003.jpg

I did a 5 minute leak test & all is fine. With any luck this thing won't clog up right away. I got a couple extra paper cartridges but don't plan on changing them until I hit 10k miles or they clog up. I'll report back with how it works. Tim

What micron do you think the stock filter was?

What is your source and part number for the aftermarket filter???

Quote:

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Originally Posted by coronan

What micron do you think the stock filter was?

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I have no idea, and nobody else seems to either. It also bugs me not being able to see inside of it. In trying to understand my problem I'm envisioning a gap in the pleats or something. I doubt that's the case, but much prefer to see the business end of what I'm installing, especially after having this same issue 4 times over the past 20k miles (dealt with it 3 times before cleaning & installing this tank). Maybe I'll cut open this old filter just for fun. Of all the filter questions I've been asking, this AM filter is the only one with micron info available. Nobody can tell me what micron the injector screens are either (new or old)..........but you'd think the stock filter should have a smaller micron size than the injector screens............right?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by coronan

What is your source and part number for the aftermarket filter???

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You can get this off Amazon hot-rod style canister type. It has a replaceable pleated paper 10 micron cartridge inside.. Jegs also sells replacement paper cartridges Aeromotive #027-12608. There's links hidden in my text that will take you right to the source. Anywhere you see blue text just click and it will take you there. Tim

Yeah, thats the problem with OEM. Its good enough but how good was, good enough. Diesel guys filter down to 5 or even 2 micron. But diesel is a totally different animal.

I'd be curious to see what was plugging the screens.


You might be able to figure out the micron rating with a wire gauge.
http://www.filterbag.com/U-S-Mesh-vs-Micron-21.html



I have had success back flushing my injectors. I hook em up to a pressure bottle filled with injector cleaner and open the solenoid. Its my first stage when cleaning and checking spray pattern.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mnA0cnXckg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp-ECEpN52k

Yeah, I have no problem flushing them out (once they're out). As you know, the problem is getting them out. No big deal 1 or 2 times, but gets old fast when you're doing it every 4 or 5 months :wall: :(:.

Okay, so curiosity got the better of me & I opened up the factory style filter. Based on what I found I'm a bit worried now the new one won't be adequate. For the record this isn't Toyota but it's Wix Premium (considered to be top notch). It's actually an impressive design and has a ton of surface area (way, way more than the one I just installed).

So basically it's 2 long strips of filter media glued together on 3 sides. The fuel enters this "paper envelope" on the open side, passes through the paper walls, then on to the outlet. It's a long envelope (about 5' long & 3" tall) all rolled up with the open end facing the fuel inlet port. There's another ring of glue on the inlet side (where the rolled envelope overlaps) preventing unfiltered fuel from slipping between the layers. Not sure about micron size of the pores, but the real advantage here is free flow and massive surface area (can hold a lot of crap). And that's exactly what mine had in it.........A whole lot of crap! (mostly rust particles). Of course it wasn't catching all the crap (as evidenced by the silty stuff in the outlet tube). The obvious problem with this type filter would be assembly errors. And that's a lot more likely with this design as this one is dependent on accurate and equal amounts of glue used on the seams. If there are any breaches in these seams (and these are significant) then particles can pass. After close inspection it appears there are a few spots where they got sloppy with the glue (too much), and others spots where there wasn't enough.

It's hard to believe there's still this much crap in my fuel system. I spent some serious time and effort getting this tank clean (check the pics). I suspect some (perhaps most) of it was inside my fuel lines, but these looked pretty clean when I cut and adapted them. So now I have to worry about restricted fuel flow and clogging. Van will be back in service tomorrow so I'll know right away if it's too restrictive. Clogging is another issue, but I'd be happy with 5k miles per cartridge (keeping my fingers crossed). Perhaps a better solution would have been to leave the factory filter as a pre-filter then running it through the AM one. I figured that would likely be too restrictive so I went with just the one. Here's the pics:

Everything enters here on this end.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...psae5e087e.jpg

Here's the outlet side (glued bottom of envelope). Note the silty rust junk in the outlet tube.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...ps80e09dfe.jpg

Once it exits the envelope it moves to the top and passes through a plastic disc with holes.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...ps228f9282.jpg

This disc has stand-offs on it which allow fuel to pass to the outlet tube (big hole in the middle).
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...psa17d10eb.jpg

I peeled the paper envelope open from the inside to show the crap it caught. There's probably 2 or 3 teaspoons full of "cinnamon" trapped in here. All this in only 5k miles. Hard to imagine my new cartridge catching this much stuff before plugging up. This was the 1st filter since the cleaning of the tank, so hopefully this is the bulk of the leftovers (keeping my fingers crossed).
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...ps50b7d8e9.jpg

Now Im wondering how the stock toyota fuel filter compares to this wix premium that you took apart...

Probably about the same. Perhaps assembled with more care??? I have a used Toyota filter I could take apart, but not too motivated right now (working some long hrs). Good news though, my new filter has been working awesome (no starvation or injector issues) and it's made it over 500 miles so far. Tim

Hit almost 1k miles & filter still flowing good enough to keep up with my lead foot. Got my injectors back with my Bosch stainless screens. Hopefully I won't need to install these any time soon, but at least I have them "just in case". Tim

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...psdd98d63a.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...ps6557f57c.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...ps70a214e8.jpg

Tim curious how thing have ran since you posted last?... Cheers..

Thanks for asking. My last post regarding this subject was about 7k miles ago. I was a bit worried the new filter would be restrictive, so I installed a fuel pressure gauge on the output side of it so I could monitor pressure. Here's where I mounted the sending unit:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...ps23ce9b55.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...ps6c766a24.jpg

I found a neat little mounting pod for the gauge head and mounted it on the right of the instrument hood:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...ps33890680.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...ps8a015d2b.jpg

I used a 6 position quick disconnect for the wire harness so I can still easily remove and reinstall the cluster hood. While I had things apart I also installed an engine coolant temperature gauge on the dash pad.

So the good news is there was no fuel starvation issues (had constant good pressure on the output side of the filter). Even when pushing the van hard (maximum output on long hills) fuel pressure stays in the 40psi range. I thought about running the filter until I started to see pressure drop, but due to past contamination issues I decided to replace it at 5k miles (at least this time). The filter looks clean inside and out, but there was debris/sediments in the canister housing. Here's a mason jar that I dumped the fuel canister into:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...psb6d60f49.jpg

And here are some pics of the used filter element:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...psef35cc22.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...ps0b1c30a5.jpg

I was happy to see no sediments inside the filter (last picture) as this is the filtered (output) side. Other evidence that it's doing it's job is the fact my injectors have not clogged up in the last 7k miles (a new record!). Sadly though my fuel pump is not protected by the new filter and the check valve on that failed a couple weeks ago. When I pulled the tank to replace it (last weekend) I noticed new sediments inside (a lot of them). These are very fine sandy/silty sediments that mostly built up in the pump chamber of the tank. This time I dried the tank by hooking it up to my shop vac for a few hrs to evaporate the residual gas, then simply vacuumed it out using various extensions and flexible hoses I rigged up to the vacuum cleaner. I'm thinking these sediments came from the inside of the metal fuel lines, and hopefully this is the worst of it. The new pump is installed and working well. Van is running awesome and starts on 1st crank now. Tim


Update 12/20/18: #3 injector clogged again (yes, I had to remove injectors and clean them again) :wall:. But, it made it 3 years/50k miles this time (prior to filter mod it was 3 - 4 months/5k miles). Because it made it 10X longer, I consider this mod a success. I don't believe the filter element has ever clogged (at least not completely) as output pressure has remained constant since installation of the fuel pressure gauge. That's pretty good considering I ran the last filter element for over 2½ years/45k miles)

I think it's possible I could have avoided (or at least prolonged) repeat injector problems had I changed filter elements on a more regular basis. Since the last episode I've begun replacing that filter element every 10k miles, but it's only been about 15k miles since then, so it will be at least 2 - 3 years before I hit the 50k mark again.

As you can see in a previous in post (this thread) the tank was cleaned thoroughly. The 1st clogging after that cleaning (5k miles) I attributed to rogue particles left over in the tank. After the next 3 episodes (all at ~5k mile intervals) I started thinking there to be a hard caked-on residue inside my fuel lines. Each few hundred miles of constant flow likely dissolves and releases more particles into the system. There is still ~3 feet of old steel line after the filter, and that could account for the last clogging. Eventually I'm hoping this will clear itself up, but so far it's still been an issue (although much less after the filter mod). Tim