I did a search back for a year, but didn't see where anyone has tried to relocate the fuel filter on a 22RE (located above starter). After only my second filter change, I am disgusted with trying to get the old one off and a new one on. It seems to me that if it were located somewhere in all that open space between the diagnostic connector and firewall, it would be a breeze to change. Has anyone tried relocating, and what new hardware (other than the mounting bracket) was used? Is it a matter of finding longer hoses to move it?

How often are you changing it? As rarely as it's needed, seems like more hassle to move it. Not just any hose...that's hi pressure.

Put a 1 or 2" body lift under there and you'll be able to access it and lots of other stuff quite nicely. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

x2; don't hafta change them that often, and if you're still set on moving it, you'll need high pressure lines.

Unfortunately due to having to mess with the fuel tank/pump and sending unit, I have changed it 3 times in the last 2 months. More as a precaution than anything, since the tank itself has been disturbed. Under normal circumstances, whatever that may be, I agree with the fact that it doesn't need changing very often. I am also thinking ahead and that I intend to do a lot of work on the truck over the next few months, and while I had it torn down, that would be the ideal time to make some tasks more convenient. If it was not a big hassle, it seemed it might be worth a shot to move it.

I have a 3" body lift now. Unscrewing the hoses isn't a big deal. The top bracket bolt on mine seems to be virtually out of reach and impossible to put back in in the holding bracket. I tried a swivel socket and extension, but when I try to tighten the bolt, the socket slips off before I get any torque on the bolt. There doesn't appear to be any room between the lower end of the intake and that top bolt, and the bolt appears to be below the top of the filter by small margin.

I've heard of a few folks simply moving the filter over to the firewall or inner fender wherever the hoses will let you move it to.

I was just noticing today, on my recently acquired '89 V6 4runner, that the fuel filter seems to be on the inside of the passenger frame rail under the passenger seating area. I thought, "man this is cool!". Last year I had a hard time wrestling with the filter on my other 4runner which has a 22RE. I bet you could use the V6 parts to mount a filter like that for a four-banger. <BTW> The one on my V6 4unner looks like it hasn't been changed in a long time, if ever. -- Matt

It is in a good spot but a whole lot of the V-6 Toyotas came with the fittings over torqued and the threads are distorted making it impossible to get them loose before rounding off the corners of the fitting. I tried on mine and I could feel it start to strip. I talked to a friend of mine who is the foreman at a dealership on what to do. He told me most of the time you can get the back one loose. So, what they do is to replace the front steel line along with the filter.

Over-torqued plus corroded with winter salt baths; not a good combination. Maybe a nice protected place under the hood isn't such a bad idea. -- Matt

I'm thinking now I just might try to peek under one of the 4runners in the junkyard on my next visit. Most of them are sitting on the ground with no wheels, so that could be tougher than it sounds. If the lines and bolts are the same size as the 22RE, there is some possibility for a combo set-up. Might be worth a few bucks to find out. Thanks to everybody who posted.