I changed out RODDMODs fuel filter on his 99 LS400 today. Usually when I change out fuel filters on a car I crack the lines free then let the fuel run out and then proceed. Well it didn't look like it was going to stop coming out so I continued on removing the filter. Basically I got a shower with gasoline. I got the old one out then about a minute after that the gas stopped dripping (my luck) . Installed the new one and everything was fine.. I still can't get over how our local Lexus dealer says they do not change out fuel filters. This boggles my mind. These filters do get dirty and when they trap more junk it puts a harder load on the fuel pump. When we changed out the filter on my Lincoln we measured the amout of resistance from the pump before and after the filter change and there was a significant amout of difference. We are going to cut the old filter open and see what it has trapped and I will take some nice pictures and post them...

Chris
(Son of Roddmod)

 

Will be very interested to see what the filter looks lie after X miles. At what interval did you change this?

 

I, too, would be interested as well. Any info on the fuel filter contents/composition of the '99 LS400?

While I've replaced the external bottle filters in other cars (they are usually in the engine bay), the Lexus models seem to have them in the gas tank itself (with the fuel pump). However, if your findings are bad enough, your results might push me to change the filter. . .

 

This morning we took the band saw to the filter here at work. The saw blade needed replacing so it didn't turn out pretty but you get the idea... There is a lot of debris from the cut but I would say that the filter looked like it was very clean and didn't need to be replaced. The filter is located on the underside of the car in front of the tank... The filter has traveled about 80,000 miles.

 

Thanks for the info and pics. Looks like I don't need to have my fuel filter replaced any time soon. . .

 

Not sure what dealership you were referring to, but we don't change out filters here either. I have worked on Lexus vehicles for years and have never needed to replace a fuel filter.

 

Back in the good old (pre-fuel injection) days, I could check the condition of my BMW's fuel filter by looking through its clear plastic shell, mounted just fore of my carburetors. No such luck any more- you can't tell if your filter is dirty without replacing it..

In my opinion the condition of any fuel filter is not a function of the filter, car, and/or mileage, but rather the gas you run through it. All it can take sometimes is just one contaminated tank of gas to foul up a filter. But you could also luck out and can go hundreds of thousands of miles and never get any significant debris in the filter.

About the only thing you can do to minimize the chance of contaminated gas is to avoid gas stations that have a tanker truck on site, since the load it just dumped might have kicked up sediment in the station's underground tanks.