No fuel filter???

[JTH1972]

Okay, I'm lost... I tried changing the fuel filter on my '86 a little while ago but I can't find it! I know it should be on the inside frame rail on the drivers side, but I've looked through there with a flashlight and I've found nothing. Only filter I can see is the canister one between the fuel tank and the fuel pump on the frame rail.

Am I just blind or could have someone done a modification in the vehicles life and removed the filter?

 

[lost86broncoii]

i got an 86 bronco ii 2.9 auto 4x4 and i just replaced mine, the filter is in the black canister, use an oil filter wrench to unscrew if on tight, mine was just hand tight. on my truck it was located about 6 inches behind the transfer case skid plate. Be careful not too over tighten it or you'll bust that cheap little o-ring that seals it up.

 

[JTH1972]

i got an 86 bronco ii 2.9 auto 4x4 and i just replaced mine, the filter is in the black canister, use an oil filter wrench to unscrew if on tight, mine was just hand tight. on my truck it was located about 6 inches behind the transfer case skid plate. Be careful not too over tighten it or you'll bust that cheap little o-ring that seals it up.

Where mine is sitting I have to remove the skid plate to get at it, but I know what you're talking about. So possibly no inline filter on this truck then?

 

[lost86broncoii]

well some one could have put one on it but i think you would have seen it on the line some where? i had an 1990 f150 that the guy who had it before me put after market inline filters on and some weird valves to shut off gas from under the drivers seat it gave me all kinds of problems...

But yeah on your truck i am pretty sure it has the same drop in fuel filter, just unscrew the bottom of that black canister and your filter will be right inside that and it has two little rubber O-rings one for the canister and one for the filter.

just changed mine last week and had the big O-ring bust cause i tightened it down too much, got burns all up and down my arm from some fuel system cleaner i had in it... learned my lesson real quick.

 

[lost86broncoii]

just checked my haynes manual some "later models" didn't say years do have an inline filter, but which models and when are beyond my knowledge. i have had two 86's and both had the canister filters. hope it helps.

 

[RustedRanger]

My 87 has the cannister and when I took it apart it didnt have a filter in it. I had to take the skid plate off as well as the fuel lines and remove the whole thing to get it apart. The O ring that came with the new filter(which didn't fit) was all screwed up and wouldn't lay flat to get it back together so I took some advice from a guy at my uncles shop and soaked the O ring in really hot water then put a thin layer of grease in the grove it goes in and that held it in place to get it back together. The real filter for mine was in the frame rail to the drivers side of the engine.

 

[IMenriched]

Yeap, My 86' does not have the "in-line" filter,near the engine...just the cansiter, back by the t-case.
and double plus, with being gentle with it.

It was explained to myself that late 86's and early 87's hold the possibility if having both canister and in-line fuel filters.

 

[AllanD]

On an '86 and ONLY an '86 EFI (well.. '85 2.3EFI's have it too)
the filter is inside the black cannister.

'87-88 have the cannister but it's got nothing in it.

 

[fsmall23]

I have an 87, and there is a inline fuel filter up around the front wheel on the driver side---in the frame. I also have one of those bowls, but when i took it apart there wasn't any filter nor would any filter specified fit.

 

[IMenriched]

Thanks Allan for clearing up the vintage deal, apparently I was misinformed.

Yes, Like Allan stated...straight from the guru himself (that is a compliment Allan) , 87's will not have a filter in the cansiter near the t-case. Now the canister will still be there, just no filter in it. Ford now calls it a reservoir to draw fuel from on when heavy throttle situations and in those special cases where one has dual tanks to aid in when switching over from 1 tank to another if so equipt. If dual tanks are invovled then there will be a swtiching soleniod there as well.



Ususally, if there is a filter in this canister, the bottom side that screws in place, is shorter, and the 87's and newer, used a taller version and filter would not fit into it.

 

[honhon]

i know this back from the dead... but i have an 88... would there be any disadvantage to removing the canister?

im a kinda person that likes to remove things that do not have a use anymore like the charchol vapor canister for the tank vent line...

 

[dave2575]

Can you take out the reservoir in an 88?
Ok first, its there for a reason! Those Ford designers and engineers know what there doing.
And second, Hell ya you can take it off! I have/had a dual tank setup in my 88 and I hardly ever used the rear tank. The last time I filled both tanks I noticed the rear tanks internal fuel pump sounded allot louder... that is until it stopped working! Decided not to do a new internal fuel pump and filter for the rear tank. So I did a little customizing and modifying and eventually I lost the rear tank and its pump and filter assy, rerouted the return line to the front tanks fill neck, and of course lost the reservoir and put double barbed strait fittings in its place.
After I finished I thought... I wonder if those Ford Guys new what they were doing? 2 fuel tanks, 2 internal fuel pumps and filters, a inline filter between the tanks, a reservoir, a inline HP fuel pump, and another inline filter. They were doing to much thinking!
Yes you can take it out, Yes it will run, NO I dont advise you to do it! I dont know your truck so I cant/wont say its fine to take it out. But with my truck I've had it out for over 3 years with no issues. I hope this helps you/someone.

 

[adsm08]

i know this back from the dead... but i have an 88... would there be any disadvantage to removing the canister?

Yes. The canister acts as a backup reservoir. Your high pressure fuel pump can spin up faster than your low pressure pump. The canister stores a little supply of fuel so that the high pressure pump doesn't run itself dry while the low pressure one catches up. It also contains the fuel check valve. If you take that out you will have a long-crank issue after it sits off for about 10 seconds because all the fuel in the supply line will be allowed to run back into the tank once the pumps shut off.

im a kinda person that likes to remove things that do not have a use anymore like the charchol vapor canister for the tank vent line...

So you have no idea what you are talking about?

The charcoal canister is one of the BEST emissions control devices. It catches and stores the fuel that evaporates in the tank so that it can be used rather than just vented to atmosphere. Since they don't wear out and can only really be damaged by exposure to liquid fuel I don't know where you get your assertion that the canister doesn't have a use anymore. Especially since it is one of the few devices still put on new cars.

EGR has been tossed aside for better ways to achieve the same purpose. AIR pumps are just gone, but EVAP is still around.

 

[honhon]

i guess i should refraze that... things that i think clutter and are easily removable lol

 

[adsm08]

i guess i should rephrase that... things that i think clutter and are easily removable lol

So you take things off because you can without know what they do? That's not really better.

PS, there is no way you can win this one. Might as well just go put that carbon canister back on and put a tally mark in your "lose" column.