How to change the fuel filter on a Toyota Corolla

The filter element in the fuel system of a Toyota Corolla car plays a very large and important role. It removes various mechanical particles and condensate from the fuel, which ensures normal engine operation for a long time. The design of the fuel filter on the Toyota Corolla differs from similar samples on many branded models. In addition, the structural features of the filter module largely depend on the modification of the car body. So, for example, Corolla cars in the 150th and 120th bodies produced in 2007 and 2008 have a fuel pump and filter of different types, which does not in any way affect the principle of their replacement, which is identical.

In this article we will share with you information about the original filter and the frequency of its replacement. You will learn about all types of fuel filters for Corolla on the Russian market and get acquainted with step-by-step instructions for replacing them.

Frequency of replacing the fuel filter on a Toyota Corolla

According to the operating instructions, the fuel filter must be replaced every 80 thousand kilometers. Many car owners drive without changing the filter, thereby almost doubling the recommended mileage. You can’t treat the fuel system and engine this way, because it’s no secret that the quality of domestic gasoline is much inferior to the Japanese standard. Therefore, keep in mind that the fuel filter, like any other cleaning element, cannot last forever and its resource is limited by the mileage of the car or a certain time interval. Maintenance specialists strongly recommend replacing every 50 thousand km. However, replacing the fuel filter may be required earlier. Certain signs will indicate this to you.

Required Tools

In order to successfully replace the fuel filter on a Corolla 150, you need the tools from the table below.

Table - Tools required to replace the fuel filter on a Corolla 150

Tools	Note
Screwdriver	With a flat, durable tip and a cross-shaped
Head	"at 8"
Vacuum cleaner	To prevent debris from entering the gas tank
Pliers	Can be replaced with pliers
Capacity	To prevent fuel residues from entering the body
Technical hair dryer	It will only be required if the service hole is too tightly fixed to the floor of the car.
Brush	For better cleaning of contaminants

Signs of a clogged fuel filter

Many Toyota Corolla car owners start replacing the filter only when there are clear signs of a decrease in the throughput of the cleaning element or when the engine fails completely. Since filter clogging occurs at a slow pace, it is not immediately possible to notice the obvious symptoms of its poor performance. And further operation with a clogged filter has a negative impact on the engine’s turnaround time, which is reduced.

Here are the main signs of a clogged filter:

Uneven engine operation both at idle and under load
Slow acceleration
Unstable engine starting
Unexpected engine stalls

Types of fuel filters for Toyota Corolla on the Russian automotive market

Many auto stores offer a choice of at least three types of products of this type for Toyota Corolla. First of all, these are products from Chinese and Korean manufacturers, as well as the original version. Many motorists do not consider that the quality of filters of different types varies greatly. The main thing is that when replacing the filter, correctly install the sealing gaskets that come with them.

Depending on the modification of the Toyota Corolla car body and the year of manufacture (before 2007 or after), you should individually select a fuel filter that is suitable for the design. There are designs for fuel supply units from the gas tank, where the filter is located in the pump itself, so replacement has to be carried out as a whole module. The procedure is expensive, but the car owner still has no choice. Unlike these Toyota models, Corolla cars produced in 2008 were equipped with different designs of fuel filters, which can be replaced and installed separately from the fuel pump.

A rich assortment of foreign spare parts allows the car enthusiast to make his choice on a line, on one side of which is the cost of the product, on the other - the high quality standard of replacement parts. For example, the price for individual copies exceeds about 10,000 rubles. This is especially true for original products made from non-separable filter and pump units.

So, before replacing the fuel filter, be sure to familiarize yourself with fire safety precautions, and also stock up on the necessary tools and spare parts.

How often to change

Signs of a clogged filter element

Corolla 120 station wagon

The need to change the fuel filter may be indicated by the operation of the vehicle. Some of its features may indicate problems with the fuel pump. And so that you don’t have to disassemble the fuel pump every time to check its serviceability, you need to pay attention to the following operating irregularities:

It is difficult or impossible to start a cold engine;
at idle speed the power unit is unstable;
the car jerks when driving and slows down on its own;
there is a feeling of “triple”;
the dynamic properties of the vehicle deteriorate.

The fuel filter cleans the fuel from foreign impurities, preventing them from entering the main line. During operation, the filter element gradually becomes dirty. Because of this, the fuel pump experiences additional load, reducing its service life.

If the filter is heavily contaminated, the required amount of fuel is no longer supplied to the injectors. Because of this, the power unit begins to work unstably, and the Toyota Corolla 150 loses its dynamics.

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The original Toyota Corolla 150 fuel filter has catalog number 7702412050. Its price ranges from 3,500 to 6,000 rubles. Other Toyota branded products with catalog numbers 77024-12030 and 77024-02100 are also suitable for the Corolla 150. Their cost ranges from 3 to 7 thousand rubles.

In addition to original fuel filters, there are quite good analogues from third-party manufacturers. A list of their best options is given in the table below.

Table - Analogues of the fuel filter for the Corolla 150 car

Fire safety during work

When working with the fuel system, compliance with fire safety regulations is a necessary requirement. The penetration of gasoline vapors begins within a few seconds after removing the gas tank cap. The mixture of air and fuel is very explosive, so there should be no open sources of fire nearby!

After removing the pump unit, when work is being done somewhere on the table, the neck opening of the gas tank must be temporarily covered with a dense layer of material: clean film or cloth. In this case, you should not close the car doors, since the interior will be ventilated through them. By the way, it is much better if the work of replacing the fuel filter is carried out outdoors.

Step-by-step instructions for replacing the fuel filter on a Toyota Corolla body 120

The Toyota Corolla 120 fuel filter is accessed by removing the rear passenger seat on the left side of the cabin.

Next, remove the underbody upholstery located under the seat. To do this, use a “10” key to unscrew the two fasteners (red arrows). Use a screwdriver to remove the piston (yellow arrow).

We lift the carpet onto the seats. We secure it with the driver's and passenger's seat belts using the red protrusions. Under the mat we see a layer of foam that needs to be removed.

Now you will see the fuel pump cover, which you can carefully pry up and remove using a knife or flat screwdriver (it sits on the black sealant).

Before proceeding directly with the replacement, you should thoroughly vacuum the opened cavity, first under the rug, and then above the gas tank.
Before disconnecting the pipes, we substitute a previously stored canister to drain the remaining gasoline. Next, remove the fuel hoses. The small pipe or return hose can be removed very easily; just pull the yellow bracket to the side with a thin screwdriver. Disconnecting the second hose will also not take much effort, however, if something happens, you can also help yourself with a screwdriver.

Before directly dismantling the fuel filter, when the pipes are pulled out, you need to start the car and wait two to three minutes until it stalls. As soon as the engine turns off, you can crank the starter a few more times. This process will remove all fuel from the system and also relieve pressure.
Next, you need to disconnect the battery terminals.
Next, you should unscrew the eight screws with a Phillips screwdriver or an “8” key and remove the pump unit. Rags will come in handy here, as gasoline will leak out from all the cracks.

To get to the fine filter and replace consumable components, we begin to disassemble the fuel pump.
Remove the latch to disconnect the float.

Next, press the plastic clips in a circle to disconnect the block body at the top.
Apply slight force to pull the fuel pump out of the rubber seal.

We insert the fuel pump into the new fine filter housing.
Then you should rinse and blow out the intake mesh with compressed air and reassemble everything in the reverse order.

If you make the replacement according to all the rules and do not forget the rubber sealing rings, then the engine will start without problems and will work better than before.

Another modification of the Toyota Corolla model with a 150 body produced in 2008 has a large plastic ring with a rubber seal instead of a metal gas tank cap. To remove the block, the ring must be turned counterclockwise to loosen the seal. You can unscrew the ring lid using wooden choppers, which should be placed on the ribs of the lid and carefully hit them with a hammer. During further disassembly, some parts may differ from the design of a Toyota Corolla with a 120 body until 2008. For example, the intake mesh and fine filter look a little different, otherwise everything is almost the same. In general, the replacement process is identical, so you can use the above instructions for a Toyota Corolla with a 120 body.

Procedure

The procedure should be performed in stages. First, remove the negative terminal from the battery to de-energize the fuel system. Then provide access to the part: to do this, you need to remove the bottom upholstery under the rear left seat in the cabin, this allows you to open the lid of the fuel tank cavity.

Removing the fuel pump cover

The cover must be removed. Since it is fixed to the sealant, you will need to pry it off with a screwdriver. Before you start replacing the filter, you will need to vacuum the areas under the bottom upholstery and the container itself.

After this, you need to open the connector that powers the fuel pump. In order to relieve pressure in the fuel system, you need to try to start the engine several times. If this is not done, when you try to disconnect the hoses, gasoline under pressure will spray out. Open the fuel tank. Disconnect the hoses for direct and reverse fuel supply. To pull out the return line, you will need to use a screwdriver and use it to remove the lock; It is easy to recognize, it is yellow in color. Then you need to unscrew the 8 screws using a Phillips screwdriver and pull out the pump unit.

Remove the terminal and disconnect the hoses

The float is disconnected, for which you need to move the latch, after which the upper part is detached: to do this, you need to press the clips, which are placed in a circle. The fuel pump needs to be pulled out, then inserted into the new filter housing. The mesh needs to be washed and blown with air to remove dirt, then reassemble the structure in the reverse order, not forgetting to install new seals.

Old and new filters

These instructions are suitable for replacing the filter on a Toyota Corolla in the 120 body. If we talk about the modification in the 150 body, then instead of a metal gas tank cap, you need to put a plastic ring on the neck, which is equipped with a rubber seal. To remove the block, you need to twist the ring counterclockwise, and after loosening the rubber tab, remove the pump block. To unscrew the part, you can use a hammer; they need to strike carefully through the wooden attachments. The filter for a car in the 150 body is slightly different in design: it has a different intake mesh, and the fine cleaning device comes separately.