New fuel filter fiasco

[jjrbus]

My fuel filter is obviously very old so I stopped at Advance Auto and bought a  CarQuest 86319, it's a fuel filter I do not a top of the line OE Toyota, or so I thought. 

Went to a mechanic friends and while he did some work for me I installed the new TPMS.  Part of what he was doing was install the new fuel filter.   Wrapped up at his house and headed home, I was keeping an eye on the new TPMS, I do not keep much gas in the tank and stopped to put another 5 gallon in. As I am pumping gas I notice a leak and it is the new filter and it is really pouring out. I move the Toy away from the pumps ready to abandon ship.

I look and the gas is coming out the front of the filter, I cannot believe it was leaking when I left friends. Get ahold of friend and he looks at it and sees nothing wrong (other than leaking)  Take apart install old filter and no leak.  Reinstall new filter and leaks.  Go to auto parts store they look it over and get new one to compare, there are 2 copper rings in the box, I ask what they are and am told they go on the flared fitting. 

I am not a mechanic I do not pretend to be a mechanic but how can anyone get two tiny flat copper washers into a flared fitting and tighten it?   No way no how.  They agree to a refund and will get me a new filter.  I do not want another CarQuest filter,  something is very wrong!  They check their inventory and have a Beck/Arnley 043-0920 for $33.49 so I go with that and argue for a discount for my troubles, I tried but failed! There were no copper washers with the BeckArnley.  

Installed the new filter and no leaks (yet)    Really glad I had the friend do this as I might still be crawling around underneath trying to figure out what was wrong.  

I would not buy cheap suspension or steering parts, guess I will have to add fuel filters to that list,   how can they possibly screw up a fuel filter?     Jim

Edited July 2, 2016 by jjrbus

[Maineah]

My guess some one dropped one of the copper rings.

[DanAatTheCape]

sounds like someone should have pressurized the fuel line (turn on the ignition so the fuel pump runs) before considering the job done.

[Jaunt]

Toyota fuel filters are usually lifetime... I've NEVER seen one affect engine performance in all my years working on Toyota's *shrug*

But yeah I would go OE because the quality difference over aftermarket crap is night and day... buying cheap parts (in most cases) is not worth the headache, imo.

Edited July 3, 2016 by Jaunt

[jjrbus]

Hindsight.  The Carquest filter had either a slightly deformed flare on the out end or the thread in the filter was too long/short for the flare to make a good seal.   The paint and or oil was enough to seal until the gas washed it out or bouncing down the road loosened it up allowing it to leak.   The copper washers are likely for some other application.   I drove around a bit today and kept checking for leaks, not something I want to be worried about! 

                                                                                                                                             just a guess     Jim

[zero]

I see many other brands and parts # for the filter with the same extra washers included.  Who knows?  As far as "lifetime" filter goes.  That works on the assumption that nothing but clean fuel is ever used. Once batch of dirty fuel and the "lifetime" idea goes out the window. Not much different then a vacuum-cleaner bag.  Once it's full, it's full.

[jjrbus]

I assume the filter was not OE, it was "made in china" and looked pretty rough on the outside, no telling how old it was.  Out of curiosity I dumped the contents on a clean surface and there was a large amount of crud in it.  So must have been doing it's job very well.

Could the washers been for the mount, I did not think to see if the bolts would fit in them?      Jim