Fuel filter "upgrade"

[Petros]

I was at AutoZone this morning to buy a new fuel filter. My car was stumbling more than normal this morning on acceleration so I thought I would try a new fuel filter since I have about 100k miles on the old one.

And I discovered something I thought was worth sharing. The Autozone '83-87 Tercel fuel filter (for the 3ac) part # FF4417 costs $7.99, but the same year Corolla fuel filter #FF4426 (for the 4ac engine) is almost identical but only cost only $3.99. And it is larger, so it has more filter area.

With the '83-88 Corolla fuel filter you get more filter area, it appears perfectly interchangeable and costs $4 less.

[ARCHINSTL]

Great info!
While not mentioned - I take it you bought it? Did it slip into the holder OK?
Tom M.

[Petros]

Yes I bought it. I will get it to fit (one way or another) tonight. I do not expect any problems since the holder is just a clip that can be forced larger so it will hold the new slightly larger filter. I will report back after it is done.

[Petros]

Put the corolla filter in this morning, no problems at all. The spring clip holder took the larger dia housing without complaint or "motivation" . One minor issue, the inlet and outlet on the corolla filter are reversed when the filter is in the same orientation, so you have to watch for the arrow on the outlet and get that on the side that leads to the fuel pump.

And the annoying stumble on hard acceleration went away, so it appears to have been the filter after all.

[Petros]

Pictures of the Corolla fuel filter in my Tercel:


old Tercel fuel filter in place.


Corolla fuel filter in clip holder in my Tercel


Comparison from the side. Notice the size difference.


Comparison from the top. Notice the "out" arrow is on different different sides, and the angle is a bit different. Installed just fine despite the differences.

[shogun]

i normaly use the 22r filter, but im changing to a changable element soon, well as soon as i finish the engine

[ARCHINSTL]

I recently bought and installed the FF4426 filter from AutoZone, as recommended by Petros. The only difference is, as he notes, is the position of the inlet and outlet tubes.
However -
It was the same as the Tercel filter I had before, save for the tubes' orientation! Every dimension was the same - I even measured them at Advance, and the two filters matched!
So I would conclude that the one shown in Petros' photos as being a Tercel's was some kind of off-brand, whence its smaller size?

BIG difference in price, though, as he notes:
Corolla FF-4426 DE = $3.99
Tercel .FF-4417 DL = $7.99

I did notice that ADV's pricing was virtually the same for both ($6-7)...so AZ is the way to go (I did not check any other sources).
Tom M.