My 98 has the fuel filter IN the tank, which is highly annoying. I guess a year before that they were external, you can replace it whenever you felt like it for $20.
So, what I'm thinking is just grabbing the whole new /expensive unit for my 98 ("once"), remove it's filter. Have a new pickup assembly. Then, cut my fuel lines where the filter should go, flare the ends, install a "96 fuel filter".
Maybe junkyard for filter bracket.

Just curious if anyone has done it. Parts list, etc.

 

The reason for the filter inside the tank is fuel injection. The pumps have to have tight clearances to develop the pressure required to atomize the fuel. This makes many of them very intolerant of contaminants. So, a filter BEFORE the pump is an absolute necessity.

Some fuel injected vehicles DO have external fuel filters, but I know on Fords, for example, that is in ADDITION to the filter in the tank. It might well be a different pump design which is more tolerant of contaminants.

For a vehicle which was designed to rely on a filter in the tank, removing that filter will almost certainly result in a pump failure not too far down the road. With a filter before the pump, adding a filter outside really won't buy you anything, except another failure point.

If you decide to go ahead, keep in mind that you are dealing with 50 or so psi on that line, so hose clamps will not get the job done safely. You will need a filter and connectors that are able to handle that pressure over time. Just choose any filter that is for a vehicle with an engine of MORE than 4.0 liters, and you should have adequate flow through it. But those connectors....

 

For decades I have run proper hose clamps on injection systems as high at 70 psi with no problem. I use fuel injection style clamps, i.e. clamps without the serrarerrations, or holes in the band. also use the new fangled PTFE lined fuel hose to resist tkdays government mandated fuels that can harm unprotected rubber hoses.

I have no worry with hose clamps on our XJ fuel system so long as the proper type of clamp is used. I fricking HATE the factory crimped hose connections a pain to deal with, needing to cut off the crimp. and those crappy plastic quick connects with the oring are a design wanting to fail, all that plastic gets brittle with age and heat. On the side of a trail, I want an easy to replace, yet sturdy fuel connection on the hoses, and a quality injection style clamp is best for that, the factory methods just plain suck big time, I hate it.

 

True. Running 12s in my daily natass 5.0. Never had an issue with an external fuel filter.
The main issue is however, the filter before the pump... having the pump in there also annoys me.
It's just odd, I'm used to changing all my filters every 9mo-1yr. sh|t, I even replace my spark plugs in those same times. Just picky like that.
I guess the whole issue would require a full change, fuel cell, electric pump, etc. bleh.

 

Good to know.

They work great for assembly lines, where everything is nice and clean and you only care about them going ON quickly.

For all other purposes, yeah, I hate them.

 

The only problem you will have is that the filter on the top of the fuel pump assembly is also a fuel pressure regulator so you need that and there is no fuel return line like on the older xj's , Just install a new fuel pump assembly that comes with new filters , they last along time . how old is fuel pump now ?

 

Not sure how old it is. I'd assume original... considering the air filter looked original when I bought the xj a few weeks ago. 142K miles.
I can't imagine a fuel filter going that long. It haunts my dreams...

 

it might be that old. in tank filters hardly ever get changed, and in reality, the external filters hardly ever get changed either once the vehicle is out of warranty.

my son did this Cherokee when he first bought it and it had 320k miles on it. who knows when it was previously done but the jeep ran the same after it was changed as it did before, which was perfectly fine. still does now at 350k miles