This is probably very old news to most but I'm shocked there isn't an easily accessible fuel filter to swap out in the 5th gen. I realize there is a large filter inside the fuel tank but I'm interested in running an aftermarket in-line filter that I can swap out every couple of years. My thinking is a second filter in the system would considerably extend the life of the tank fuel filter.

I realize this isn't "necessary" but swapping out the filter always made a big difference in my old Pathfinder, especially with the diet gasolene that we have out here in California. If I swapped out my aftermarket fuel filter in a few years and it was dirty, I'd be happy I spent the money.

This is the kit I found from 8Runner Offroad: Fuel Pump and Filter Upgrade Kit | 2010+ 4Runner – 8Runner Offroad, does anyone have any experience with it? It would be extremely overkill in terms of quality, but I love that it uses stock quick disconnects (which I also didn't know about) and no clamps involved.

Interested to hear any feedback good or bad.

Fuel will still always run thru the tank filter first, so I don't see how it's life would be extended.

I believe the 5th gen's fuel system is the old school return style so fuel is always returning to the tank. Since there is a second filter in the system, it would be returning to the tank much cleaner than it left. As you drive around, that same tank of gas is cycling through two filters instead of one. The tank filter is certainly still capturing all the largest debris from a fresh fill-up, but I'm thinking the aftermarket filter would still be taking close to half the load of filtering each tank of gas and therefore would still extend the life of tank filter.

Doesn't seem like it is a very common setup though, which is why I'm asking about it.

Yes, fuel has been returned to the tank for a long time, but it is hardly old school. It is an absolute requirement to prevent vapor lock; it keeps cooler fuel in the fuel lines.

I don't see why returning cleaner fuel back the tank is important. If the fuel is clean enough to not clog the fuel injectors, it is clean enough to send back to the fuel tank.

Any additional filtering will cause some back pressure in the fuel lines, thus reducing the fuel pressure needed at the injectors. If the pressure is lower than it should be, the injectors won't put out the right amount of gas.

I can see adding more fuel filtering in countries where the gas is inherently dirty compared to the US, but in the US, the OEM filter works just fine.

I only say Old School because more modern fuel systems do not return any fuel to the tank. If this were the case with the 5th gen, then I would be less excited about the additional in-line fuel filter as the fuel wouldn't be constantly cycled through the filters.

In terms of fuel pressure, it is a concern but at least with the Radium filter they claim a negligible change in pressure on their website.

Not needed and adds unnecessary failure point.

I've have about 170,000 miles on my 12 yr old truck. I've given it gas while offroad from jerry cans, filled up in sketchy gas stations in Baja Mexico. The fuel tank filter is just fine. Your looking to solve a problem that isn't there and potentially adding a huge failure point. I'd say it's not a good idea.

Be aware that almost all fuel injectors have internal appropriately sized filter screens. Contamination failures are rare.