I don't see any other responses to this one, so ......
'in front of the driver's side tire' might be close enough to help the guy,
but , how about :

It's behind the 'spring tower' you could call it, inboard of the left rear
wheel, and up in there some.
Remove the left rear wheel, feel around behind the square housing/spring
tower for the filter.  You can undo it from it's mounting bracket,
then pull it out enough to undo the lines on it.
I've always wanted to re-mount one down below near the fuel filter ,
somewhat like it is on a 2WD vanagon, for easier access.
Scott
turbovans

----- Original Message -----
From: "John C..." <jcarp2001@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, August 20, 2009 4:21 PM
Subject: Re: Fuel Filter 86 Syncro?

> Look just in front of the D/S Rear Tire :o)
> JC...
>
>
> On Thu, Aug 20, 2009 at 5:10 PM, Andy Morse <andysings@aol.com> wrote:
>
>> I have na 86 Syncro, manufactured in August 85. I cleaned out the fuel
>> pump
>> today and drained some gas to see how it was looking (finicky pump) I
>> also
>> cleaned up the ground connection.
>>
>> I wanted to change the fuel filter and embarrassingly so I can't find it,
>> in one diagram it's says it's next to the fuel pump, not so. In a another
>> diagram it appears to be in the gas tank, hard to believe!
>>
>> Ok, I give up... where is it!
>>
>> Andy
>>