1985 econoline. I know there is an in line filter between the gas tank and the fuel pump, but I can't find it.

 

Didn't those years have a cartridge type filter that the can screwed on with the element inside. Maybe I went back too far. Some of them only had a small filter at the carburetor inlet held there with small hose clamps. If you traced the line from the tank to the fuel pump and can't see any filter, there just may not be one in there.

 

I had a 1995 and have a 2005 now - on those:

Crawl underneath the van, You will see it on the driver's side of the body directly in line with the two left-side wheels. It looks like a small metal cylinder with connectors and clamps coming out each side to connect with the fuel line. You need a special tool to take the filter off - available from most parts stores for < $10.
The tool has 2 semi-circle parts that wrap over/around the fuel line and slide into the sleeve of the filter connection to open up some little flanges. Once they are depressed the filter can be pulled out. Without it the filter will not budge.
The 'fingers' that need to be depressed are a part of the connectors on both sides of the fuel line. Once you have replaced this thing once, the lesson will stay with you
If I recall, I pulled the fuel pump fuse and cranked the engine for a while to make sure there was no pressured fuel in the line/filter. Then used the tool to get the filter off - still spilled some fuel all over me. The filter works in one direction only, so make sure the arrow points towards the front of the van.

Not 100% sure if the 1985 is the same.

 

Not one on this '85, unless it is in the tank switch(the one that switches between the front and back tank). I traced the gas line from front to back. The other '85 I owned had one, but it had a single gas tank.