Coffee Grains in Fuel Tank

Yup, pretty much what it sounds like. Came back from class today and found my fuel door and tank open with residue all over. At first it looked like asphalt roof shingle material but the smell led me to coffee grounds. I didn't start the engine so it should be confined to just the fuel tank (thank God). Anyone else have any similar experiences dealing with completely cleaning out the gas tank? Any help or advice would be appreciated, I really need my car for work and school. I have a 2004 Extra Cab Pre-runner if it matters.

 

That blows!! Piss anyone off lately??

Or just some damn hoodlum?

 

Wtf. Who the hell does that.

 

The coffee will give you more horsepower!

 

What a dick move! I'd be pissed! Good thinking and not starting up your truck though. Any cameras anywhere that maybe could have caught the douchebag?

 

Locking gas cap is 100% worth the $20 they cost

 

Thats f'd up. Hope whoever did it gets the bad karma they have coming.

http://mentalfloss.com/article/31463/11-strange-things-you-might-put-your-gas-tank

 

Ok so I have a couple suggestions...1) try to siphon gas out but probably would leave some grounds in tank still. 2) I believe from research thst our tanks don't have drain plugs but they do have a pressurized line so if you disconnect that and turn the key on it should empty most the gas using the fuel pump. But that will leave a cup or two of gas still in the tank. But coffee grounds still could be stuck around the tank? I also found this link post #10 guys gives a "how to" on dropping the tank. Good luck. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...ggaMAA&usg=AFQjCNF9_NniUjA9Eg6xZFch2EyE8zGJfQ

 

Who is mad at you ??

Could it have been the case of mistaken Truck ??

Fix this issue what next ??

 

You may have to pull the entire tank down and flip it over literally. I would not attempt to disconnect the pressurized line as running most of the gas out of the truck will not only clog up your fuel pump strainer, but the pump itself and make it fail totally.

Wow I'd be pissed. I'm sorry to hear about your situation OP!

 

Who would do that? Perhaps you can narrow it down between who knows what you drive, unless you think it was done at random. A little spiteful for that though, I think

 

Boy, they caffeinate everything these days.

You'll need to drop the tank and clean it thoroughly, there's really no other way.

 

Where do you live?

 

Aaaaaand just thinking about this. It's not an uncommon prank to open a gas cap and sprinkle stuff around the neck to make people think something has been dumped in the tank, then ha ha ha you went through all that work for nothing ha ha ha about it. If someone REALLY wanted to trash your engine, it would make more sense to clean up after themselves than leave an obvious mess...

Find someone with an inspection cam and look down the neck, see if you see anything in it or the tank. If you have a harbor freight nearby, they sell them for about $70. Neat and handy to have one way or the other.

 

I think you're going to have to drop the tank to clean it out thoroughly. I cant believe someone would do shit like this. Doesn't sound like a random act. Good luck OP.

 

It was probably a 3rd gen owner...

 

Has a direct drip IV,,as he drives. Air lines?,,check. Tanks full?,,check. IV drip?,,check.

Had a roving knucklehead pour sugar coated gumdrops down my tank neck 2nd year in college. So flippin pissed. It gummed up the whole system. Complete system flush and replace of gas vapor cans and early emission attempt sensors. Blasted air down the lines for a reverse flush,,backed it with some carb cleaner and forced it thru a few times both ways, vapor cans replaced, emission carb rebuild, tank shook out, new inline filter and tank sock. "79" D-50 5 speed with the 2500 jet valve Mitsu motor.

Your at least looking at a new filter,,or filters if you want to try to draw it thru to the filter without doing a thing,,which I probably would not advise.

Coffee will sit there and "brew" in the gas tank,,sending a big black cloud upon startup of fine coffee grounds forward to the filter and your injectors. Your fuel return line will keep things stirred up real nice in the tank once it fires off. Instant stoppage of vehicle if there is enough. A plugged tank sock also will do the same thing. This can be incredibly worse that sugar down the tank.

It all depends on how much they dumped in. The unanswerable question unless the guilty stands before you,,hooked with a hopped up tazer to his scrotum or boobies,,or both. A cup,,single cup of grounds, might not get in the way if your damn lucky. That's where it ends and the odds are not in ones favor.

Your on the upside quite a bit. You didn't start it. Yank the fuel neck and tank and clean as necessary, inspect all, reassemble. Locking gas cap is in your future. How many miles on your fuel pump?,,it's all apart and clean in front of you and a very choice time to service that if needed.

 

All I can say is you really have to work to pour anything in the fuel tank from a cup .

You did call the police and file a complaint ??

Do you carry Comp on your insurance this might be covered .

I have no clue how Coffee and Coffee grounds mix with gas But I will find out sometime over the weekend.

It might just settle to the bottom and be good.