Salt water in fuel system

2014 4.0 Tacoma 270000km
Went out fishing with a friend for a few hours. When we returned to shore and loaded our trucks I noticed my fuel tank door was open but cap was still in place. Thinking nothing of it, I closed the filler door an started to drive home. I only made it about a kilometer and the truck quit. It was like a fuse blew. It wouldn't restart. It just wound over with no sign of kicking. I listened for the fuel pump and there was nothing. First I checked the relays, all good. So I just figured it quit and would need to be replaced. The next day I checked to see if there was power going to the pump and it was. So, I dropped the fuel tank and had my local mechanic bench test the pump. It was toast. I drained the tank completely and made sure it was very clean. Put in the new pump and filled with new 91 octane gas. Tried to start the truck multiple times but no dice. Same as before. It just turned over with no sign of a kick. Mechanic came to my house and hooked up code reader. No codes. He suggested pulling a plug to check for spark. Did that and there was a spark, but it was orange not blue. He said must be bad fuel and plugs could be fouled. That's when I remembered the fuel tank door being open at the harbour. Someone must have put something in my tank when we were out on the boat. it was likly salt water. So the fuel lines were full of bad fuel that would have cycled through the fuel system and back into the fresh gas I just put in the tank. I pulled the return line at the tank and cycled the pump using the ignition to drain the remaining fuel in the tank. I put in 1 liter of methol hydrate and about 10 liters of gas. I cycled the fuel pump again multiple times to get the good gas to the motor. Now it will kick a bit and shows some sign of life. I am going to put new plugs in tomorrow. Hopefully they will help get the truck started.
I am pretty discussed in what took place and I have no idea why (or who) would have done this to my truck. But now I need advice on how to proceed in fixing my truck. What should I do if the plugs don't solve my problem. From what I understand there is no fuel filter to change. What else should I look into?

Dustin

 

Injectors !! The Saltwater will cause the steel fuel lines to rust past the fuel filter.

Moving fuel pushes rust to injectors causing interesting spray or clogs them completely .

 

I’d remove the fuel flush, twice as long as you think you should, with R.O./DI water. This will remove all of the salt.
Throughly dry by flushing with methanol. The after you have removed as much methanol as you can refill with fresh fuel.
It’s a lot of work, but as the saying goes. “You pays me now or you pays me later”. Later usually costs a lot more.

 

Thanks, I flushed the lines a couple times and cleaned the tank. Filled up with premium gas and added a can of sea foam and some Lucas Injector cleaner. I drove it for a day then changed the oil. Its running better now.

 

Have you bought a locking cap?

 

Interestingly enough...Chrisfix just did a video on cleaning out an entire fuel system including the injectors...can’t be that much different

https://youtube.com/watch?v=tRM-n15tuXs

 

Seriously considering it.

 

Thanks, I didn't see this when searching. I guess I was being too vehicle specific even though they basically operate the same.

 

Pissed off former Love Interest??

Someone jealous of you or your truck??

 

Mistaken identity? Locking gas caps only keep honest folk out imo. Sorry OP I’d be pissed. Any luck on camera surveillance in the area?

 

All locks from a dime combo to a time locked vault only keep honest people out. They just make it harder and more time consuming so hopefully the miscreant will loose interest and find another targe.

 

Look at Dad on the lock synopsis. It goes back to my original statement, but thank you for the elaboration. @OP any luck on video?

 

I have no idea who messed with it, but I'm a firm believer in the saying: What goes around... comes around.

From the video I learned that sugar doesn't dissolve in gas. Which surprised me. Also learned a method to clean injectors.

 

Your right about the locks. If I lock the fuel cap they might damage the windows, tires, paint, etc. Hopefully they have moved on. I contacted my insurance company, i may be able to recoup some of the cash I had to dish out.

 

I'm not aware of any bad blood. I figure it was random or like you suggested, a jealous act. I may never know.

 

water at the injectors is like pissing sand

start at 1 end & clean back towards tank

some say filter............... some say not

im not familiar with every model..................i would have engineered a filter somewhere

good luck

 

@AFMurse2014 2.0

 

Nah man, I had "sand" lmao