Black Grit in Fuel Tank - What Is It?

Well, I haven't posted in a while due to work and other commitments. However, my son's 1996 Tacoma X-cab 4 x 4 with 3.4L and 5 speed has a fuel issue. We have had it for 4-1/2 years. It started acting up about 2 weeks ago, when he was a highway trip. He had filled up the gas tank before leaving, and a little later his truck was losing power and sputtering on hills. He called me and I said that he might have some water in the gas and find a parts store and get some water remover. He did, and it seemed to be better for a while. However, on his return trip, it started acting up again. So when he got home, the next day I replaced the fuel filter. I had replaced it before, about 12K miles earlier. The gas that came out of its inlet (tank side) had a lot of trash in it when I turned it up to drain it. Well, about a week later, same symptoms with the new filter installed, again while on a highway trip, and after filling up again, but at a gas station I use for all our vehicles. When he got home, after a few days (rained here) I removed the new filter, and just like the previous one, lots of trash when I blew through it backwards. I siphoned out his tank (BTW, unleaded tastes different than leaded, which says how long it's been since I siphoned gas). Anyway, I drained some gas into a white 5-gallon bucket. Almost immediately I saw a lot of black crud. After pouring this gas through a coffee filter into another container, I tested the crud with a magnet, but it isn't magnetic. When dry, it feels like very fine black sand. I finished siphoning out all the gas that I could, and filtered it all twice before putting back into the tank. I blew out the filter backwards several times after filling it with gas. Put everything back together today and let him drive it. Okay for about 10 miles and then back to the sputtering again. I guess I should have replaced the filter again, but I'm trying to figure out what this crud is.

 

Charcoal from the EVAP cannister?

 

black aluminum oxide? ... i should check if my stash is magnetic or not, but it does resemble fine black sand
almost got some of that inside my fuel tank today

 

Sure some a-hole is not pouring sugar into the tank?

 

I suspect this is some kind of recent contamination. I just had the fuel pump out of mine saw no trace of garbage in the tank.

 

Maybe bottom sediment in the gas station tanks? Most are not filtered/maintained properly. Clean it again, then gas up at a high volume gas station, that rotates more gas.

And/or if you have some of the same gas in a gas can, shake it up, pour some in a clear glass container. Any water, sediment will separate, and both will be visible on the bottom. Be aware, water will condense inside a plastic gas can.

 

I don't think it's charcoal from the evap canister because it doesn't break down when I rub it between my fingers. Charcoal would leave a smear / stain on my fingers. I don't think it's sugar or other granular fine put in it due to vandalism, because he has a locking fuel door. Like some have suggested, I'll siphon out as much as I can, and change the fuel filter again. I read another post about emptying the fuel tank, where someone said that I could turn on the ignition, and the fuel pump would run. I tried this, but did't get much fuel out of the line. Is there a trick to this? I had the gas cap off.

 

Anyone know how I can get the fuel pump to run without cranking? I tried jumpering EFI relay connections in the fuse box near the battery. Having ignition "on" made no difference. I just want to pump straight from the tank, to the inlet side of the filter, where I have a hose going into a bucket.

 

From what I understand you need TechStream for Toyotas to turn on the fuel pump.
I have been looking for an affordable TechStream to flush the brake fluid on my 2013 Avalon Hybrid. Full blown TechStream is like $4K. There's a TechStream lite for ONLY $2K.

Anybody have suggestions?

 

UPDATE!!!

I emptied the gas tank a couple of times by siphoning, and even siphoned through the line coming out of the tank, to clear it out. Still a little trash, but not as much as when I started. I don't have the time or means to drop the tank or take off the bed, so this was my best method, although maybe not ideal.

Today I installed a new filter, and tried to start the truck, but it won't start now. The first time I changed the filter a few weeks ago, it took a couple of tries, because the line had to refill. I tried several times, and cranked for 15 seconds or more, but still no start. Checked the EFI relay, and even swapped it with the tail relay, since they are the same. Still no start. Any ideas? Is there a fuel pump reset, like a rollover valve or such, that I may have tripped?

 

You check the fuses yet? Double checked all the plugs and wires there on the tank and stuff?

 

I thought about it and checked all the fuses under the hood, in the box near the battery - All good. I didn't mess with anything electrical or other anywhere near the tank.

 

Yeah the EFI one under the hood has given me fits in a couple Toyotas. It would look fine, not blown. I swapped it with another equal fuse in under there and then would fire up. Only reason I asked, that's a tough one. Is the check engine light on?

 

No check engine light. I may pull out and reseat all the fuses and relays. It's been cooler here since Friday, and I don't know if that has anything to do with it. If resetting fuses and such doesn't work, I think I going to remove the filter, just to make sure fuel is reaching it.

 

Sounds like a good plan

 

My buddy had a 1st gen that started acting like the fuel pump was going out. So he jumped up and down in the bed of the truck to jar the fuel tank. That worked well enough for him to get it started. I've seen where someone beat on the fuel tank with a rubber hammer to shake up a failing pump just to get the vehicle home or to a shop.

If the problem isn't a fuse or related, it won't cost anything to try this.

 

OEM fuel cap have a vacuum relief valve built into them. Fuel system is not sealed.

 

I used to tap the fuel pump on an old Volvo when it wouldn't start. Worked for months until it didn't.

 

What's it taste like?

 

Leaded was a little sweeter, back in the day.