is there a way to clean the gas tank of all the grime and stuff?

 

Besides completely removing the gas tank from the car? Not that I know of, just fill up before you hit the 1/4 mark, or better yet, the 1/2 mark. Also, dont just drive off after pumping the gas, go inside and buy a slurpee or sit in your car and listen to a little music; that way the stuff at the bottom that got all stirred up while pumping gas will settle down at the bottom again.

 

man... that sux... i wish there was a way to wash out the fuel tank altogether.... i can only imagine what type of sludge is jammed down there.

 

hmmm, actually, who knows. Maybe you could wait till you only got like 2 gallons left, and then try to siphon out the filthy gas at the bottom of the tank? Who knows, that might actually work

 

how about filling up 1/2 gallon at a time (using a portable tank) and driving agressively and letting it wash itself out? maybe do that a dozen or so times THEN changing the fuel filter?

 

You could, that would prolly get a good deal of the crap out, but will KILL your filter. Also, there is too big of a risk of some of the stuff getting into the engine. Its a good idea and would prolly work, but I would rather going the safer route (siphoning out the gas...or something else). We need someone else to get in on this discussion

 

All this talk is fine, but I HATED changing mine. I would do it regularly. Gas from the line above the filter empies out all over the place and the lines are hard to get lined back up to tighten the nuts back down. Worst designed part on the car. Other Toyotas use a canister, not a bolt in inline filter.