Sorry in advance for the long description of the problem. Bear with me.

I have a 2008 t4r SR5 v6 4x4 with a little over 200K on it. A few weeks back on a 25 degree F night after a long string of cold weather here in KC I was driving to pick up my son from the School play set strike. Travelling on level ground with the gauge showing a little more than an 1/8 tank of fuel and the trip computer, FWIW, saying I had about 58 miles to go (so at my computed MPG that should have been about 3 to 4 gal left, give or take). The road to the school has three roundabouts in quick succession, and I am a bit of a leadfoot, so you can expect I was taking them at about 40 when it was stated at, I think, 25 mph - i drive it a lot and it was deserted). Well, after the first one (hard right turn then hard left and back right) I thought the engine sputtered but kept going. So I took the next one lighter on the throttle and it did it again, but died. I got it running and coasted into the 3rd one but it died. It would crank just fine, but only fire enough to keep the starter gear engaged when I released the key. So I am thinking it was starved for fuel. Given that it should have had some fuel left and I have driven it lower than that gauge level before in a pinch I figured it might be water in the gas. Used my TechInfo cable and computer and there was no code thrown

I went home and got some HEET and gas can. Came back and tried to start it and it would not. So I added 2 bottles of HEET and 2 gallons of gas and it started right up. Drove to the closest gas station and filled it up with a little over 17 gallons of premium gas and another bottle of HEET. By my calcs that is 17ish + 2 = 19ish gallons added to a 23 gallon tank so it must have had about the 3 - 4 gallons left as i suspected.

Well ever since I have not let it get below 1/4 tank and have been running HEET through it and have put 2 full tanks through and then cycled from about 1/4 to 1/2 tank 3 times with HEET. It seems to be fine and I thought so, but my mechanic says that it is unlikely to have been frozen water in the fuel as the gas we use around here has 10% ethanol already. He suspected tank debris like rust or crap in the tank that clogged the fuel pump reservoir when I took the hard turns, but the new gas in the tank washed it back out of place.

The only way to be sure would be to drop the tank and empty it. Which I started to do tonight. The fuel filler to tank pipe is a non reusable part ($35 bucks or so at the local Toyo Parts store with the T4R discount) and I cannot figure a way to pry it off without damage. Also the fuel pump retainer ring and gasket are also non reusable and another $50 or so but i was going to try to reuse them or just not remove them when I dump the tank. Given all this possible expense chasing wild geese, I am regrouping....

Anyone have this happen or have an idea what it was. I just don't trust it now and can't shake the feeling that its going to strand me....BUT I don't want to spend 75 or a $100 throwing parts at a phantom problem. Need help in diagnosis.

Sorry for the long description... :-)

Sounds like your fuel sending unit is going bad

what was the issue, b4 I post....
my daughter-in-law's 2008 just suddenly died while driving her baby home.... no bueno. No signs - belts good, no oil anywhere, oil level fine, tries to start but shakes like mad.... I've been searching forum but nada, other than freaky random things like wires that got chafed on belts