hls 30 was once scoffed at for quick and repeated diagnosis for many rough running engine gremlins to be a dirty tank and or fuel line. there is a very good reason for his advice.

"change your fuel filter and or pump and or drop the tank can be heard at nearly every zcar gathering i have ever been to". the pictures below represent a tale of what could be your in your tank.

not pictured here is the pump and the secondary filter that was built onto the pump. all of which were replaced and btw i had dropped the tank during paint and body. the pictures show how much can happen in a short period even after a removal and cleaning of the tank if you don't fill it immediately and keep it full.

cd

http://homepage.mac.com/cdavidwilder/PhotoAlbum43.html

For certain, it doesn't take much to plug the fuel tank outlet on these old Z's. There is no screen or any type of strainer, just the bare end of the steel line sticking up in the fuel tank. I had a similar problem even after I thought I had completely cleaned out the fuel tank. I actually stuck a fiberoptics scope in through the fuel filler and worked it into position so I could watch what was taking place at the fuel tank outlet. Low and behold a very small bit of debris slowly approached the outlet and then plugged the outlet, stopping the fuel flow. When I turned the engine off the bit of debris would simply float away back into the fuel tank, only to be sucked over the outlet the next time I would run the engine. Yes, I too burned up an expensive fuel pump in the process of resolving this issue.

Tom

well, as i said...guess you all know what im gonna be doing on thanksgiving... i new i wanted to lay around after i ate all that food...i just never planned on it being under the car...

it's not a hard process to drop the tank, but you will wish that your hands were much smaller before you're done

...SNIP... I actually stuck a fiberoptics scope in through the fuel filler and worked it into position ...snip...

Where, oh where, do I get me one of those ????

ok everybody....heres the latest...droped the tank and it was a total mess. the flow tube was so crapped up with rust and ....... well, just crap that nothin was flowin thru. sooooo, since im a broke student i pressure washed the inside of the tank, and got out all the loose garbage i could (tons might i say), took a few cans of carb cleaner and a piece of semi stiff plastic tubing and worked out all the stuff blocking the flow tube. so now its drying and tomarrow i shall resume further cleaning. and yes.... i know some of you will probably scoff at how im going about it....but all its gotta do is get me thru till january when i can afford a new tank to put in the darn thing and do it right...so please dont chastise me to much, and if you just gotta....be gentle

Keep in mind that you can also drop a small length of chain in there and wiggle or swirl it around using a tilting motion, this will knock loose all of the rust flakes and chips and such that plain old spraying doesn't do.

Add some water before doing that so the chunks will float out a little easier when you dump it and spray it again. The Eastwood company also make a tank lining liquid that pours in, your swirl it around to coat everything and you're done for a very long time to come. http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=382&itemType=PRODUCT

Just a thought,

Dave.

... i know some of you will probably scoff at how im going about it....but all its gotta do is get me thru till january when i can afford a new tank to put in the darn thing and do it right...so please dont chastise me to much, and if you just gotta....be gentle

The first tank I cleaned out, and the last tank I cleaned started pretty much the same way you have gone. In fact the fuel lines in my roadster were soo bad I used a metal sheethed lawnmower choke cable to get a passage through, I could force the wire through to break uo the crud and then take the wire out and spray carb cleaner down the tube. It took two hours, but I finally got them clean from the engine compartment to the fiel tank- I then blocked off the tank end of the tube and filled the entire tube with carb cleaner and let it soak over night replaceing the fluid the next day, After three days of all day soaking, the fluid came out clean. I didi it one more day for good measure.

You may not need a tank-check out the POR15 Gas tank kit or get with your localradiator shop, they can soak and coat the tank and unless it is too far gone rust wise, make it as good as new-though maybe not as pretty!

Will

Where, oh where, do I get me one of those ????

Oh, they're out there, but they are on the considerably pricey side. A cheap one is about 200 bucks and they go up and up (!) from there.

ITS ALIVE!! thank god!! everything seems to be workin just fine so far...thanks to all who gave their .02....