Fuel line "OUT" from tank, noise and vibration

[tommott77]

Figured I'd try to piggy-back on this thread before starting a new one since I've been having similar issues.

 

Quick recap. My car too has seemed to have been starving out of fuel with fuel still in the tank. It has no effect on running, one minute it is running the next minute it's off and out of fuel. In all honesty it has been somewhat difficult to track fuel usage as the gauge is inoperable and the car quite a bit of project. Hence it will be on the street for a couple weeks and then off again for a month or longer. In some of the notes that came with the car a previous owner also mentioned that he was having the same issue when the gauge was operable and he stated that the car would starve out with about a 1/2 tank reading on the gauge.

 

There was a leak evident after topping off the tank which I though could be the culprit, but as I was pulling I found that that leak was emanating from a connection on a vent line at the very top of the tank, and was only leaking when the tank was overfilled.

 

My second guess was that the pickup line in the tank may have rotted out, as this seems to be common issue with these cars. I just got the tank all the way out and some pics of the line in question and the innards of the tank itself are posted below. From my vantage point the pickup line looks more or less solid, though my view is somewhat compromised by the baffle in the tank. The tank itself also looks fairly clean.

 

Not sure where to go at this point and am turning to the experts for guidance. Should I check to see if the are any other leaks in the tank itself? The exterior of the tank is quite rusty. If so how is the best approach at doing so; is it ok to put water in the tank? Or should I take the tank to a radiator shop even though it looks clean and everything appears to be in order in there. Perhaps somebody can pick something up from the pics that I missed.