Sediment in my fuel tank. How do I clean it out?

Here is an idea.
It sort of sounds like there is a blockage after a while in the gas tank.
If there were sediment in the bottom of the gas tank, it would start and run fine sitting still.
However, when driving it, it would be a matter of a few minutes until the sloshing of the fuel would cause the sediment to mix in with the fuel, and clog the filter screen in the fuel tank.
When it stops, the sediment would settle back down, and in 15 - 20 minutes, it would be clear again.
God bless your efforts.

Removing and flushing the tank is the only sure way of cleaning it all out .

How was the fuel in the filter when you removed the filter?If you just replaced the fuel filter that is a good start, But you are a CIS,You basically have a coked up fuel distribution bowl. With the engine off, take out the air intake boot and acess the air flow sensor plate push it down,if it readily comes back up nice and easy then its in good shape, if it slowly comes up and even not at all use carburator cleaner try to clean up the lever plate,so it will have a smooth operation ,this is a fuel metering device,

Check your fuses the one for check engine light might be bad. Every time I had a misfire with my Kia the check engine like came on. You may also take it to an Auto Zone or a store that checks the computer of your vehicle for free. If it is a misfire there are a few remedies I know of

First if you haven't changed your spark plugs in the past few years you should look at replacing them.

Second older vehicles the gas tends to get sediment in it because you are not using all of the gas in your tank even if you run it out. I found that out because it would drive fine until I filled the tank up which in turn churned up the sediment from the bottom went through my gas line and caused a misfire. The easiest way to fix that is maybe a gas treatment which may break down the sediment. The harder and more expensive is drain the tank change the pump and the fuel filter. You don't need to drain the tank entirely to change both but it defeats the purpose of change both and still having sediment in the tank.

Third in order get the computer checked, change spark plugs, have leads checked, then use fuel treatment. Just so you know when you use fuel treatment it will run a little rough at the beginning because the sediment is being broken down give it a week or so to let it run its course.

good luck

Check your inline fuel filter to see if it has picked up sediment from your gas tank. Often these filters will pick um some sediment which lays parallel to the fuel flow, allowing some gas to get through, then when you accelerate, the sediment gets packed against the out flow side and blocks fuel flow. When you let it set for a few minutes, then the sediment settles out and allows some fuel to flow again.

was the fuel filter changed. and you should also check plugs and wires.for a missfire problem. if you dont get proper spark to plugs, it will misfire and be sluggish. have a good day !!

To be completely honest, no one can give you that answer accurately.

It is recommended every 2-3 years, but the requirement can be different depending on your annual mileage and real-world uses.
For example;
Using cheap gasoline means saving a few cents on a fill-up, but will subject your engine (and it's filters) to more debris and slow damage...

If you allow your tank to go to empty before re-filling, you're pushing debris through the lines (everyone has some in their tank, most have more than they would imagine)...this clogs the filters much faster.

Your local station's storage tanks come into play as well...An older station could have a great deal of sediment in their underground tanks, and when they get low, and you buy on those days, you get your share of rust and sludge (and you're paying a premium for it...Fun stuff, huh?).

Here's my recommendation, and the "tricks" that I use to get the recommended schedules from my engine parts;

1: Only buy a quality name-brand fuel (Shell makes a great gas in all grades, and have an excellent quality standard for both the storage/distribution stations as well as the tanker trucks ( another weak link in the delivery chain ), All of which play another important role in getting clean fuel to your tank.

* An extra dime on a fill-up is nothing compared to having a $40 fuel filter replaced every year...and the eventual more serious repairs (injectors, rings, valves, etc.)

2: Never buy from an old station unless you know for a fact that they have replaced their storage tanks within the last 5 years.

3: Fill-up before a rain storm, never the day after (or the next day after that at a slower station).

4: When you see a fuel delivery truck in the lot, pass to the next station.
> This means 2 things; The tanks are low, and the new fuel isn't worth buying for an hour.

No system is perfect, and every storage tank has some sediment on the bottom...This is rarely an issue, except when the new delivery stirs that sediment while pumping the new fuel in...You don't want to be buying that soup for your engine, especially at today's prices.

5: Never let the tank go to E and once a month throw in a bottle of fuel system cleaner.

(Personal note: I prefer Mystery Oil...A bottle costs the same as a bottle of STP, but you only use 2 ounces of Marvel at a time so the bottle lasts for 4 months, while STP and the others are a one-shot deal.)

OK this can't be a definite but I've seen similar & I want to share this with you. First, realizing the age of the fuel tank I have to imagine that there is a lot of small particles that have accumulated over the years that are inside the fuel tank. That is not unusual & is why you have a fuel filter on the fuel lines, to trap debris, otherwise a filter on the inlet to the tank would be fine.

Regardless, when the tank got extremelhy low, the sediment got sucked into the filter/sock that is mounted at the base of the fuel pick-up in your fuel tank at the lowest possible point. This tends to also cause the pumps to quit working either immediately, or soon after. I've replaced many fuel pumps & cleaned many tanks, this could be the issue. Really, other than refueling the car & putting in some fuel injector/carb cleaner that could possibly aid in removing the buildup on the in tank filter, replacemen may be necessary if it doesn't free up. I have always suggested that those with Fuel Injuected cars never go below 1/4 tank due to this specific problem. Good Luck.

You have sediment in your tank that gets losened and blocks your fuel line after you gas up. drain tank and clean and change both fuel filters and that should fix your problem

usually you can hear the buzz/whine of the fuel pump when you turn the key just before start. dont turn the engine over. if it is the fuel pump it usually wont run. keep me posted.