Fuel tank dramas

[LaraWilde]

I had my Chev painted and during the three years it sat in the paint shop with the tank open the diesel evaporated and left a diesel, paint dust, rust, general crud scum in my tank. I had it cleaned. It is one of two tanks that I carry - the one I am talking about is the standard one behind my seat.

The other day I ran out of fuel when I switched form the back tank to the front tank.
At first I thought that my super efforts to rewire my stereo had knocked the switch that switches from tank to tank and so it was a wiring thing.
I took it to an auto electrician who looked at it for 10 minutes and then charged me $22 to tell me he didn't know.
(BTW - I am opening a shop where you can pay me $22 per ten minutes and I will tell you I don't know - it could be any topic... auto electrics, brain surgery, child care, cooking - I don't know a lot of stuff).

Anywhos then I started thinking about the last time this happened...
The outlet pipe on the tank behind the seat lost the little mesh filter when it was cleaned out. In the past this pipe has clogged up.
I think that may have happened again.

Before I pull the seat out and go to town fixing it - can any one tell me if I can buy the little bit of mesh??? or if I can make my own type of mesh???? or if there is another filter I can put there????
Or even if you have any ideas about this drama...