[Go Go Joe]

Well I have a '83 US Spec Auto that I bought back in 2007 and basically put away in storage til now. I went to start it last week and no go. It would run on starting fluid but no fuel pump action. I removed the fuel pump, did the Berryman B12 treatment and hot wired it back and forth until it unjammed and now seems like it's working good. I drained the tank which had a lot of sediment and smelly old gas coming out. In addition, the metal fuel restricter in the filler tube was very corroded and needed to be removed. In so doing, a lot of rust and metal particles inadvertently fell into the tank. I removed the fuel sending unit and taking a chance, used a wet/dry shop vac to suck up the debris and some of the remaining old gas out of the tank from the top opening. The tank looks much cleaner inside but I then noticed the screen in the strainer is totally gone. So I have a new strainer and fuel hose to put back in but the old strainer is really in there and giving me fits. I have a 17mm impact deep wall socket on the strainer with a short 1/2" extension and a 1/2" rachet. I've only applied moderate hand torque to it but I'm really afraid of spinning the metal collar loose and then be looking at a tank replacement. I've doused it several times with WD-40 with no success. I'm thinking of heating it with a heat gun and then spraying with PB Blaster. Do you think that would that work? I'm really thinking if it won't come out safely to just add a inline filter between the tank and pump and leaving the old strainer in there. Any advice from the experts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Joe