'91 3.1L fuel pump problems

[gregory_gdp]

So a month ago I was asking about a high pitched noise that was coming from the fuel pump and after replacing the Fuel Pressure Regulator (that's what I thought was the problem the first time) and eventually the fuel pump it ran great or at least back to normal anyways.

Well that was only for a couple weeks. After a couple weeks the noise was back and a couple days after that the hesitation was back as well. Thinking that I got a bad fuel pump I replaced the pump last weekend. After only one short 4 mile trip to work the damn noise is back and so was the hesitation.

I've checked for pinched or clogged lines Well I guess the main two I'm not sure where the hell that third tiny line goes to to check I should probably find that too. Anyways the lines are not pinched or clogged.

I also changed out the fuel pump relay with the A/C relay (I know that one was working) yet I'm still getting the same noise and hesitation. Could I have just gotten yet another bad fuel pump or should I check the FPR again (or just replace it under warranty) and I was reading around about checking the OHMs of the fuel injectors but since the car ran OK for those two or so weeks without any issues I can't see how it's anything other than something wrong with the FPR or the pump.

[maxwedge]

How about the fuel filter!?

[gregory_gdp]

I replaced that when I replaced the first fuel pump along with the strainer as well.

This is what I've done so far this morning. Since I knew I wouldn't be able to get a new pump today I decided to clean the inside and outside of the tank and while doing that I was looking at the fuel pump and noticed that the same gunk (light brownish in color) that I was wiping up from inside the tank was also blocking a great deal of the mesh screen inlet of the fuel pump. It was easy enough to rinse off the mesh screen but I was wondering what good is the stupid strainer if that gunk just goes right through it. Could that probably be what the culprit is for why my fuel pump is DOA and did cleaning the tank solve my problems? On a side note would it be worth straining the old gas though some unused coffee filters or is that just a bad idea?

At least now I have a clean tank, that's something right.