[ChrisA]

The PO let crud get into the fuel tank and 3 or 4 times a season the engine will just starve and die. My remedy is to disconnect the fuel line from the in-line fuel filter and blow the line back to the tank with an air hose. After a brief pause I get a column of mist coming out of the fill hole and then she is good for another couple of months. I dont think I am damaging any internal filters in the tank as my manual doesn't show any ( and if there were they are long since blown out).
I would like to take the tank out and clean it, but the job looks like a PITA. I think the whole seat- mudguard-footrest assembly has to come off. Is there some cunning easy way to get that tank out? If not I guess I just keep my air hose handy.