update, so i go out all ready to do this job and its a bit windy and cold and im dreading life lol so i bang on the tank bottom again and it sounds hollow, so im like f it. lets dump a couple gallons in and see. maybe the gauge is not working right.....so i get 6 bucks worth in a can, less then 2 gallons. my can sucks its leaking all over the place. so plan B: ive got three sheets of paper and some tape, diy funnel made, works perfect. turn key to run for a few seconds, then off and back to run to prime it, ( if it will prime) turn to crank and it just fires up like old times. drove it to the gas station put 30 bucks in it aka 10 gallons. hit the tank bottom again it sounds the same lol thinking its got a double wall? at any rate. the gauge was 2-3 lines over E. as it was being filled it didnt start to move till 5 gallons went in by 10 it just moved one line past a 1/4 tank.
so im pretty sure the gauge is bad and E is now 3 lines over the E line. just waiting for a warmer day and a spot in my friends drive way to get this pump swapped out. im not a fan of limited tools in a supermarket parking lot.