Tank is full... I'm about to replace the fuel filter, but how could this cause this sort of problem?

A few days ago, my carb was flowing way too much gas into the secondaries randomly.. Then it stopped and was good for a day or so.. but then recently, the only way I can start my car is if i have someone dump gas in the carb! Float bowls empty.. the fuel should have easily made it to the carb after it was running on poured gas for a while... I can hear the fuel pump working...

It's probably the filter.. but how can it just go bad suddenly like that?

 

My '83 12A sat for about 13 years. When I was "reviving" it, gunk in the fuel tank would clog up the filter after about a mile of driving. Also, gunk got past the filter and made it into the float bowles and caused (or contributed to) flooding.

- David