Couple thoughts.
Some of them 6 gallon generator tanks have a fine pre-filter screen inside the tank sump and also an additional screen inside the lever type petcock on the bottom of the tank.
Might try rigging a fuel tank on top of the existing tank for gravity flow so as to make sure you are not being led astray about fuel flow. I've seen them clear type fuel filters not stay full all time as the engine is running. A red Briggs inline fuel filter for gravity flow (not white) and clear tubing from a external elevated gravity flow tank will give you a hint.
I keep a MTD craftsman tank around just for such and also a outboard motor tank is good for such. You could also install a primer bulb in-line to see if giving it additional gas when it goes to lunging cures it's illness.
Disconnect the low oil shutdown if it has one. (they can get erratic before shutdown.