Let me back up week since was a fuel related fix.

Last Friday I drained the fuel tank and sanded/JB welded a very small leak in the tank. I didn't have to drop the tank. The mesh screen looked clean and I didn't feel any grit in the bottom of the tank. I replaced the mesh/drain plug, primed the paint, and added 3 gallons of fresh disel. The car started up fine and the fuel gauge indicated 1/4 of a tank.

Tuesday I adjusted the valves and just yesterday I finshed a compression test (another thread somewhere on here) and buttoned things up. I finished this evening and, while I was at it, replaced both fuel filters.

I'd never used the hand primer pump and, when I did, didn't feel any resistance at all. I unscrewed it and pumped for a minute but never noticed what I'd call pumping going on.

After letting the battery charge for a bit, I cranked for a while and it finally lit off.

Here's when I had some weird problems:
1. Pinging sound from one of the cylinders (nailing?).
2. Fuel gauge read empty (no light, though).
3. Diesel squirting from around the knob of the hand pump.

Idle is now ok, but was rough for the first minute or so.

Obviously, my pump is hosed and needs replaced. But what explains the first two? Trapped air?

The PO replaced the fuel injectors with remaned Bosch from India about a year and 1/2 and a few thousand miles ago.

BTW, I added two more gallons of fuel and restarted. The tank reads between 1/4 and 1/2 now. Strange.