What do you need help with?
It sounds like you have it running now.

 

You may have and / or had multiple issues.

Sounds like you had something CPS related giving a bad tach signal, and fixed that. Even with good tach signal, freshly charged batteries MAY have raised cranking RPM from "no fuel commanded" to "fuel commanded" RPM. I would keep an eye on battery state of charge, battery and starter cable connections, and starter health.

I'm also suspicious that you switched tanks before getting it running. May be worthwhile to add a few gallons to the tank you THINK you are pulling from, and see if level changes. If level doesn't change, maybe selector valve is bad or jammed, and it's pulling from the "other" tank? If you are concerned, it may not be paranoid to carry TWO jerry cans of diesel. If you stop from fuel starvation, first can goes into the tank you THINK you are pulling from. If a few cranks don't get you started, then put second can into the OTHER tank, and try again without flipping the selector switch. Been there, done that.

Vehicle is 28 to 31 years old, so you could have (had) any combination of the following:

• CPS or connector
• Weak starting system (batteries, cables, connectors, starter)
• Failed or jammed tank selector valve
• Broken off "showerhead" tank pickups

Since you got it started and running, I would rule out anything in the underhood fuel system (pump, filter, IPR screen, IPR). Drive it, get it hot, romp on the go pedal. Keep an eye (and ear) on cranking RPM and what the fuel levels are doing. Does fuel gage rise when you fill up, and fall as you are driving? Those can help you determine if you have issues beyond CPS.

 

Started again yesterday without issue. White/blue smoke from exhaust. Both tanks feed upon starting. Selector switch seems to work fine. Front float is still broken so it reads empty, rear reads fine. Hit didn’t romp on it, but gave her some juice and not bogs or delays. Runs a little rich. I’ve talked to a couple mechanic buddies and they said it could be the IDM.
Would pictures or video be helpful?

 

Figuring out what the other possible issues could be. Sure, she’s running, but there could be other unidentified issues. Refer to my other reply.

 

Diesel dont run rich like a gasser. It will complete burn all fuel if enough air is in there. Black smoke means fuel didnt burn.

Blue smoke on startup could be turbo seals.
White is normal unless its too much, mine clears up in a few minutes and worse when colder out.

 

Right on. Thanks for telling me. I definitely had a misunderstanding. I’ll add that to the list of things I need to look into.

 

Check and see if your IPR spacer and nut are still tight on the IPR.

White/blue smoke at start up is somewhat normal if it's cold outside, white/blue smoke even when hot is bad, it could be from bad compression or leaking injectors, it could also explain why your are seeing black smoke (considering your truck is 100% stock.

Have you done a compression check on your engine?

 

Haven’t checked the IPR spacer or done a compression check yet. Just now seeing this today. Just so I understand, white/blue smoke on initial start, during warm/hot weather, is bad?

 

Saw some fuel leaking from around the bellhousing cover, found another forum about it from 2016. Found the leak origin, behind the fuel bowl. Not sure what it’s called, if I need a replacement kit, or new o-ring. Please help.is it an issue if I keep driving her? She’s my daily.

In picture #2, I circled where it’s leaking/spewing under load, from.

 

There are 1 or 2 hoses with clamps that route between the pump and fuel bowl. The hoses are short. Those lines may be leaking.

 

White-bluish smoke on a cold-engine start is rather normal. A bit of a puff on a warm engine isn’t unusual. That smoke is unignited fuel vapor.

And if the exhaust system is cold enough, you’ll see white condensed water vapor for a while after firing until the exhaust warms up, just like a gasser.

Engine usually needs a few turns to build enough compression heat to ignite fuel. The colder the engine and the colder the air, the more help it needs (glow plugs, more cranking) to get the compressed air hot enough to light off the fuel.

Once all cylinders are warmed and firing consistently, the white-bluish smoke should go away, except condensed water vapor on a really cold day until exhaust warms up.

The other smoke you will see often is a bit of black at high throttle… either a long, hard pull or suddenly stepping on it. That’s basically over-fueling or running rich; there isn’t enough oxygen to fully burn the fuel and the black carbon is left over.

Hope this helps.

 

need to use a mirror and look deeper

could be pump, hose or something on the bowl.

 

From your last photo, it looks like the banjo bolt may need tightening. The area under the bolt looks like the fuel has washed the grime off. If your lucky, you won't need the sealing washers. My 97 needed the banjo bolt tightened one time. It only took a 1/16th of a turn to stop the leak.

 

If that’s the issue, should I tighten while running or not?

 

Either way will work. I tightened mine with the engine off.