Click-IDIy Click; No Start.

Fairly sure I was hearing fuel pump relay making noises AFTER the Wait Light went out : "Clicky-click" repeating about 4 times then all quiet -cranked it over but no beastie noises. Yesterday same noise but it
fired and seemed to run great other than hesitant to start, and strong fuel fumes under load.

Oilburners has been a great source of Info & encouragement so I hooked up and searched not too successfully at first; then I thought the problem seemed to be fuel so instead of no start I typed Pump prime or prime pump, using more specific terms opened a bunch of OLD thread/posts mostly pointing to something "Loose & therefore leaking". One post simply said check/ replace > filter may be stopped up. That struck a nerve cause somebody had installed-screwed on [or up] leaving gouges in the filter case as if slip jaw pliers were used. R&R'd filter & problem solved, or one down anyway.

I noticed how clean the valve cover directly below the filter was, but the rest of the cover is not clean; the filter underneath WAS wet. This vehicle is new to me but 30 years old; it will be cleaned which many times is an early warning device.

Again Thanks Oilburner contributors

That's the glow plug solenoid clicking, from the factory there are is no fuel pump relay because it's a mechanical fuel pump. You probably have leaky fuel return lines/caps. When air gets in (and fuel leaks out), they are hard to start.

if you're smelling fuel then you should have a leak. If your fuel filter was wet you might have a leaky fuel heater. Check the black plug on top of the fuel filter head and see if it's wet as this seems to be a common failure point.

Fuel leak it sounds like, under the fuel filter there a drain screw that might be loose, make sure it's tight , you should open the Schrader valve when it is running and check for bubbles , you could have an air intrusion from the heater element on top of the fuel filter housing as well, that o ring should be changed