Cat running rough, air in fuel line..

Well, my truck has been sitting for the last five months, and I've been getting the itch to start her up and get her ready for spring. I started her up today and it ran really rough, would not even smooth out after it came up to temp. I shut it off and pulled the fuel filter. It was only half full. I filled it up and primed it, it started and still ran rough. Pulled filter again, and it was only half full again. Filled a new filter and primed it again, and this time it would not start at all. I used ether to start it, and while it was idling I backed out the bolt on the primer a few turns to let it push the air out through there. It bubbled for atleast 5 minutes while the truck was idling. I figured this should have been plenty of time to bleed out any air, but it just kept bubbling. So, the truck will not start without ether, and when it does start it runs rough. Should I just get it started again and leave it idle as long as it takes with that bolt backed out alittle to bleed it out? Should it take more than a few minutes? I am thinking maybe I have a loose fitting or crack in a line where it is sucking air in. Does that sound right or could it be something totally different? Any advise is appreciated. This is not how I wanted to start this season off with my truck. It's a 3406 with mechanical pump by the way.

 

One other thing I noticed was when I primed it I could hear fuel running back into my tank. That's not normal is it?

 

How do I fix a stuck check valve?

 

Yes, is does get hard to push the primer in.

 

From everyone that I have talked to they have said, bad check valve, air leak in fuel line, or dirty injector. One guy told me to fill the fuel filter with ATF and start it up to clean the injectors. Is this a good idea?