Help with priming my 83 chevy k20 6.2 liter

Ok i know that there are several forums on priming a 6.e liter diesel. I have an 83 k20. The day before thsnksgiving my fuel tank selector switch malfunctioned and switched to my empty tank. So i did the rule number one on not to do with diesels, i ran it out of diesel. I got towed to gas station and when trying to start it after getting diesel in it my starter bolt sheered off. Got a new starter thinking that it was a bad starter because of the god awful noise it made, only to have the new starter make the same noise. Figured out that the old bolt wasnt all the way out and it wasnt fitting in properly. Got the starter fixed and went to try and start it and my batteries died. So i put it on the charger. Get back from letting it charge for awhile and go ro turn it over and i have zero power. No lights no nothing. My dad took jumper cables and put one cable to the positive battery and the other to two wires with posts on the fire wall and power comes back on. Im a disabled army vet that is absolutely a terrible mechanic. Army taught me how to shoot a rifle not work on vehichles unfortunately. So i need help with how to bleed the fuel system broken down to me dummy style and also what your thoughts are on the loss of power. Thank you so much for any advice given.

Hi
Thank you for your service....

OK HERE WE GO
This year of truck should have a mechanical fuel pump on the engine.
Spinning the starter with all things intact is tough on batteries, the starter and the patience....

Remove the glow plugs from the engine....THIS ALLOWS THE ENGINE TO SPIN EASILY AND FAST.

Open the air bleeder valves on the fuel filter/filters (Depending on if things are still stock there should be two)

Spin the engine until you have fuel coming out the bleed valves......As soon as fuel is coming out the air bleeders...CLOSE THEM.

Now spin the engine until you have fuel mist blowing out the glow plug holes.

IGNITION KEY OFF

Reinstall the plugs .....

Ignition on....let glow plugs cycle....start engine

It may run a tad rough for a short time until all the air is purged out.

NOW......IMPORTANT **********

THE STARTER ISSUE.

There SHOULD BE a small bracket that bolts to the side of the engine block and to the stud on the front of the starter.

THESE MUST BE IN PLACE OR STARTER BOLTS CAN AND WILL BREAK OFF

"AND" THE MOUNTING PAD ON THE BLOCK CAN BREAK OFF....GAME OVER

If the bracket is not there....get one and get it on before you end up with big carnage .......

This is what that bad bot looks like. SEE PICTURE

The 6.2 uses ALL METRIC BOLTS
The bolt that fastens the bracket to the engine is a 10mm

The starter should have a stud on the forward facing end that the little bracket slips over.

Good luck
Keep us in the loop

OH BTW
Now would be a great time to changes the fuel filter/s

Plus if you have a block heater plug that in to get the engine warm

Thank you very much for your info. I am not able to start my truck at all and not even getting it to turn over with brake cleaner or wd40 or starting fluid. It is making this god awful noise as if something is grinding while trying to start. The starter is engaging and turning over the motor but it is making a very loud grinding sound to boot. Than it spit out one of the starter bolts. I don't know what to do now, I'm at my breaking point with frustration.

By the way I did not have one of the brackets that you had told me about attached to the starter. Ill go get one tomorrow

Sounds like they may have given you the wrong starter
Basicly you have to remember the truck was running fine.
All that it needed was diesel.
But then the starter acted up.The only thing different than the time it was running is the starter.
Now that you know about the brace...
Get the right starter and brace install with new Starter bolts,plug the block heater in,remove as many glowplugs as you can remove easily.While they are out you can test them.
Crank it over in 30 sec intervals till diesel starts misting from the glowplug holes.When you are turning the motor over with the starter hold your accelerator pedal to the floor,that will purge the air quicker.
Once the diesel is misting from the glowplug holes replace the glow plugs and start the truck.
Then enjoy your truck again,watch the fuel levels.