Universal M18 Not starting

[Newport28]

Hello
I have a 85 Newport 28 with an M18 Universal engine, unknown hours.
Always ran great although a bit slow. Started getting hot this season, ran once to about 240 degrees literally maybe a few minutes. Took cooling system apart found a blocked elbow cleaned it up and she started right up nice and ran cool. After a few minutes I was going to shut her down and she stalled, totally sounded like I ran out of fuel. Gauge said 1/4 tank.
Next day added 5 gallons, bled the primary fuel filter and injectors, no start.
Seems like air in the system.
Changed the water-fuel filter (looked perfect) noticed that the unit leaked a bit of fuel as I was changing the filter and noticed the fittings weren't that tight.
Completely bypassed the water-fuel separator. Bled system No start.
Read here that another boat had same issue and it was the tank shut off valve.
I bypassed the tank using a bucket for a fuel tank and ran a new line into the pump and with a new line back from the injectors. Bled the system No start.
Changed primary filter, same story.
From what I read this is a self priming system, if the fuel pump is aloud to run it should prime the system forcing any air back to the tank.
when the pump is on I do not see any bubbles in the fuel bucket from the return line, the amount of fuel in the bucket does not go down unless I am actively bleeding the system then it drops quickly.
The pump never stops clacking.
the pump is only 4 years old.
I have not checked voltage at the glow plugs yet (they are 1 year old)
battery new
Running out of options need to winterize