Thread: Getting oil pressure up after new pistons etc

My recently (then) 4BD1+T engine developed a hole in a piston, so I decided to bite the bullet and have a go myself. I've never done anything like that before. Head and sump off, new pistons, big end bearings, valve stem seals, valves ground and injectors refurbished. It's taken me months due to life and work getting the way. because of that, the sump has been off for months, then on for months, but with no oil till yesterday. I know the workshop manual says fill the oil pump with oil, but because I wasn't taking it off, I didn't think it would need filling. Today I cranked it with the glow plugs out to get oil pressure up, but after a minute or perhaps two, there was no oil coming up to the rocker gear. So, Do I need to crank it longer, and if so, how long, or should I drain the oil, pull off sump, then the pump and fill it. And if so, how to fill it? I don't want to crank the hell out of it if the oil isn't going to appear because of an unprimed pump. Your thoughts gentlemen
Don.

Round 2, huh? I like to crank with the fuel off until I can see oil reaching the overhead gear, and/or the turbo feed. Thi is only going to show circulation but it's a good start.