first start of new motor, do I prime the oil pump?, should I have to prime it manually... whats wrong? Options

[brant]

any builders out there care to give me tips?

I rebuilt a 2.0 4 cylinder and tried to do a first start up on it for Christmas day.

Its in the garage... but very cold... probably had been around 10F the night before. The garage was warmed up with a kerosene heater, but I know the block was still pretty cold. Oil is brad Penn break in. Full rebuild... melling oil pump


So I know the oil is cold, but I've got it a touch over full and know the oil filter will hold a tiny bit more by the time oil fills it and all of the passages. Its not cold like molasses... its still flowing and the ambient in the garage is probably 55-60 at this point.

I pullled the coil wire and tried to turn the starter over to build pressure. After about 6 long cranks (approximately 8 seconds each?) I still don't have pressure on the gauge or the idiot light

So I pull the sender wire and verify the gauge is OK. Next I pull the sender off of the end of its flexible tubing and point the tube into a bucket while the car is cranked one more time.... No oil in the flexible tube.


Next I pull the oil filter and its got about 4/5ths (that I pre filled it with) but not wet and not full... no oil to the filter yet.

Next I put a piece of hose onto the threaded collar that the oil filter normally screws onto. I blow with my mouth and there is a tiny bit of resistance but definitely not plugged. I can hear air blowing into the sump.

finally I drain the oil and pull the tuna can... the pick up looks fine really from what I can tell through the sump hole.


So the motor has been cranked about 9 or 10 times total
I estimate that is about 90 seconds or a little less.
the last 2 or 3 times I cranked it It started to turn a little faster or "more freely" which I assume is the bearings and things fitting into each other.

I'm freaked about cranking it dry any longer.
its got a new raby cam and everything... I don't want to damage the lifters, etc.

I had used white lithium greas in the pump gears at assembly. Its a very viscous grease and shouldn't be "hard" from the temperature

Questions:

- Is there a way to prime the oil pump now? (maybe putting pressurized oil into the tubing on the oil filter collar, and having that run down hill into the pump gears?)

- am I just being a freak... and need to keep cranking it over longer or more due to the cool weather?


thanks in advance for any advice, especially "been there and know" kind of knowledge.

brant