Why are there good reliable shops and individuals in the marine engine business who get paid to rebuild engines correctly and pay close attention to the details.??

Heck I don't know.

I am sorry, but i get so tired like many here on OSO of the I can do it myself cries for help and disaster stories.

Best Regards,
Ray @ Raylar

It really does sound like you dont have the correct tool. Does it look like the one in this link ?

http://www.jegs.com/i/Comp+Cams/249/4921/10002/-1

By the way,

Having the oil filter lines plumbed wrong will not keep the oil pump from building pressure. It might keep the oil from getting filtered, but the pump will still build pressure in the engine.

Not sure what type of drill you havem but it should really put a load on it. Most 3/8 drills cant handle it and will burn up pretty quickly.

Did you build the engine or someone else ?

Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md

Is it an electric sender?

thats the tool i have...and its a mechanical...im just going to have to yank the engine back out and check everything out...its stupid on my part of should of primed it outside of the boat instead of assuming...what should i check for besides the obvious

and raylar...some people cannot afford to spend alot of money to have other people do things for them...if i didn't do it myself i couldn't afford boating...

im going to pull the motor but i need you guys to be more specific with these plugs and where they are so i can check...would it cause oil to leak out of the block or stay internal? sorry im a handy guy learning the hard way

There's lifter galley plugs in the front which would be behind the timing cover. They would leak internally. There are also plugs on the back of the block. They would be leaking externally.
Is the drill laboring when you spin the pump? You should deffinately be able to tell there's a heavy load on it.
If I'm not mistaken you should be able to prime the pump with it installed. The pump picks up the oil and goes directly to the filter first. There fore you should be able to disconnect the oil incoming line at the remote filter. Then pour oil in the line. It should run in there backwards and fill the pump. You could even spin the pump in reverse and see if it sucks it in.

BillK- One time I had a 1/2" drill smokin and the lights dimming spinnin a HV pump in a BB.

on a small block their is also a plug if i remember correctly either in one of the main thrust bearing cap area or in one of the bolt holes..if this plug is not installed the oil pump wont pump the oil through the block, just want to clairfy if you hand primed the oil pump,,,put oil in the pump and turned it by hand before installing it..if you did not then this is probably the problem,,you will also need to weld on the pick up tube so it does not fall off..

Bill, by the way yes crossing the oil lines did stop my 454 earlier this year from having any oil pressure !!! now I was using a aftermarket filter adapter and used a ford filter....but 0 oil pressure....took a hour to figure out why....some filters must have a ck valves.....

No need to prime the pump with oil before you install it... Not ever. Sounds like you're missing some plugs, most likely behind the timing cover.