As long as we are on the subject, does a gasket go between the pump and
block? I rebuilt my engine and no such gasket was included so I put it on
metal to metal and all is working fine.
Entity Frank Grunthaner spoke thus:

> Mike's priming method is correct. At times when I was chasing a similar
> problem, I found that the diesel pickup pump base and pickup tube were warped
> at the pump base (junkyard engine source). This led to a loss of prime and an
> intermittent inability to reprime often for 30 seconds or more. I had to true
> the two surfaces (base of pump body and top of pickup tube) by emery cloth
> sanding against a flat.
>
> On my oil cooler/filter mount, there was/is a predrilled port for mounting
> another oil pressure sender or temperature sender. I have been known to take
> that out, add a tube and prime. This is my approach after I have pulled the
> pan for some reason.
>
> Frank Grunthaner