HELP - 97 3.7L oil pump won't prime

Installed a low mileage crate engine with new oil pump. It won't prime. Have tried filling the oil filter; removing the oil filter; forcing oil into the sensor port... I'm running out of options.

Somebody please tell me an answer that doesn't start with pulling the engine again. The old "spin the pump through the distributor well" doesn't apply to electronic ignition.

It's ALIVE!!!! Waited 24 hrs. and the pump found its prime. Problem solved.