Triumph Repair: oil pressure, pressure relief valve, inner cylinder

Question
I recent had my TR engine rebuilt. I have turned it over a few times, but have not started it due to no oil pressure. I took out the distributor and used a modified dowel to spin the oil pump with a drill. It seem to spin fine, but still no pressure build up. I then removed the pan believing that the pick up tube might be sucking air and then sumerged the pick up tube totally in oil and still no pressure. I then took the pump to the machine shop that rebuilt my engine and after I left claimed that they did a test and got oil pressure from the pump. My question is: does it mater which way the inner cylinder is turned/positioned to produce pressure?

Thank you.

Answer
Yes;  the pump creates suction through compression; the intake is one side of the rotation; output the other side; think about the way the engine spins (clockwise when looking at the timing cover, camshaft spins the same direction, then look at the teeth on the camshaft & dog gear; also the firing order and rotation of the distributor; it is all counter clockwise at that point, so the oil pump needs to spin counter clockwise.

It can be that the pump needs to be primed, which can be done several ways; filling part of the rotor cavity with a thicker, soluble grease (assembly lube, vaseline), back filling the oil gallery to the oil pressure relief valve, etc.

This should allow the pump to "catch" easier.  It may require patience, and several attempts a t priming; sometimes I've had it catch immediately, sometimes it takes 2 minutes.  

Hope that helps.