I have no training as a mechanic, but just replaced the entire timing mechanism on my 93 pickup 22RE. It went swimmingly and was a great learning experience. Gave me a newfound appreciation for how great the engine is, except for the unbelievably retarded decision by the manufacturer to use plastic chain guides. At most they must save about $5.00 per unit over steel guides, probably about 3 decibels inside the cab quieter on a truck that is not exactly a silent ride to begin with. That is just a bad business decision. I would pay $5.00 more for a new truck versus several thousand down the road screwing with these kinds of problems.
Unfortunately I neglected to specifically prime the oil pump before putting the cover back on. I have only run the engine for about 10 minutes so far, just checking for leaks. Should I be concerned about priming the pump? I left some oil in the pump gears and would hope that it would be sufficient to prime it. If not, I read that you can put air pressure down the dipstick shaft when cranking the engine, Is that a good idea? Can I prime through the pressure relief cylinder?