well you were on the money trevCOSS... i couldnt actually spot anything wrong with it.. but ive put the old oil pump top plate and oil pickup that was on there when i bought the motor.. and hey presto oil pressure on cranking !!

I will have to do some more investigating as to why the oil pump was sucking air for that area.. as i was assured that the pump was a 2wd pump.. fun fun.