If your hand pumping yields to no avail, your hand primer pump may be bad. Mine pumped more fuel out of thge car than into the puel system, likely bad O rings ; Probally getting more air in the system than I started with. I bought a replacement hand pump from my dealership, and it cost $13.99! This one does not have to be unscrewed to be used, and does not have sharp edges. It also return automatically to the raised position, and all you have to do is push it. Really take the hassle out of priming the engine, and makes it much easier almost fun. It's made by BOSCH and looks much nicer too. Perhaps this will make your experience easier. Oh yeah, required about 20 pumps to bleed out the air from my fuel system after changing fuel filter, versus about 100 two years ago. Though I always clamp off the fuel lines first (makes things easier).

It also may help to loosen the banjo connection on top of the fuel filter housing; helps let air out and speeds things up. Haynes manual points to the wrong connector in their pict. Retighten when you see bubbles conming out of the connector, then pump some more untill you hear a hissing comming from the bypass valve (sounds like a whistle almost). Then try cranking.

Good Luck.

Adam