Merc Trim Pump Problem - Help Please

[McGillicuddy]

Trim went out on Merc 4 hose tnt pump.
Motor was getting hot and seemed frozen... Replaced motor brushes and ground screw and motor whirs great now. But its not moving fluid into the hoses. Unfortunately when I removed the hoses, I think I failed to close the manual release valve before removing hoses. Any tricks to getting the pump to draw fluid thought it? I've already tried cycling trim up and down to bleed/prime and have disconnected the down hoses at the trim cylinders to try to cycle the oil into the hoses to no avail... any tricks to this? Seems simple but I'm stumped . The motor is in full up position, the reservoir is full, and the battery has plenty of juice... Any ideas? Thanks. Motor is an 83 Merc 115 I-6 and pump is old square reservoir/four hose model...