I was thinking just that. Right now, I have to determine the most likely candidates, 1. pickup,, is it up against the bottom of the pan. If so, loosening the pan a bit would allow priming the pump.....If that doesn't work, pan has to be pulled to determine if I broke the pickup. 2. Pump is bad, either the relief valve or the pump itself.
If you go to the trouble to loosen the pan, you may as well take it off and check everything out with a fine tooth comb. I know I would. That's too nice an engine to be second guessing anything.....but you already know that.