Tobin:
Yes I have the same engine, what I mean is that you can turn the shaft fast
by hand with your extended 13mm socket and feel the resistance of the oil
pump so you will know the socket is biting.

I think the idea proposed by Michael Snow is that you would remove the alloy
mount from the block and pour oil down the hole to prime it.

Entity Tobin Copley spoke thus:

> Rachel, on my engine (1.6L diesel), the oil filter housing is well
> forward of and above where the oil pump is, including the access to
> the end of the oil pump shaft (access to the shaft is via the vacuum
> pump, not the oil filter/cooler housing).
>
> With my very long fingers, I think I could reach down and try to turn
> the pump shaft by hand--but I'm 99% sure the socket is turning it.
> Should I be feeling for something specific?
>
> Some people have been suggesting pouring some oil down into the pump
> from the top, via the oil filter housing.  I don't think the oil
> filter housing access will let me get oil down into the pump--perhaps
> folks are thinking of a different engine, maybe the gas-powered 1.9
> or 2.1?  I rather like the idea of  pouring some oil into the top of
> the pump; I think the way to do that on my engine is via the vacuum
> pump hole.  I'm ready to be corrected on this, but it seems correct
> to me.
>
> T.
>
> At 2:32 PM -0700 6/29/01, Rachel Cogent wrote:
>> Actually it was easy for me to turn it the right way because the shiny worn
>> sides of the spline are easily visible from the top.
>> Anyway I am not sure if there is even a relief valve but did you unscrew the
>> filter and try turning it (the pump)by hand?