I wouldn't go for the oil pump yet.

I find it's usually a good idea to pre-fill the oil filter with fresh oil,
in other words don't install the oil filter bone dry.

I do this on engines I haven't ever see run, freshly assembled ones etc.
for a 'normal' warm engine oil change, I don't pre-fill the oil filter
normally.

when adding oil to an oil filter  be extra super careful that only clean oil
goes in. The center of the oil filter is the 'engine side' of the filter
element - any tiny bit of anything there will go straight to the bearings.

I wouldn't put a Fram oil filter on a vanagon even in an emergency , fwiw.
They 'should' work ....but .......I have fine luck with good aftermarket
german made oil filters, like Mann.
Wholesale they're quite inexpensive ....like buy 3 at a time..

oh.....I knew there was something else...
I recommend never letting a waterboxer engine sitting and draining
overnight.
*only* change oil and filter on a warm engine, and run it with the new oil
and OF immediately.

I've seen the lifters get 'un-pumped up' from letting them sit draining,
like overnight.

oil pumps don't 'fail.'
on rare occasion the drive to an oil pump fails, but that's almost
impossible in a waterboxer engine.
It's pretty  unlikely that there is anything wrong or worn out about your
oil pump.

your whole engine could be tired perhaps, but it's not likely that you 'have
a fine engine, it  just needs a new oil pump.'

10-30 is quite a thin weight oil - not what I would be putting in what is
probably fairly high miles engine. I run 15 W 40 year round, and temps
generally run from about 20 degrees F at the low, to 100 F in the summer
where I am.

hope you get it figured out !
Scott
www.turbovans.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bruce Mentzer" <mentzerb@MAC.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, January 24, 2010 3:32 PM
Subject: Help with oil pressure

> Inspired by the list discussion on synthetic oils, went out and bought
> 10W-30 Mobile 1 and stuck it in my recently rebuilt (5K ago) '84 1.9. Also
> replaced the filter with a new Fram.
>
> The oil light remained on when started the next
> morning...checked...there's lots of pretty oil in there.
>
> Checked wiring on the oil light...it's all good and the engine is
> clattering (turned off after 2 blocks).
>
> Drained the Mobile 1 and replaced with Mobile 10W40. The light is still
> on, engine clatters.
>
> Pulled the filter...no oil. Went to replace the filter, but found it was
> the correct one for this model.
>
> Any ideas from the list? I'm getting ready to order a pump and start the
> fun of pulling it out.
>
> Read up on the previous posts on the list and it doesn't look like a
> pleasant evenings work in the cold driveway.
>
> Bruce in Maryland
> '84 Westy