Howdy again...
 I seem to be having the ole fashioned vw oil pressure 
declination syndrome..as seen in VW Archives!

>flicker-> lit(really flickering)->cool down ->repeat->?
temperature's stable, but oil pressure drops phenonemon.

I never even saw the lite come on while driving before 
Monday..except starting, of course. The noise was there 
before, showing up randomly, but now..
 
..I can tell when that light's gonna come back on, as my 
noise klacking gets louder until the light creeps on 
again. not LOUD loud, kinda like me van's trying to do a 
Beetle impression, sound-wise.

This van has sat, sat, sat, and then was repo'd, tuned, 
transmission trashed, and sat some more. I'd honestly 
say that this week I've probably put more miles on it 
than it's had in years.
	 But despite that, it runs fine, no leaks, just that 
*(#@ noise and now, the accompanying loss of pressure as 
temperatures stay right on the middle while mine rises.

This also tends to bite rpm and time as I pull off to 
cool down.. This is the way my Beetle acts, frazzing 
that oil to a toasty temp till it slips past something
and drops the pressure..

..If even this is a common phenon, what can I do to fix 
said problem? I use 20w-50, and this noise made the 
original owner abandon it years ago, I'm betting, as 
nobody's been able to get it to hiway speed for awhile.

The general impression I get from pulling the oil 
pressure spring, globby with residue about, may apply to 
many other major mechanical compontentry.  likely doing 
something nasty within to cause the pressure leak. My 
exprerience with other vw's was to fix the pressure, the 
noises will leave. (If one is lucky!)

Now, if I was to clean out this thing without taking it 
apart, what would I put in there? 

	A freind tried to get me to get Gunks' Engine Flush,
but I was leery of it. Frightented, actually..

Another mystery to ponder:

Whilst going over every hose, connection,etc. I found
a metal insert that looks like the tip off a ballpoint
inside one of the vaccum tubes. unlike many scenarios, 
this one was not an actual pen, but had a teensy pinhole 
opening. I removed it, do I need to put it back? ? 

I appreciate all you all's help as I attempt to extend 
this van's range past 100 miles.. :)

Charlie "Well, it's noisy, so it's parked" Callahan