!UPDATE!
Well, I went ahead and hacked up the vacuum pump...

and turned this...

into this


the stock gear spins freely, just as it used too. Just make sure you press out the o-ring and the bushing before you weld it shut.
let us know how it turns out. is the shaft loose in the aluminum plug (pump base) at all?
let us know how it turns out. is the shaft loose in the aluminum plug (pump base) at all?
it spins just as it did when it was one piece. The shaft movement is limited laterally by the brass bushing, and vertically by the gear itself. If you want to see it in action, here you go:
randy's jetta turbo diesel first runI have a brand new 36mm oil pump an 10w40 oil getting 5bar at starup

(don't mind the smoke in the vid...fresh paint just getting a burn in)
is that the clutch slippin or the tires burnin?