Low oil pressure, slight engine noise...advice?

[jbeliteiii]

ok for starters this is my first post here, so i hope this problem can be rectified. I have my Accord being looked at by a certified Honda mechanic, but still im worried. What happened is I was driving and my oil light started flickering and finally it just stayed on. I noticed that it does it as the engine gets warmed up, when i first start it i dont have any problems. But i do notice that as i drive with the oil light on the performance suffers, and i even began to hear a slight knocking in the engine. At that point i sent it in, cant afford an engine overhaul or a broken rod. So anyway the mechanic thinks its the oil sending unit, so replaced that, but light still comes on. He's going to take the oil pan off today and check some filter thats inside the pan itself (not the obvious oil filter, i just got all that changed with my oil change.) He thinks that filter is clogged and keeping the oil from reaching the top of the engine. Ive searched the internet, and everybody else who has this problem tends to say "bad oil pump". Im hoping for some clarity, because since he has the oil pump off it might be best to change it if its the problem. My car has 123k on it, i only paid 2,000 for it but at the same time i LOVE Hondas and i just want my car to be as solid as possible without breaking the bank. Any ideas? Thanks in advance!!!

[Blown330]

Could be a failing oil pump or sludge preventing oil from getting where it needs to go. On cars where the valvetrain has hydraulic adjusting mechanisms you'll get some tapping if the adjusters aren't getting fully "pumped up". Did the mechanic plumb in a pressure gauge in the oil pressure sending unit port to see if there was proper oil pressure there? Those senders just turn on a dummy light so even if the light isn't coming on it doesn't mean you are getting all the oil pressure you should be.