If its the black one you have to take the entire front cover off as that one goes around the entire nut on the end of the crank. The white one will pull straight out.
You are free to do as you like but I don't think I have ever heard of one of these pumps failing. It's always the little oil lines from the pump to the intake, oil filter or mixing oils but not the pumps. You will also use way more oil premixing.