Quick background on my problem. 2001 Jetta 1.8t, will randomly die as I'm taking off from a stop orwill not start at all, or (for the first time last night) will die as I'm idling. I let it sit for about 10-20 minutes and she starts right up, which makes it difficult to fix since the car wont stay broken. Just had a large service done with timing belt, water pump, cam seals, crank seals, etc about 3 weeks before this problem began. I'm setting no engine codes, car seems to run perfect when it runs. I'm completely stumped. Since problem began I have replaced fuel filter, spark plugs, and fuel pump relay to no avail. I am avoiding going to the dealer like the plague, since I will have to sell my first born to pay for their shop fees, but I am leaning toward the fuel pump being the culprit. My questions:

1) If Iremove the gas tank cap and listen carefully as someone turns the key, I should hear the fuel pump prime, correct (I just found out last night I don't hear anything at all)?

2) If I hear nothing at all, is that a safe bet it is a fuel pump issue?

3)Is there any way that the service with the timing belt, cam seals, crank seals, could be contributing to this problem? Like I said, this problem started about 3 weeks after my timing belt service.

4) Are there any other possible diagnoses I have not considered yet? I don't think it's an ignition coil since it happens while the car is running, I have not replaced the plug wires yet so those are on the list. Someone told me air filter once, but mine is in good shape.

 

Can't be sure, but it sounds like the fuel filter inside the
gas tank is stopped up. If you remove the tank to replace
that filter you may as well replace the pump and filter at
the same time. Your service on the engine wouldn't have
anything to do with the pump.
The pump will run when you turn on the key and then
when the correct pressure is reached it will stop running.
if the pressure is holding and it hasn't started then the
pump may not run when the key is turned on. Some of
the early VW's had an external fuel pump mounted beside
the fuel tank, not sure of yours.

 

Hey smokin, thanks for the reply. The fuel filter has already been replaced and is located outside the tank in front of the passenger side rear wheel. I will check on the second pump, I hear my model has 2 pumps anyway. Does anyone know anything about this?

 

When you have 2 pumps, one at the tank is the pick up
and prime pump the other pushes the fuel to the engine with the correct pressure, and they both have to be working
correct or you will have the bad pump sendrone. The pump
inside the tank will have a filter also , most of the time it
looks like a sock instead of a filter.