GF's 96 Passat TDI quit today

[ilikevwdiesel]

Hello people this is my first post to the TDI section. My GF has a 96 Passat TDI, she was driving it today and it quit on her. I went over to where it was and started checking it out. The pump was sucking air, there was almost no fuel in the supply line between the pump and the filter. Towed the thing home, disconnected the supply line to the pump from the fuel filter and installed a primer bulb. I couldn't really get any fuel out of the filter, so I took a jug of fuel , stuck a line in it and connected the line to the inlet of the pump. Then I took the jug and set it on the roof of the car. The thing started up after a little cranking and ran fine even after I reconnected the supply line from the filter to the pump. It still seems to have some air bubbles in the line but it does run ok. I'm not much on TDI cars, my thing is IDI. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what the problem might be or what to do? Maybe I am looking at a new IP or could it be something in the tank or line system? Thanks.

[jtanguay]

how low is the fuel tank?  women usually run it bone dry    (not all women, but most...)

if the tank gets low enough, driving on an incline or cornering can let the pump suck air and lose prime.

[ilikevwdiesel]

how low is the fuel tank?  women usually run it bone dry    (not all women, but most...)

if the tank gets low enough, driving on an incline or cornering can let the pump suck air and lose prime.

That's the first thing I checked  it only took 5 gal to fill it up. I drained the filter last nite, no water or grit in it. I do have make sure the filter is FULL or it won't restart after draining. It was like that last summer when I did the last fuel filter change too. For some reason it sucked air and wouldn't start, once it gets fuel again it runs good. It only happened once.

[jtanguay]

get a cheap vacuum gauge installed on the fuel intake from the pump.  it should have some vacuum pressure but nothing crazy.  i think anything below 5 inches or so should be okay? i never yet measured mine...  if that looks to be good, it could be the pump?

[diesel smoke]

Check all fuel lines and fuel pickup in the tank.

[burn_your_money]

Make sure that the fuel tank cap is vented and not a non-vented gas style one