1.6 Diesel loosing power and cutting

Hello,

I've recently bought a 1.6 Diesel with a mechanical fuel pump.

Car starts and runs perfectly from cold, but when the engine is up to temp It starts to loose power and eventually cuts out completely. 

I can turn the car back on and it seems to idle okay, but as soon as I'm driving again it there's barely enough power to get out of second gear. 

Please help, I'm relatively handy but no mechanic, so point me to the simple fix's 

Thanks 

check that your in-tank strainer isn't fouled, you will need at least 1/2 a tank.

Have you changed your fuel filter.
Are there any bubbles in the clear line, and if so which direction are they going to or away from the pump.

All Diesels are bottom feeders off the tank and the injection pump is the mechanical fuel pump.

Hi,

I just checked the strainer and it was very dirty so I've cleaned it out. Been to the fuel station and put £30 of fuel in, still runs lumpy and occasionally chucks out white smoke on higher revs 

There's air bubbles running upwards towards the fuel filter which is a new one I've just changed. 

air bubble that travel to the filter relate to a air leak front the tank through the pump including the filter side of the clear line.  

White smoke at high revs try the following get a quart of ATF and pour about a half of it in your tank jump on the bumper a few times to get it to inter mix. It may help to clean and lube the vanes in the Injection pump.  

Diesels run "lumpy" if.there is air in the fuel system.
the pump vanes are sticky.  

White sweet smelling exhaust could be that you are still burning off excess moisture off the exhaust system.

When this is running Lumpy, open the bonnet and see if the coolant hoses are tight to the touch or ballooned.  

If so, then let the engine cool.
Open the expansion jug cap and remove it.
Tie a latex glove over the opening tight.

Start the engine and from under the hood rev the engine above 3000 rpm for 30 to 45 seconds, if the Glove inflates and gives you the finger, you have a blown head gasket.

You may need to set the timing on your injection pump.

Here are a few places for further information.
https://vincewaldon.com/?option=com_content&task=view&id=24&Itemid=28

https://vwdiesel.net/