Possible fuel pump problem - can anyone help please?

Took MrDiva to work this morning (chucked ?5 of petrol in on the way) and came home to take the diva-ettes to school. Oldest diva-ette had missed the bus cos she was doing her hair so had to drive her across town to her school… all was well until I was waiting in traffic and my fuel pump started to make a random but worrying squealing/whistling/bubbling noise (it usually buzzes - sometimes loudly but mostly just a constant level) and then my golf just… stopped. It didn't buck or kick or jump or do anything, it was as if my engine had been turned off… It started again straight away, pump started whistling/bubbling noise again then it died. Started it again and it seemed ok and moved closer to the busy roundabout that I was queuing at and then died just as I turned left managed to get it into a bus stop that was about 20 yards along. Tried to start it and the pump was sort of hissing then the car wouldn't start without immediate death.

Thought I'd better rule out the possibility of not having put in enough petrol this morning before I called the breakdown people out, so trudged a mile with the children in tow to the petrol station (that I had just driven past ) and got back to the car, emptied the can into the tank and waited for a couple of minutes. Started ok, pump was bubbling and had a muffled squealing noise, revved it a bit and it seemed ok. Drove diva-ettes to school and all seemed fine….

Until I was 2 miles away from home and on a one-track country lane when it started the random noise and died again Was thinking several rude words whilst trying to start it and it seemed ok after the third try but the pump started hissing … then I got it rolling again, but it would only reach 15-20 mph tops… then came a massive jump (no bangs or pops like backfiring, just the jump) and I got power back. Pump stopped making that god-awful noise and all seems alright now.

Goodness only knows what's wrong with the stupid thing…. anyone got any ideas? Btw, it's a 1988 Mk1 Golf GTi cabriolet…

Rust/dirt in fuel tank, blocking the microfilter at the pump inlet. The noises you hear are cavitation. Sounds like you need to give the fuel system a good old clean out, possibly a new fuel tank and/or fuel filler neck.

ok thanks for your suggestions.  I've always wanted to ask (but didn't want to sound stupid) how do you know when the filler neck is rusty? Is it obvious when you take the cap off or can you only see how bad it was when you remove it to replace it?

They usually rust around the top of the neck, right up under the top of the wheel arch where all the road crap congregates.  Take the rear wheel off and have a good poke around along the entire length of the neck to see if it is good and solid.  

Be worth shining a torch in the tank (access hole under rear seat) and seeing if you can see any rubbish in there.  If you have a look at the filter at the pump inlet you should see if there are any contaminents present.

ok, thanks - will get MrDiva to look  8)