A2 fuel pump

If it is buzzing, replace it. It is a < US$ 100 part. It is the in-tank transfer pump that usually fails, and this is the one you hear buzzing. If you drive with a failed transfer pump, you can also ruin the under-car main pump and that is a much more expensive repair.

I am on my 4th transfer pump in 8 years. The first 2 started buzzing like yours and were replaced before they failed completely. The 3rd just stopped working. (The car would still limp home, but had frequent sputtering attacks, and limited power). The 4th one is still in the car working.

The pump is easy to test. Under the carpet in the trunk is a cover plate in a rounded triangular shape. Remove this (3 screws) and you will get access to the hoses to the pump. What you will see is what looks like the lid of a mason jar with two hoses and one wire harness going to it. If you look at the nipples for the hoses you will see that they have arrows on them. One pointing in to the nipple; That is the fuel return line, and another pointing out from the nipple. That is the fuel supply line to the main pump. Remove the hose from the supply nipple and stick on a 3' piece of tubing that leads into an empty 1 gl container. Make sure the container is completely clean so that you can reuse any gas you pump into it.

Disconnect the coil - to - distributor high voltage wire from the distributor and ground it.

Have a helper crank the engine for 10 seconds. You should see a solid flow of gas into the container. The Bently manual specifies how much you should get after 10 seconds, but I do not have my Bently available today.

If you need to replace the pump, unscrew the plastic retainer ring that holds the "mason jar lid" and pull upp the whole assembly. (The ring is screwed on quite tightly, I have used a very large set of pliers to get it off. Perhaps an oil filter wrench would do also). The floater for the fuel gauge is attached to the same assembly, be careful not to bend anything out of alignment as you pull the assembly out of the tank. The transfer pump is the aluminum canister in the middle. Make note of its position before pulling it off with a twisting motion. Put in the new one and reassemble. Remember to put new hose clamps on if you still have the factory disposable ones.

You should not do this >

Agreed. A very slight buzz that you have to strain to hear is normal but anything more than that is wrong. If it sounds like a bee flying around in your back seat, replace the pump. You also might experience symptoms similar to fuel starvation, especially when the tank drops below 1/4.

When you do get a new one, the "good" replacement is the one made by Pierburg. The OEM one is probably VDO.

That is the fuel supply line to the main pump. Remove the hose from the supply nipple and stick on a 3' piece of tubing that leads into an empty 1 gl container. Make sure the container is completely clean so that you can reuse any gas you pump into it.

I didn't have to do this. However, before doing any of this I had turned the car on and while running I pulled the fuel pump fuse and let it stall on its own...I figured I'd get as much fuel out of the lines as possible that way.

distributor and ground it. Have a helper crank the engine for 10 seconds. You should see a solid flow of gas into the container. The Bently manual specifies how much you should get after 10 seconds, but I do not have my Bently available today.

I didn't do this either. Is this requirement a difference between a CIS car and I Digifant one? (Mine's Digifant.)

Right.

To add to the causes of a buzzing fuel pump: It could be a blocked inlet at the main fuel pump box. I had one Jetta (1987) that had a fully clogged one. The Main fuel pump was buzzing, the transfer pump was pumping fine, gas was in the tank, but little fuel pressure was at the fuel distributor. After cleaning ou the clog, all was well again. I also cleaned the strainer at the transfer pump, but it did not seem too dirty.

later, dave Reminder........ Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them, and you have their shoes. Frieda Norris

Perhaps my post was unclear on this. I meant to *test* the pump by running fuel into a container, not doing this as as a purge maneuver before replacement. Since the original poster already has heard the "buzz of death", the testing would not be necessary.

Again, sorry about the confusion, I intended this as part of the test, not a prerequisite for replacement.

Ohhhh...OK...I had interpreted it as the latter (purging b4 replacement). Makes sense now.

The buzz is usually the sign of a dying pump, I have an Audi 4000 that's doing that, you should be able to hear it buzzing before you start the car as well, When you turn the key to on but not crank.

John your Golf has two fuel pumps, a transfer pump in the fuel tank and a main pump under the vehicle in a plastic box by the filter. The Audi 4000 should only have one with maybe a small plastic bottle before the pump.

Not only check the pumps but also check the inlet into that plastic box. I just had to clean one out that was restricting fuel into the box and also causing the buzzing noise.

later, dave Reminder........ Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them, and you have their shoes. Frieda Norris