Another Hard/No start saga

'05 Golf BEW

Started with long starts which progressed to hard/no starts then No starts
-Tested the battery and found it bad
--Replaced with some improvement
-Tested the Crank Position sensor and found bad
--Replaced and start issue completely resolved

Now this is where the fun starts. Now the engine will not rev over 3200 RPMs. It feels like it hits the rev limiter. so....

-Tested MAF and found bad.
--Replaced with no change
---Replaced fuel filter and could not get it to re-prime.
-Tested in tank lift pump and found bad.
--Replaced with no change

So now I can hear the pump kick on for a second or two when key on. The first time it comes on I can hear the pump suck in or push out some air but it goes away with subsequent key-ons.

I am at a loss. The questions I have:

1. Is it normal for the lift pump to push air after sitting?
1b. If no, what do I need to go about correcting this issue?

2. Beyond pushing fuel through fuel filter intake, output, into the injector pump, and back to the return line into the fuel filter. Is there anything else that needs to be done to prime?

3. Where do I look next? I am still having the rev wall issue. I do not have access to a Vag-Com but will be hooking it up to a Verus-Pro tomorrow so see if I can find anything else.

Update. If I try to rev engine past stopping point slowly it just wolnt go. Add more throttle and the ESP system disabled (resets with engine restart). If I hammer down the glow plug light will flash.

Disconnect the fuel line from the tank to the filter, at the filter, point the line into a container and have someone turn the key like you were going to glow the car. You should get 1-3 oz of fuel into the container. It sounds like the new lift pump you put in isn’t working.

I pulled the line on the return from high pressure pump and got fuel out that side. It seemed to prime it just fine and started right up after I did that. Still could be bad? And I hear it pushing fuel and the (what sounds like) an air pocket goes away after 2-3 key turns.

Updated org post

Simple air leak, hard to find. Could also be failing in tank pump, bad tandem pump, they sometimes develop leaks.

All those symptoms could be an air leak in the fuel line? How would you go about finding out if it was an air leak? And what steps to find the leak?

If the fuel is full, then I would think the in-tank pump is working. Where did you purchase the crank sensor?

I got the crank sensor at advance auto. Not a Bosch, didn't have time to get one from the nets.

EDIT: acutally looking on the I-net I'm not seeing a Bosch listed....