Did my MAF go bad?-hesitation/surging symptoms

hello:
Yesterday my jetta suddenly lost power while I went to pass a car. Very odd feeling - almost like it ran out of gas. It was sluggish for the rest of the way home. When I drove it again it was intermittently sluggish/hesitant - from a standstill and when I first start it and drive its a slug. After a few minutes it kind of goes back to normal but still slight power loss feeling. If I floor it it surges/spikes. -- I read the FAQ - would this be my MAF failing?
I can still hear turbo and no weird smoke or other noises going on.
car is a 2002 jetta tdi 154k miles.
thanks!

intake clogging

copatdir6 said:

First read this post on diagnosing your MAF (it's from the top part of this section titled "HOW TO's")

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=148753

More often than not, it is a MAF and although they range in the $100 area, they are easy to get at and very easy to replace (if it turns out to be one that is defective).

If your MAF "passes the test" then I have to agree that the next thing to check would be the Intake. Read over my post covering this issue:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=207730

Do your homework, diagnose all the possibilities, and start with the most common ones as well as the easiest to test/resolve and you should come up with your answer in no time!

Good Luck!

Click to expand...

Turns out it was the MAF - thanks to the HOW TO link i unplugged my bad MAF and it was actually running better (still sluggy) but a lot better than 0-30mph in 25seconds/holding up traffic at every light/etc.!.
I purchased a new MAF, installed in less than 10minutes including checking air filter and it is running great !! thanks!!!!!!!