Great thread, Dan, thanks for your attention to detail in getting things documented.
My Golf just left me stranded for the first time in a decade Tuesday morning - cut off as I was going on a cloverleaf exit off I-57. Fortunately the light at the end of the exit was green and I was able to coast thru that light, down a hill and into a parking space at a Speedway station. Even more fortunately they graciously allowed me to leave my car there for two days while I sorted out why it quit!
Timing belt & tensioner were both OK, so I pulled a fuel line off my Nicktane/Caterpillar 2µm filter, stuck it in an empty washer fluid jug, cycled the key and saw no fuel spit out. Pulled the seat bottom, the access hatch and lifted the carpet, no sound. Fuse #28 looked good, so I ordered my replacement pump from IDParts.
Got it today, installed it in the Speedway parking lot. My Golf coughed to life after about 25 key cycles to purge air out of the lines. Still not 1000% happy with the gasket fit so I'll take the warm weekend to straighten it out before I attempt to brim the tank lest my floorboards get soaked with diesel.
The OEM pump that came out - 10 years and 280k km old - was physically broken, cracked!
The replacement pump was a Siemens VDO 1J0919050 "no suffix" grey & white deal. Love hearing the gurgle at key on again!