Help::: Starting and Running Problem on 300Tdi

Right this has just started to happen today.

Story so far...

This morning at 5.15am the old girl took about 4 revolutions of the engine to fire up (Glowed up fine)
Later on the works car park, engine was still slightly warm, it took about 20seconds to crank it over until it fired.
Took daughter to school and waited to watch her walk in to the playground with my engine running for 1 min or so, went to drive off and the engine almost died but couldn't get any revs (Pedal to the floor), suddenly she picked up and away we went.
Got home and turned off, 40 mins later went to start again and took 20seconds again, SLUTTERED and eventually fired, once it is running not a problem when driving.

Took wife to work and parked outside for 2 mins while she went in and fetched something (Engine running but occationally missing a beat and revs dropping to about 400rpm, drove off no problem but 400yards down the road car lost power and died, cranked it over and eventually with alot of SPLUTTERING started again.

Got home and though it may be starved of fuel so changed the fuel filter under the bonnet as a precaution, BLOODY thing is still playing up..

ADDITIONAL INFO
This Afternoon went out for a drive on the M6, found that the car struggles to gain any sort of speed over 60mph, then when I came off at the next slip road and dipped the clutch to come to a stop the engine revs went to 500rpm and then the engine would not respond at all to the throttle (Even pressed to the carpet), suddenly the car sputtered and the revs came back again after 15 seconds.
Also on two further occations after driving at 60mph and coming to a rest with clutch dipped the engine completly died and it took ages to get it to fire up again.

Any ideas from here would be appreciated, many thanks.

Also noticed that when I changed the filter I used the prim-lever on the fuel pump on the side of the engine, this is very easy to operate, also is it suppost to go stiff when fully primmed???

Simon

Elo Si

Have you checked the sedimentor bowl ?
could need a clean out !

Still same problem, grrr going outside in abit.

Any more ideas out there????

you deffo have a fueling problem ... i'm sure of it ..... check or change yer fuel filter and check all yer fuel pipes cos it sounds like yer fuel is backing off .. also you should'nt need glowplugs to start it , not in this country anyhow .. could be lift pump aswell tho ... and i'v just decided i may read yer original post at some point .....

it's cos yer speech marks are upside down

whom's speech marks ?? i got skid marks .... do ya mean them ??

LATEST UPDATE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Firstly decided to see if the fuel pump was working correctly, removed the fuel filter from under the bonnet and pumped the pump, hardly anything came out, NO fuel getting to the pump.
Then spent the last hour playing around and trying to get the sediment bowl off, ####ing thing.
Eventually got the bowl off (HAD A SHOWER IN DIESEL, NIICCCEEEEE) and surprise surprise loads of S**T in it, gave it a good clean out, and refitted.
Primed the system with the pump handle and gave the girl a good run.

HORRAY FIXED, she seams to pull better and is alot more responsive on the throttle.

Thanks for your help and advice.

P.S. Here's a picture of the S**T

The pump priming bit... If its easy its cos its on the cam . Crank the engine a micro second and try it again. I don't think you have bled it properly. I have to pime mine every morning before I try and start it . its OK for the rest of the day then, unless I fill up from empty when i think the cold fuel might be drawing air in? I will get round to changing the return pipes from the injectors eventually as I think thats were the air is getting in.