VR6 EMERGENCY: Need everyone's help!!!

["D.J. Bergesen" <achtungvr6@hotmail.com>]

Folks, this is a new problem (unless it has something to do with my 
previously unanswered posts) involving start-up.

I got in my car with a low tank of gas. Not extraorinarily low, just ready 
to be filled on my way to work. I put the key in and turned it - everything 
fired up as normal. RPMs to 2500, then dropped off entirely. Not super-fast, 
but not as slowly as they would coming down to idle. There was NOTHING 
unusual in terms of sounds or anything, so I figured maybe I hadn't held the 
key forward long enough. So I did it again. And so did it. RPMs shot up, 
then sank to nothing. Third time I juiced the pedal right away, then stayed 
on it, not letting revs drop past 1500. I drove cautiously around the bend 
to the gas station and filled it up. Driving, I noticed the "Check Engine 
light" on. As soon as I let the RPMs fall past 1K, the car shut itself off, 
and I had to put all 165# on the brake pedal to avoid hitting the pump.

At the pump, I popped the hood. Visual inspection normal, olfactory 
inspection normal. Filled up halfway, then started her up again. Revs UP, 
Revs down. Again. Second try I stayed on the throttle and drove back home. 
In the parking lot of the apt, I let off the gas, but this time the car DID 
NOT die. Check engine light still on. Turned off the car, went upstairs to 
grab the checkbook. Came down, started up no problem. Drove 7 miles through 
town with no problem - not a hitch - despite stop-and-go. Parked at work, 
turned off car. Waited. Started up again - no problem (except "C.E." light).

Ideas? I wanted to check the fuel filter, but wondered why I'd have the 
emmissions related light with a faulty/clogged fuel filter. Bad injectors? 
Maybe. But for either one I'd expect more stutter. everything was velvety 
smooth, even when the car was dying. It just wouldn't hold its idle. Am I 
way off base? I need to replace my belt, but don't really think it could be 
related to that. I NEED YOUR HELP WISE JETTA OWNERS (and yes, GTI ones 
too)!!!

God Bless,
DJ
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