mk3 golf gti 8v keeps cutting out?

[asho]

hey, im new to this site so hope this post is in the right place?
 
 was just woundering if any1 could help me with a few issues i have with my 1996 golf gti 8v, when i start the car, wether hot or cold the car will start and then all of a sudden cut out, the revs just drop and car cuts out?

also

 car keeps loosing water from coolent bottle? can see no leaks and all pipes are hot, and fan kicks in fine? oil looks fine to.

 any help will be so much appreciated, as i have just spent £160 on a full servive and seems to have got me no where, thanks again!

[Screech16v]

Looks like the garage who did the full service have missed something,can you not take it back ,thats alot of dosh and you still got issues

[asho]

hey, yeh i have spent alot on the car as well as service, 2 new tyres, new back box etc so just really need to no what these issues may be? i have taken it back and no joy, all they say is i should have a compresion test done, (but thet cant do) and about the starting and cutting out they say its what u get with a old car,- never take it there again, and its a well known garage, i dont trust them now, thanks for the reply anyway mate

[neil1780]

Hi and welcome mate, first things first, try the search function at the top of the page, this has been covered a million times now.
Clean the throttle body and breathers with some carb cleaner, if that doesnt work then check where the wires enter the crank sensor (behind the oil filter) if there broken or fraid then replace.

[asho]

hey, ok nice one mate will try the carb cleaner etc, thanks for the reply

[neil1780]

no probs mate have a check under the oil cap for any signs of milking or oil in the coolant, these are signs of head gasket failure.

[asho]

yeh i have done that, both seem fine, i am getting loss of water in the coolant bottle thou? could these be linked? the cutting out when first started and the water disappearing in the coolent bottle? can see no leaks thou, and cant understand where the water is going?

[neil1780]

I wouldnt think so, have you tried reving the engine while looking under the bonnet as there may be a leak when the engines under load and not at idle. my old nissan van had this took me ages to figure out where the water was going.

[Screech16v]

Any white smoke/steam from exhaust? any dryed coolant traces in engine bay,seal ok on the expansion bottle?

[asho]

ok cool, will try that out and see, when the car eventually starts up, it ok to drive, has cut out twice when driving on main road, its just the initial start, when i turn the key it starts and cuts out straight away? so the only way of keeping the car on is when i start it i keep it a 1000revs for 1 to 2 mins and let my foot off and then the car is ok, it then idles at 900 ish, then its ok to drive, its just mad how no body in the garage can help lol, thanks again for all the replys, feel like im getting somewhere now.