strange engine running and now smoke. help needed ASAP!!

[lozp]

hi
  i recently brought a J reg MK2 golf driver 1.8 with 140,000m on the clock. ever since i had it the revs were a bit strange it would idle about 1500 to 2000rpm but ran fine. The other day the idle went down to about 1000 and less but not stable moving up and down. It has now started stalling whan i pull the clutch in even when the engine is warm then today as i pulled up to a junction (had been stalling along the whole 2hour journey) i noticed steam or smoke coming from the drivers side od the bonnet, i pulled over but couldnet seee anything. on closer inspection i think there is some oil in the inlet/exhaust manifold under the carb. and it sounds a bit like there is air escaping from the engine!!

Does anyone have an idea on what this is?? could it b a head gasket failing??

please help me as i use the car regularly and its my only transport but i dont want to break it by driving it now.

cheers
loz

[andy mk2GTI]

is it over heating aswell?

[lozp]

no i sure it wasnt the needle didnt go past the 1/4 mark (the guage does work its bin up to 1/2 before)

[andy mk2GTI]

could be MAF sensor dirty or failing. not really sure. the pros will be on later!lol

[TheRaven]

Just to say, I would sh!t myself if it did that and run to the nearest garage lol! 

[sidecarphil]

it's carbed 

[andy mk2GTI]

ooops leaky float maybe?

[rubjonny]

have a look at the 2e2 faq in the garage section.  random stallin can be due to carb icing, checkthe warm air feed pipe, the metal shroud on manifold and vac hoses all present & correct

[sidecarphil]

maybe just a busted vacuum pipe or summet  

[lozp]

cool ill just checked the pipe that splits off from the main air hose to a silver looking thing under the inlet manifold has broken away, if i replace this and it fixes the car stalling would it also explain the steam/smoke coming from the bonnet?