Just wondering if anyone could shed any light on some problems I am having...

About a month ago, I bought my Mk2 GTI 8v digifant car with 126k miles on the clock. It had the hallmarks of a car that was in pretty good nick especially for the price, but one that had not been getting used very much at all - indeed, the MOT certificates seemed to confirm that the car has done just 17K miles in the last four years or so.

So I get it, and immediately fix some simply maintenance issues - the oil was very low, so low it was barely registering on the dipstick, and pump the tyres up to the correct pressures, and stuck some optimax in it, went for a drive, and everything, fine getting better.

The only issue I really noticed was a shuddering, usually whilst accelerating, and changing from 4th into 5th.

Over time, the car has seemingly got more hesistant and more jerky, especially when lifting off the throttle.

My dads friend who owns a garage locally had a look at it, and a drive of it, and said that the engine mounts were going, which was the primary thing wrong, the other issues just a rattling heatshield and broken tacho (I already knew about that).

I arranged with him to take the car down this Friday.

I should add that I also had the timing belt done last week. The car has driven fine ever since I got that done until this weekend.

Nobody told me or suggested to me that the problem become more serious, which is what brings me to the last few days....

On Sunday, whilst the car was cold, I took a tight corner at low speed in 3rd, and attempted to accelerate out, and the car shuddered violently. I released the throttle then smoothly re-applied and it was alright, and behaved for the rest of the day.

Yesterday, it again shuddered while doing about 55 on a country road, quite violently again. It then once again behaved itself all day.

Today though, and everything just seems to have gone tits up. Its started to shudder while accelerating hard in 2nd and 3rd, and shuddered every time I went around corners. If it did not shudder, then it felt like a complete loss of power, and would stall.

From then on, every time I attempted to turn a corner or go up a hill it would stall, cut out or shudder.

By now, after being started so many times, it started to sound bad as well, it began to sound like a diesel at times, and I could hear the sound of something, presumably in the engine, squeeking as it turned. I had to drive along in 2nd so it didn't stall. I got it home eventually. It doesnt sound right, sounds kinda rough. I revved it, not that hard either, and it cut out again.

It seems quite bad to me, but I dont know about cars. Any idea what this could be?

Sounds like a fuel pick up problem, iirc they have an external fuel pump dont they?

Might well be something blocking the outlet of the tank when cornering,

Does sound like a blockage.

The fuel pump is on underside, just in front of the drivers side rear wheel.

Sounds like a fuelling problem tbh. Have you checked for fuel leaks aswell and maybe changed the filter?

Squeaking could be the water pump bearings on their way. Notorious problem and cheap / easy to fix.

Not much help I'm afraid.

They Have 2 fuel pumps, A lift pump in the tank and a another under the floor just in front of the axle bushings on the drivers side, the lift pump takes fuel from the tank and supplies to the main pump (Which actually blows) which supplies the fuel to the fuel rail and injectors!!!

You can access the lift pump via the the small panel with 3 screws in it under the boot floor carpet!

Sounds like a fuel problem, Injectors can get blocked and fuel pumps and lift pumps do not last 4 ever!!!

The lift pump went on my old scirocco... it's a 10 minute job to do....

(and lets just say car mechanics is not my 'forte' )

I've rang the mechanic today (I had it booked in for other work) and he suggests trying to make it down to where he is, what do you reckon? Car was well dodgy yesterday, but it *might* make it down.