Stevoo

U have a chain, they are rated for 120k iirc

Sounds like drop links on wishbone or you have warn bushes.

Their is NO dipstick for the Auto box, its a sealed unit. You have to warm oil up before you drain it. You need to refill with the exact amount too much or too little and it will go bang. Get an Gearbox specialist to look at it.

Sounds like same issue i get. In a nut shell you need your gearbox fluid flushed out and refilled up. You need a specialist to do this, as its not a simple case or drain and refill. Oils are about 80.00 from ford. so not a cheap job lol

As above sounds like faulty temp sender

Get a sniffer test done from any garage. Some headgasket fail but dont show them other issue until its to late.

Proberly a split hoses of a faulty gasket on the Thermostate/water housing joint. Just check all pipes for leaks.

Easiest way is to unplug your Idle control valve, it will be near the Throttle Body, roughly next to the Airbox. If the idling is the same when its unplugged then its at fault. You can try taking it out and cleaning it with carb cleaner. and spray it in your TB when car is running as you may have carbon build up. Check www.eurocarparts.com for prices

yer they arent cheap, just make sure the wires arent touch the head or exhaust pipes, as the heat will melt/crack them. and ark out and burn coil packs.

Have a sniffer test done, you prob have a head gasket failure, not a major one but small amounts of water dripping into heads. Any garage can do a sniffer test.

Still prefere my petrol set up, never get any post like you diesel guys do about your rear heater HAHAHAHA ;): :16:

White smoke normally means water entering cyclinders. check water levels, and check oil cap and oil dipstick for any creamy mayo in oil. Check if header tank is brown as well. If so it maybe headgasket failure, i wouldnt drive it anymore until its been checked over as you can worpe the head.

ive had this twice with mine, burnt out both my coil packs other month. i cut all wires and re done them all, and covered them up in new water proof electrical tape. keep them away fron engine as the heat is what cracks them and they break.

Shame your not local to me, i have an OBD2 reader which can check any error codes stored on ECU. Try a local garage and get them to plug it into an ecu reader. If you have standard immobliser then it will appear as a fault, if it is a faulty immob. When the car cuts out, open drivers door remove key, then put key back in and switch igniton on, so all lights come up on the dash. You should here the fuel pump buzz/prime. If it doesnt then i can be the Immob or the pink fuel relay thats faulty. Mine was the relay which burnt out as I had the same sorter problems as you.

Its times like this im glad i have a petrol, none of this aux diesel heater. causes ppl so many problems. Why they didnt put a heater matrix and fan blower like the petrol models i dont know!!

The wires that run from the coil packs to the bulk head, they are knowen to burn out from engine heat. had to cut them and re wire. Try un plugging your MAF sensor, on your airbox. if it runs the same then you need a new one. if it runs worse then its working ok.

OMG means oh my god. As you have a Ford and engine is a VW have u tried calling both dealers to see if they recconise the fault code?? As i dont know wether your ECU is a ford one or a VW one?!?! I had same issue with my mates Punto, gave a code and a weird description, went to local dealer and they found the code on their system. Turns out his ECU is dead :lol:

Where do you live, easiest options is to plug an OBD2 reader onto your car, it may have throwen up some codes. I had simular problem, came out to be the coil packs had burnt out. need two of them and the wiring re done. Now runs a ok.

Could be faulty level sensor. Im not to sure where level sensor is, some are in header tank(where u put water in) or some are on the Rad. or get your car on a ECU reader to see if any codes are throwen up.

97-99 was the mk1 so it should work fine.

OMG thats gonna be a bitch to change on your own their daz mate :lol. p.s np for looking at car, love the v6 grumble

Reply sent.

Mate i live near croydon, if you want i can plug my OBD2 reader into your ecu and read/reset any codes.

Gal had a missfire on the way home so i plugged in my OBD2 reader and says my O2 sensor is faulty and running lean. That save me 60.00 odd quid for ford to tell me what it is lol. Defo reccomend ppl getting one. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/OBDII-OBD2-Trouble-C...1QQcmdZViewItem

Check brake fluid as that sometimes causes handbrake light to come on when fluid is low or faulty sensor.