Help to newbie needed please

Hi im new to all this having only purchased a 1986 gti cab two months a go. The car has been standing for a couple of years got it all mot'd aand on the road but has power loss or missfires, seems to do it round an island more? I have changed plugs, leads, rotar arm, dizzy cap and coil. With no joy. Replaced lift pump last night with still no joy checked tank is clean and filler neck is new. I have a new inline fuel filter is it worthodox trying this? Or will it be the pump under the car? Or is there something else to check? It does not seem the smoothest when its ticking over what should it idle at? Please help trying tto get sorted before AGM my first ever mk1 golf show. Thank you scott

Check your timing as well in case this is out, if its been standing for a couple of years a new air filter and an oil change wouldn't go a miss. They may not fix the problem but your engine will thank you for it !

If you have not changed the fuel filter yet change it, they should be replaced every 20,000 miles and it's a straight forward job to do.
Might not solve your problem but worth doing any way.
There is 2 sizes for fuel filter so make sure you get the right one or post up a picture of it on here and we can tell you which one you need.
 

Thank you will be fitting fuel filter tomorrow night ( If its the correct one). How do i check the timing  ?

Later fatter type of fuel filter, I don't know what year they changed from the smaller type.
Part number for the Mann filter WK 834/1
So double check as Ive even gone into a Euro car parts with the car and reg and they have tried to give me the wrong one.
Picture.

 

Changed fuel filter taken for test drive seems ok time will tell pump under still seems loud but is this normal?. will changed oil filter and air filter are the k&n panel filters any good? thanks scott 

I use a K & N panel filter as it's such a pain to get into the air box so I don't have to go in there very often, I've also had one in there for 15 years so it's paid for it self.
They don't really make any differeance in performance you can notice.

 

Still got the problem was great with a full tank so think its tthe fuel pump for sure. Got a new oil filter to fit what oil should i be using? thank you

What oil should i be using a on my 1986 GTI ?

I would use semi-synthetic, 10W-40 or similar

Ref your problem from the top post, you mention mostly around islands. If that's still the case it could be your fuel tank.

From memory there used to be (& still???) some aftermarket, cheap tanks that had no baffle or anything inside so when you went around a corner and the fuel sloshes to one side of the tank, you starve the fuel pump

Hairyarse said

I would use semi-synthetic, 10W-40 or similar

Ref your problem from the top post, you mention mostly around islands. If that's still the case it could be your fuel tank.

From memory there used to be (& still???) some aftermarket, cheap tanks that had no baffle or anything inside so when you went around a corner and the fuel sloshes to one side of the tank, you starve the fuel pump

Thank ypu for your help  

You're welcome  

on the later cabs post 1984 there is no baffle inside the tank, instead there is a lifter pump which keeps an external swirl pot filled up. so to start with make sure the swirl pot is there and your lifter pump is actually pumping fuel, take off the outlet pipe and run a fuel line from it into a bucket. crank it over on the starter for a few seconds to see fi its happily spraying fuel out. if not check the wiring to it and make sure the pipe/mesh to the pump isnt clogged

i think the outlets on the level sender are labelled, but if not try both