cutting off/revs dropped several times

Driving back from manchester last week, my golf gti tintop 8v 2.0- suddenly, cut out at 70mph- the revs dropped from about 3000 to 0 and I nearly had a lorry crash into the back of my beloved little car.  It seems as I and frantically pressed the accelerator (and my friend screamed like a banshee)the car started again and I went on my way (as well as being left re evaluating the things in life I take for granted.. Including my eardrums)  

Since then, its cut off three times while on a steady run (usually anything above 30mph) but i've noticed if I keep the accelerator floored the revs quickly jump back up and prevent the car from completely cutting out.

The last time it happened was today and just before I got to a petrol station.  It cut off completely this time and it took ages to start (kept turning over but wouldnt get going) So as anyone else would do, I looked under the bonnet.  The only thing I found was- the grub screw next to the throttle body missing-  :eek:    i've replaced the grub screw and now the car idles at 2000rpm- I believe this can be adjusted so the revs will be lower on idle?

Anyway, the main thing is the dastard cutting off. Can any bright spark shed anymore light on what the problem could be?  :dontknow:

Many Thanks

i had a similar sort of problem on my seat ibiza 2ltr 8v it kept dying and springing back into life, never on a motoraway thank god that must off been hairy, it done a few times before dying on way to tesco express as i got back in it i could not get it to start and i called break down and had it towed home, they advised me those engines are pants and it was the dizzy at fault chip inside it, anyway next day i went out had a look around in the daylight and it was the ingnition pack probly nameing the part wrong, but on older cars you call it coil but on the 2ltr's there little black boxes instead any way it had melted the unit and looked lik a candle had been dripping over it

could be of similar nature to whats happening to you

 the revs dropped from about 3000 to 0

As you noticed the rev counter going from 3000 to 0 as soon as it cut out , it points to an electrical problem .

The rev counter is driven from the coil - loose power to it no rev counter [if it was fuel related and you were still getting a spark rev counter would read engine revs] .

Loose fuel pump relay / and or terminals to it / faulty hall sender / faulty wiring to them .

Good luck ……………

Thanks for the advice guys, i'll have a look and hopefully post once the problem is sorted!

my best guess is the ribbon cable for the hall sender in the dizzy is starting to fracture, it moves under vacuum so sometimes opening and closing the throttle when it cuts out will fix it for a few miles, will cause exact same symptoms as you have described and is quite common in dizzys of that age :-) HTH