Low Power / Not Starting

[Ending Credits]

I've had my '2 for a few months now and it's been having a developing problem:

First of all it would sometimes suddenly become asthmatic when I'd put my foot down and then it would suddenly kick in. At first I thought I might have been accidently riding the clutch but it seems like it is really an engine issue. This is punctuated by trouble starting immediately afterwards, but when it does start afterwards it runs fine with no issues. So if I go down to tesco it will be playing up the way down there, have great difficulty starting when down there, but be fine on the way back. I never really have any issues starting it from cold either.

The car does have an aftermarket air filter fitted by the last owner which the mechanic said might be the issue, is it worth putting the old one back on?

[adamstanford]

My old induction kit that was on Sat directly under one of the vents exposed to rain and all sorts and that caused problems. Not with starting however. I got a 45 degree pipe to move the filter away and this solved my issues of it getting low on power/taking revs a long time to build. I think it took on water a couple times.

[mickybo]

read the fault codes, get a paper clip and with the ignition off on the diagnostic port bridge teminals E1 and TE1, then tun the ignition on and count the engine light flashes which will correspond to a fault code

[Ending Credits]

Well it's been well behaved the last few days which points to it being either the water or a fuel issue.

I will have a look at putting it back onto the old filter.

[chefey]

Is it worse after damp weather?, I would check your HT leads, dist cap and rotor arm, and coil/ igniter unit first.