TECH HELP: Not rocco, but still VW....

[cory.langford@icbc.com (Cory Langford)]

I need help with the wife's Golf. (old '86 a2 style with 1.8 8V)

Thing runs like a top when you have it under load.  Quite impressed with
how well it revs. etc. for an old 1.8 with a whole lot of miles on it. 
Hate to say it but it out pulled my old JH in the '86 Roc before it blew
(I am thinking the stock exhaust on the JH  and new exhaust on the golf
may be the reason for this), but back to the problem.

Problem is it idles like crap.  When it is cold it seems to idle pretty
good. Nice and smooth.  When it warms up, sometimes it idles fine,
sometimes it drops the idles speed down to almost 500-600 rpm and idles
very rough.  

A little history:  Last time I did a tune up I noticed two of the plugs
were washed completely clean and we were having to fill the radiator
overflow every month or so, so I figured there was probably a small head
gasket leak and decided to do that before it decided to blow out in
traffic somewhere.  So briefly: Head gasket replaced, new injectors at
the same time, new plugs, new plug wires, new rotor, new cap.

So any suggestions?  It goes like stink when you step on it.  It runs
fine in traffic, just seems to not want to idle smoothly all the time. 

I was thinking of trying to replace O2 sensor next, but not sure if
these symptoms point to o2 sensor or not.  Thought many trying swapping
the fuel pressure reg. on the front of the engine. Looks like the one on
the JH I have sitting in the garage.

Any suggestions appreciated.  Kind of at a loss of where to look next.

-- 
Cory Langford
'86 Oettinger turbo project
'82 beater (winter driver)