AEG: starts, revs to 3-4k, dies

[Moose!]

the car is a 99.5 Mk4 w/ AEG 2.0.

What the car is doing is when I start it, it will rev to about 3-4k, then drop right off. Sometimes it will try to idle, sometimes she just gives up. If I give it gas, it will stay afloat, but it must be kept around 2k just to stay running. I can provide a video of this tomorrow, as it is loud as anything with an exhaust leak at the moment. There is a CEL on, last time I scanned it, for a miss fire on cylinder #2 and a bad post 02 sensor.

Within the last week, I have replaced the following parts:

- Cylinder #2 wire (replaced with known good wire, sounds like it isn't missing anymore)
- Coil (replaced with known good unit)
- New starter solenoid (starter itself was "freshened up")
- New battery

The alternator was looked at, and was deemed good. This was all while I was chasing a no start problem for the last week. I did have the car running before the alternator was looked at, and it ran/drove fine, with no abnormal revving and all that stuff. It only started doing this after the alternator was looked at and new battery.

Just looking for opinions really, can't get into a garage until Monday and I need the car for the 4AM shifts so I would rather try and do what I can in the downtime.

[Anony00GT]

Check for a large vacuum leak.

[Moose!]

Check for a large vacuum leak.

Nothing seemed out of place. Would an loose oil dipstick tube do this?

[Anony00GT]

Nothing seemed out of place. Would an loose oil dipstick tube do this?

No. Really sounds like a vacuum leak. Check again.