[inhen]

Thanks @steamship I've been driving with the climate control on ever since this started to keep revs up. I don't ever press the ECON button anyway, that's the one that instantly mists the windscreen up right!? I also have the ABS light of doom issue, I think it's a wiring loom problem as I've tested both sensors and cables and the ECU connector seems fine too.

B@fink I also got this issue after the local garage fitted a big battery for me (for warranty purposes) come to think of it. Since I've replaced all the breathers and vacuum hoses and cleaned out the throttle body I went back to the garage to consult the VAGoracle. He insisted that TBA was not part of the service when changing a battery and shouldn't be necessary. But, he has agreed to do it for beer tokens with his own VAGCOM as mine is read and reset only.

I did notice when I stripped the throttle body that it's an encoded stepper motor so why it would need realigning I don't know. Hopefully it will help, the best 0-60mph I've recorded is 9.4seconds since all this started!

I noticed that the hose on negative/engine side of the TB that gose to the valve behind the air filter housing then in to a solid pipe disappears off under the back of the engine. Does it go to the gearbox or ECU? Or somwhere completely different?