idle and running issues

[Niall]

Sounds like the very common failing Idle control valve. If you look at the inlet pipe to the throttle body, you will see a smaller (about 1" O/D) pipe coming off of it. if you follow it, it will lead to a black plastic elbow on the manifold just before the far right runner to the head. on this elbow is the ICV. You can try cleaning it (take it off, give it a good cleaning with wd40 or brake cleaner) but generally once they are gone, they are gone. Cleaning will only last a matter of weeks before it starts playing up again. Cheap ebay copies are also useless. Its either a brand new genuine magnatelli marelli unit (£80ish) or a known good second hand one.