E30..it stops..it goes..it stops

[Nick Brearley <nick@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Got a worrying problem with an 86 325i, I'd be very grateful for some help
if anyone recognises the symptoms. 

It began on Friday when the car refused to start part way through the day
(fine first thing that morning). A quick examination showed no spark at the
plug but the engine turned over fine. Not having spare time I left it until
the evening when the spark was there and it ran well. Thinking that maybe
there was a bad connection on the coil which had been fixed by the
disturbance I undid and cleaned the terminals. First mistake - I should have
known that electrical problems don't just go away as simply as that. 

Everything ran OK until today (Tuesday) when the car cut out after about 150
miles driving, same problem - no spark. After a couple of hours just as it
was about to be loaded on a flatbed it started, ran for 8 miles then stopped
again. So it finished its journey on the flatbed and left me scratching my head.

The battery reads 12.52v so that doesn't look to be a problem. The DME is 4
years old (the second one). I remember when the first one failed the car
stumbled for a couple of days before dying. I hope that's not the case
again, it's the sort of thing that makes you lose confidence in a car. Pity
because we've had a good twelve year relationship.

Thanks in advance for any insight.

Nick Brearley

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