[Isis]

Hi Iain,

Its difficult to diagnose such things remotely so to speak but from your symptoms i would suspect the engine position sensor, located on top of the gearbox (bell) housing at the rear of the engine compartment, this is providing the rotor arm and distributor cap are in good order.

It is also possible the coil is weak or failing given that the spark is reportedly weak, though both the sensor and coil are prone to failure when hot the fact you have a spark seems to indicate the coil is working, however poorly, it should run.(unless the spark is so poor it is virtually undetectable)

However, if the engine position/speed (or sometimes called TDC) sensor fails, the spark occurs at the wrong time in the 4 stroke cycle and the engine fails to start as a result.

I do have a spare TDC sensor for a B280E engine(which given the age of your car it may have if it is a non catalyst car)The cable is in a poor state but it does work (i have tried it) I am happy to post it to you to try before you buy a new one as they are quite expensive!

Hope this helps,

Kind regards

Iain