my car bmw 320i E30 model 1983, clocked 208000 miles but with good maintenances over time, stick shift, rear wheel drive, is having some engine problem.

Sometime the car cranks but the engine wont starts, i have to remove the plug wire end at the top of the ignition coil and leave a 1cm clearance and let the spark jump thru the gap when starting, then only can get it started. i learnt this trick from the guy from work shop who tried to fix my car but wont helps. The spark that jump over the gap is yellow in color, sometimes appear to be weaker, sometimes dont, which is not consistent in terms of spark power i think.

Even i've got my car started, i drive it around the blocks and try to accelerate the engine suddenly shut down and i have to do the trick i've mentioned above again to restart it. because of this, i cant turn on the air-con otherwise it will push higher the probability which the engine will stall on itself again.

the car does pack some power when it reach high rev but pull away slowly while at low rpm.

i've got the ignition coil changed, engine rewired, fuel pump changed, engine starter changed, fuel pump relay changed.

sometimes the car just behave as good as nothing happened on it, it is completely random and i cant tell when will the problem occurs again. i have been told that the piston rings and the valve seats are abit worn.

It would be real nice if someone knows how willing to guide me away from this dilemma, i've spent loads of cash to get it repaired, other than sell it away with the serious price cut of these kind of car in my country.

Thanks in advance.

This sounds like the source coil inside the distributor is failing. replace the distributor and let me know if that's it.

oh thanks alot i'll try that