Bob,

Thanks for replying. However, I fear you have overestimated my ability to understand simple technical details.

I take it that in 4-3-1-2, #4 is the lead for the cylinder nearest the passenger bulkhead and #1 is for the cylinder nearest the radiator? And when you say "left to right", left is the bottom-most connector on the distributor cap?

Sorry for being thick but I recently found out that the B234F is an interference engine the hard way (six bent valves) so I don't want to inflict any more pain on the old girl.

Would it be worthwhile fitting new leads on a 160,000 miler?

I drove this car for 4 years and it's been in the family since new so I do have a bit of a soft spot for it (even though I got it just in time for its mid-life crisis of ECU failure, new rpm sensor etc. and my girlfriend doesn't like setting foot in it - she has new car syndrome). It has also managed to cope with 9 years of my parents' driving.

Thanks
Allan