TJ turns over but won’t start

I’m not very good at reading spark plugs. Here is a picture of them. From right to left is #1 to #6. Can someone give me an idea of what is going on internally. I also did a compression check and I am between 120 to 125 psi on all cylinders. FSM says they should be between 120-150.
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Try spraying carb cleaner or starting fluid in the air filter. See if it wants to start. If it does it is most likely a fuel issue. If you are positive you have spark then do a compression check. Make sure your new motor is actually good to go.

Earlier I was helping someone on this forum that said they had spark then later told me they changed the coil and that fixed the problem which tells me they didn't really have spark, so check at the plugs to see if you have spark.

It sounds like you are pretty confident that you have fuel because your pressure seems right on, but make sure you have spark at all of your plugs. Double check the cap for moisture or carbon tracks. Make sure the coil wire is pushed all of the way in and on the coil.

Pull the spark plugs and lay them out in order that you pull them in case one is a different color that could tell you that you are having an issue with that cylinder. Say all are white but one is dark, that could tell you you have a problem in that cylinder. Also can could be more than one cylinder.


Keep us posted and if you do fix it, let us know what the issue was.
I tried the starting fluid and no such luck. My compression is 120-125 psi on all cylinders. I have spark at the coil and each spark plug. Fuel pressure is at 44-45 psi. I checked the cap and it is good. Checked the coil wire and checked all grounds. I'm giving up. It is going to my mechanic next week.
Thanks for your help.
 
Ok sorry. just got on. been busy myself today.

Don't get discouraged. The fact that you have good compression and you sprayed either in your air and it didn't change I am betting you have a spark issue still. Re-check your new distributer. Looking at your plugs it is looking like the middle plug is running a little rich. I am betting you didn't put new plugs in when you put the new motor in. The fact that you had a distributor issue, I would think that most of your plugs would be dark. I can't tell by the picture for sure but it doesn't look like much of a gap. I like the fact that you got it running with the new distributor that means you are close. Don't give up hope.
 
Thanks,
Those actually are relatively new Autolite APP985. They were in my old engine less than 50 miles before I found the cracked block. The distributor problem was my mistake. I was on the exhaust stoke thinking I was on compression. I did change the distributor. The sparkplug gap is set at .035. The only thing I haven't checked is the PCM and I don't have the ability to do that. I am going to take it to the professional to have him scan it. Maybe he will find something I missed.
 
Imapepper, you would think that there is a spark problem, but I tested the coil and got a spark by grounding the secondary terminal and looking for spark when i turned the engine over. I tested the spark plugs by grounding them and turning the engine over and I had spark. This is where I am completely confused.
 
You say you have good spark at all six spark plugs and you say you have good fuel pressure at the rail per a fuel pressure gauge. Spraying starting fluid didn't help. With those two items present, fuel and start, the only possible reason I can think of it won't start is a timing issue. Has anyone screwed with the distributor, as in has it been recently removed and reinstalled so the timing might be 180 out?
 
I am going to look at that tonight. The distributor has been in and out several times. I am actually hoping it is out 180 degrees, because that would make sense why it is not starting.
 
X2 what Jerry said. If you have spark and compression, you should get it to fire up with starting fluid even if the fuel pump is disconnected...unless your spark or valve timing is whacked. If, after checking it statically, it still does not start, you might verify your timing with a timing light while cranking?
 
Have you checked the CAM sensor?

On the 97s, the same code is shared for both the CPS sensor as well as CAM sensor (also known as ignition pickup coil).
 
The problem is, through this whole ordeal, The Jeep has never displayed a code. I wish it had, to give me some kind of direction on what is wrong. I installed a new distributor and it had a new cam sensor. I tested the CPS and it tested good. I have spark at the coil and spark plugs. If I had hair, I would have pulled it out by now. Tyler the engine went in pretty smooth that I thought I was going to be Jeeping already! Now this!
 
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The problem is, through this whole ordeal, The Jeep has never displayed a code. I wish it had, to give me some kind of direction on what is wrong. I installed a new distributor and it had a new cam sensor. I tested the CPS and it tested good. I have spark at the coil and spark plugs. If I had hair, I would have pulled it out by now.

Have you tried cycling the key to retrieve codes? My next step would be the CAM sensor, it could be faulty. Do you know if they used Mopar? You may have spark but the CAM sensor determines the moment to produce the spark. You have air, fuel, and spark though I suspect the spark is not happening when its supposed to.
 
I have an OBll reader and it said that there were not any codes available. I went to NAPA for a new distributor, because my Mopar dealer said that Mopar is not making them anymore. I'm going to go through the timing again tonight and retrace all of my steps. I have got to be missing something.
 
I came home and checked the timing. Timing is spot on. I now do not have a spark. I checked the feed to the coil and I don't have 12 volts. Where do I go from here?
 
Short answer, fuses.
Long answer, trace it back through the electrical diagram. Also, may need to reset the ECM again; they can get "confused" if things seem way off for too long.
EDIT: strike the ECM comment...no power to the coil won't be an ECM thing.