That kind of problem won't be an ignition coil. It's more likely to be an Engine Controller, but what you have to determine is what's being lost when it dies. When I'm working on one of those, I generally attach a fuel pressure gauge (you can buy one at the parts store) and try to set the gauge up so that I can read the fuel pressure while I'm driving. If you determine it isn't fuel pressure, you'll have to find a way to gather other data, which can be difficult without a datastream capable scan tool, and a good one costs about $700. There are simply too many things that can cause a problem like that one.

(http://www.tooltopia.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=9991)

i took the PCM unit out, dusted it up, put it back in...now it cranks with no start like it did in the beggining.

i checked the fuel pressure when im cranking it and it goes to ~32 psi. i read on the web that this particular car often has a bad PCM. i will try to swap it from the junk yard...see what that does.

im waiting for wife to get home to crank it for me so i can check for spark...its still a possibility the ignition coil was in bad condition and it died...i will check it with an ohmmeter afterwards.

my other car...wont work now either...drove it through a puddle ( i made a different thread) so im kinda stranded...but will let you know if swapping the PCM did anything.

EDIT: i just checked the spark at the ignition coil: NONE

i checked the resistances on the ignition coil and it is within specifications.

so its exactly the same probelm i had in the very beggining. it seems to me like a wiring/computer problem. hopefully just a PCM swap will do the trick. will let you know

ok, there are developments:

i followed instructions to check the cam shaft sensor: http://www.autozone.com/shopping/repairGuide.htm?pageId=0900c152800a9b14

the distributor connector has 3 wires. i assumed the middle wire was ground and the 2 outer wires were the power wires (blue and white as they are given in the repair guide). the colors of the wires in my car are orange, black and yellow, in that order. Also, i am not sure why the guide says to put voltmeter in AC rather than DC, but i followed it anyways.

wires in the back of distributor connector give no voltage when ignition is ON (should read 5V). i tried voltage between power wires and their corresponding PCM (ECU) wire (C16 and C5). I read very low voltage, less then 1V with ignition ON.

I measured continuity between C16 and C5 and ground lead on battery and it has no continuity (infinite resistance). i dont have a way of running an ODB I diagnostic.

the results make sense with the following explanation:

bad computer or wiring.
i had gotten the car to start after taking things out and putting them back in, raplacing some parts (crankshaft sensor) as you can read in the thread.
Then the car was stalling. Now when i took the computer out and put it back in it wont start anymore (wont give spark). i read that if camshaft sensor stopped signaling (or stopped being read), then the car would continue running but it wont start as it cant assign cylinder 1 to spark plug 1.

im hoping the new PCM will solve my nightmare.

check this thread out for PCM related problems in my year vehicle (even though its a different type of PCM because i have a sport cherokee and they are talking about grand cherokees): http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6035_102-0.html?forumID=78&threadID=248386&start=0&tag=forum-w;forums06

You should have 9 volts on the orange wire with the key on. Check to make sure and let me know...

ok, i put one voltmeter lead on the orange wire.
where do i put the other lead?

also, in DC or AC setting on voltmeter?

Put the meter on 12 volt DC scale. Turn the key on. Put the black lead on the negative battery post. Put the red lead on the orange wire and you should read 9 volts. If you don't, then disconnect the TP sensor and check all three wires - one should have 5 volts with the key on. Also, when you're spinning it over, the injectors should have battery voltage (which comes from the ASD relay). Let me know what you find.