I went ahead and changed out the plugs, wires, cap, rotor, oil and oil filter on my 96 4.0 today. The jeep has a fuel issue when starting cold, where it would take a few cranks to start or a few key cycles to allow it to prime. Doesn't really seem related unless its some huge coincidence that it decides to really become an issue after a small tuneup.

Now I am getting nothing. It'll crank, then after a few seconds it'll stop, and then turn over once, stop and repeat. It isn't a drained battery issue. I'll take a video of it if it'll help, but the battery is starting to die down after so many attempts. I have already tried swapping out the cap and rotor with the old ones.
I've tried searching CF, NAXJA, and the Google, but came up with nothing similar to this specific issue. Any and all help will be appreciated. It started raining, but after it clears up if time permits I plan to continue swapping out parts to see if anything is faulty.

 

Double check to make sure u dont got plug wires crossed. Happens to the best of us sometimes

 

I've checked over and over again, thanks though. Had that issue on a truck I used to have and learned the hard way.

 

Sure you have the correct plugs and gap?

And please don't take this badly, but, there IS a rotor under the cap? seen that before in the shop with a rookie. oopsie... Funny, I look on his table and see 2, count them 2 rotors and ask, you sure everything is back in there, rotor and all, of course yeah, I'm not stupid! all defensive. pop that cap off, then bring me some coffee

 

Haha yeah I'm sure it's the right gap. 0.035, checked against the Haynes manual. Plugs were platinum tipped autolite, that advance auto had in their system to fit the 4.0l. Rechecked firing order as well. The rotor it had in it this morning in back in there. I'll start replacing the plugs with the old ones after I eat. Would anything with the plug/wires/dist cause the stopping when it turns over? I've never had a vehicle stop while cranking like this before. If replacing the plugs doesn't fix it I'll try to get a video of it because I don't even know how to describe it.

At this point I'd love to find out that I forgot the rotor, or something stupid simple like that.

 

Check to see if you have 6 empty quart oil cans on the garage floor.

 

Bad coil wire?

 

Go with the champion or NGK coppers as prescribed by stock.

FYI - the gap (which is correct) and part # is on your emissions decal.

Flat out losing power while cranking, you must have bumped something while wrenching around. There's a big ground ribbon from the firewall to the cylinder head, make sure that didn't get cracked or something. And check the battery cables out.

 

lol, good catch...

 

Yes, I did remember to put oil in it. All cables look fine, after checking them all a few times.
Looking through the manual, there are two different layouts for the distributor cap. The two pictures have the same firing order, but the wires are all rotated clockwise one position in second picture. Can someone describe to me the correct positions?
One picture in the manual shows the #1 wire being the forward-most one on the cap, and then the other shows them all rotated clockwise 1 spot. Although I'm sure I hooked it up how it was originally set up, I've overlooked worse things in my life.

 

Nevermind, I rotated them around clockwise one position and it started right up. My dist is slightly rotated as it is, so the positions could be read either way. Regardless, thanks for any and all help.

Stupid easy fix that took way too long.

 

One of those times you wish for a second set of eyes.

All is well that ends well at least.