Engine cranks over but wont start. Replaced fuel pump, distributor, distributor cap and rotor, plug wires, spark plugs, valve cover gasket (because of oil soaked plugs wires). Resoldered all connections on fuel pump relay. When I replaced plugs with autolite plugs it started right up and ran for a half hour ,then rough start, then no start again. Next day I put in NGK plugs and it ran like a champ again: took a trip an hour away. When I started it to come back it was a little rough. Next day no start. a couple of days later I had my neighbor come over with a compression tester. It started right up when he put a spark tester between coil and distributor. Later that day when he was gone no start. Still cranks over but no start, Sprayed starting fluid into engine, still no start. What is left that could be wrong? Engine is 4 cyl 2.2 litre.

 

I know this is a month late.

But try this, turn your key to the run position and watch your check engine light. See if your light stays on for more than 10-30 seconds, when it goes out listen for the fuel pump kick on then off.

If it does this, or if the check engine light stays on and the fuel pump doesn't kick on. Your problem is a sensor pulling down 5V reference voltage *typically faulty with short* These sensors will have three or more wires, one for 5V Ref from the ECU, a signal return back to the ecu, and ground to complete the circuit for the ECU.

Simple way to test is to find these sensors that use 5V reference and disconnect them one at a time and attempt to start the car.

Most common ones are MAP and TPS sensors for the F22 located on the throttle body.
I would try MAP first, I've seen these short for some strange reason.
The car will start when disconnected but when given gas will stall or run poorly. This is normal when the ECU detects an open sensor and goes into open loop mode.

Cause:
When faulty, 5V reference is shorted to ground, the voltage drops for all other sensors which cause the ECU software to have a race condition. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_condition )
The car will start intermittently or not at all, cause poor performance, may set check engine for other problems that are nonexistent *IE Wild Goose Chase.*

The TPS will do the same thing, when disconnected, it will start but you will not be able to give throttle as the engine will flood with fuel if attempted, instead the engine will go lean as the ecu will not detect throttle plate movement and stall.

TPS is probably most reliable one on these engines, I've never seen one or read about one being bad. But Who knows, maybe a mouse nibble on harness and it shorted.

Also
If you have OBD-2 car check the crank sensor, should run up backside of the block near the harmonic balancer.
You should be able to ohm it with a DMM. Short is bad, open is bad, high/very low resistance is bad. It should be somewhere around 500 to 1000 ohms.

Hope this helps.