Engine wont start and have replaced distributor (TD31U)

It should be electric but check to see if there is a cable from the engine to the dash . Tachos (rev counter) normally get their impulses from the distributor and the power from the ignition run line

SOUNDS LIKE YOUR TIMING IS WAAAAAAAY OFF , AMONG OTHERTHINGS !!! YOUR TIMING BELT , MAY NEED REPLACED ! did this just happen or, did it gradually get to this ? your going to kill your engine if you keep going like this !! for now, all I can say is, start tunning your engine, replace spark plugs, plug wires, air & fuel filters, distributor cap / rotor, replace OXYGEN SENSOR, and both the CAM & CRANK sensors !!!!!!!!!!!!! you seriously need to perform all this work, just to see , where the engine is @ this point !!! its not just one thing !!!! and don't drive it until its ok. only then , will we know if or not its the timing belt ! do you understand ????/

It is connected to the negative coil lead, either at the coil or in the distributor wiring harness.

Sounds like a VANOS problem. If you have $70.00 (American Dollars) and about 8 hours of time (at most) you can replace the VANOS seals. Here's a place to buy them:

http://www.beisansystems.com/

You might as well change the valve cover gasket as well since you have to take the valve cover off to access the VANOS.

Hope this helps!

easy to sort out ,turn engine around so timing mark on front pulley lines up ,then take the cap off distributor and make sure the rotor arm points at no1 lead on the distributor cap ,tighten distributor ,if it doesnt start then slacken it off again and turn engine around one turn till the marks line up again and repeat the rotor at no1 lead and start engine ,then move distributor around a bit till revs increase then back it back a bit and it will be right ,if engine pinks of gives off a knocking sound on acceleration then back it off a fraction till the noise stops then it will be perfect ,or as perfect as you will get it without a timing light ,

ake out #1 plug,bring that cylinder all the way up,which the timing mark on the crank will be on "O",take the distributor cap off and mark where the rotor points,start plug wires on that point then follow the firing order which should be labeled on the intake somewhere,start it if it backfires,then start #1 plug wire on the exact opposite side of the cap then follow the firing order,if it starts and runs,then turn the distributor slowly in 1 direction (counter clockwise)until it revs up to the highest rpm and runs smooth then turn back just a very little and tighten it down..try to power brake it a little to see if it has power to pull away,if not turn the distributor back counter clockwise a little more and try it.or if you have a timing light set the timing to about 8 derees before TDC or whatever the sticker says under the hood.sometimes doing it by ear works better on older engines.it fine tunes it to a looser engine

Your car should be a L-28 1,5,3,6,2,4 on the cap looking straight down at the cap:( the rotation on the cap is counter clock ways( release the distributor cap remove the 1 spark plug (1st plug closest to the front of the engine) remove the coil wire from distributor cap and ground on a stud sticking up on a bolt on engine. crank engine with a hand held starter switch. till crankshaft timing mark lines up on 8% after top dead center. remove remote start switch take a long screw driver and place it into the 1 spark plug hole (if the screw driver drops all more then 8 in. you are on exhaust stroke if it drops a couple in you are on compression stroke) it needs to be on compression stroke if it is not then remove screw driver and reconnect remote start switch. turn engine over till it has made 1 hole revaluation back to the mark on flywheel. remove remote start switch. place screw driver back into spark plug hole it should drop a couple inches. remove screw driver replace plug. and wire on spark plug now looking down at the distributor. the rotor should just be hitting the 1 spark plug going counter clock ways that post on the cap is 1 spark plug( place plug wires looking down at top of cap 1,5,3,6,2,4 on the block 1 ,2,3,4,5,6 replace cap and clamp . replace coil wire . remove vacuum advance, vacuum line and plug. loosen distributor. install a timing light and start engine . pointing timing light at crank shaft. you will see the timing mark on the crank shaft twist distributor til marks line up stop engine and tighten distributor recheck timing after tighten to make share it is still right you have about &% you can be advanced and still be ok replace vacuum and you shouls be all good.....

Maybe the crank speed sensor is faulty - would confuse ECU and show wierd rev counter results. Any engine check-light (MIL) or stored error codes?

could be that your distributor is out a tooth

Breaking up like you described can be related to a condition where the distributor drive gear is wearing out.
Had you checked it for rotor tip travel (about 5mm of loose travel is the max) or had the distributor indexed? The indexing procedure appears to be similar to an ignition timing adjustment but isn't the same.
Chrysler TSB 18-08-93 Rev A describes a condition often seen on the 1992-1993 3.9 engine. The distributor drive gear wears out prematurely and then wallows out the support bushing in the engine block. Your oil pump is driven by the same gear through the distributor shaft, so cold engine operation often is worse from the higher viscosity of the oil and the resulting load it places on the worn parts.
The distributor index slips to the retarded zone (trails what it should be) just from the gear wear. Adding in the worn bushing and chain stretch can put the distributor in a position where ignition cross-firing can occur and the switch plate (cam sensor) within the distributor can drop out-of-sync with the crank sensor.
If you haven't done so, check this out for me. Remove the distributor cap and twist the rotor clockwise and counter-clockwise. The total tip travel should not exceed 5mm, which is just about 1/8". Even if it exceeds this, an adjustment/ indexing of the distributor will get it running right again if only for a short while.