97 2.4 cav sounds like a diesel engine

changed coils,housing, and plugs, car still sounds like a diesel. It started
doing this on a rainy day. Found crack in housing, replaced it, and car would not start. replaced tps,plugs,ignition module, it finally stated, but
still sounds the same.

Is it actually dieseling (pre-ignition), or is it just the higher pitched part of the sound? Kinda like the tapping/ticking/rattling? I have a 98 G/A with the same engine/problem, and I'm pretty sure it's a problem with the intake camshaft/bearing(s)/tappet. Listen around with a stethoscope (or lacking one, a screwdriver) and see where the noise is the loudest. In my searching, I found that a cracked flexplate/flywheel can make a similarly described sound, should check that out too.