Verify that there's fuel pressure. Sputtering and dying sounds like a fuel or ignition issue, not a timing belt.

When the belt goes, it just shuts off. There's not if's and's or but's! Then when you go to start it, there won't be anything but hearing it turn over.

To verify the t-belt hasn't snapped or stripped, take off the distributor cap. Notice where the rotor is pointing. Use a bungy cord or some tape and secure the cap away from the rotor so that when the rotor turns, it won't hit the cap. Now, go inside the X and turn the engine over (like you're trying to start it) for just a second. Now get out and look at the rotor and see if it's pointed to a different spot. If it is, then the t-belt is still attatched and turning the cams.

Also, while you're turning the engine over, listen for a snapping sound. This will be the coil firing and the snap will be the spark. If you're getting a spark, chances are good that the ignition is good.

It would probably be easier to have someone turn the engine over so you can watch the rotor turning and listen for the snap.

One last thing to verify the engine is in time is to (while the cap is off) turn the engine over (either by hand or with the starter, but using the starter will be harder) and place the rotor to point towards the #1 spark plug wire. Now see if the timing mark on the crank pulley is close to Zero. If so, then you're engine timing is OK. If not, then the cam/crank timing is off and the timing belt has probably jumped (which would allow the distributor to still turn, but nothing is in correct time, put on a new belt and see if it still runs!).

But, I'd double check the fuel pressure as well. You might be able to hear the pump, but it may not be getting enough juice to be able to produce any pressure (i.e. bad sending unit).