Hi, trying to narrow what has turned into a pile of problems. A couple of weeks ago I drove the 70 RR down to do some training at the place I used to work before starting my own office. Went out to start it to go home and nothing. Did as much trouble shooting as I could then called for a tow. Had its sorry ass dragged up as far as our old place where I left it as we were taking off the next day to fly to St Vincent for a 10 day sailing trip to Grenada with some friends. Had got as far as determining something was wrong in the distributor, way too much rotation in the rotor.
Get back from sailing trip, clear some work backlog, then drag it up to our place with Michelle's 67 Land Rover. Pull distributor, figure out that the vertical piece the rotor clicks onto is loose on the rectangular piece with the advance slots. Never had this happen before on any distributor. After disassembling it, I set the piece in the right location and peened the bottom better. Then had my welder friend tig a couple of tacks on. Thought this fixed it.
Now, before pulling the distributor apart, I took it out, pulled the coil wire off the cap, put a spare spark plug on the coil wire and spun the shaft. Great spark.
Put back together, decide to test it, no spark using same test technique. I had checked the reluctor gap, fine at 0.008. Tried jumping the leads for a spark. Nothing. Took the known coil out of Michelle's Rover. Nothing. Check 12 volts at switch under dash. 12 volts there. Oh, ignition switch also went bad just before all this, stayed on, so had been killing engine with clutch then disconnecting battery every time, pain.
So, does anyone know how to check the pickup? I think there is an ohm range it is supposed to be in. I will check out the MSD site for trouble shooting procedures but if anyone has some ideas on how to trouble shoot the box, especially isolating it as much as possible from the rest of the system that will be great.

Also thought I had an exhaust leak so pulled left side header. Discovered starter about to fall out, bottom plug completely missing, top one almost fallen off. Why it cranked I have no idea.

When it rains it pours. Can get new ignition switch from Rock Auto, would rather not order a pickup if not needed but might just want to have one on shelf. Oh, distributor is Mopar Performance, the one without the Mallory innards.

Give me a Lucas electric system any day. I am actually not kidding.

The white trigger wire is to be used for points and is typically not used in a simple electronic pick up system. Disconnect the green/purple plug. With the ignition hooked up to the coil, battery and ignition wires hooked up and on, put a spark tester or grounded spark plug in the coil wire, make and break the white wire to ground. Each time you break the white to ground connection should produce a spark. This verifies the box and coil condition. Spark? Pick up. No spark? Try the coil. Still no spark? Box.

Basically either the pickup coil is continuous or it is not. So measure the resistance between the pins of the connector. It should be a number, not infinity.

The two pin connector of the pickup coil can be a spot for corrosion to interrupt the circuit. In other words, clean it and clean it again. I replaced the pickup coil because I didn't clean it and it tested open. After the new coil was in, I rechecked the original and it was OK, just needed cleaning. Doh!!

R.

Assuming the box is wired EXACTLY per the instructions?

The main power and ground wires need to be connected DIRECTLY to the battery.

Don't know why it matters but I've seen with my own eyes that it does.

Kevin

Broken wires and/or intermittent connection in the pick up wires is not uncommon either. Wiggle them around while testing resistance.

Thanks all, about to go out and look at it again. I appreciate the comments.
It is wired directly to the battery, #12 tinned marine grade wire with ring terminals to the battery terminals. It has been this way for probably 10 years now so it is not a new installation but I have heard the same about the direct wiring.

Is there a way to check the box without a coil? I am thinking putting a multimeter on the low voltage terminals, should I see something when it triggers?

Ok, check the simple stuff first. Checked the pickup in the distributor, about 365 ohms, so good there. Checked the wires to the distributor at the next connection. Same reading essentially. So pickup good. Put connector back together with dielectric grease.
Shoved white wire through firewall (MSD is mounted inside car on the firewall). Put test plug on coil wire, get spark. Hmm. Test again. Spark. Hook stuff back up. It actually fires for about 10 seconds then nothing. Test again. Nothing. Decide must be box. Take everything apart, not that big of a deal. Suddenly have a thought. Had 7000 RPM chip in box, have heard that sometimes these go bad. Decide to just hook up the box outside the car. Hooked power wires back to battery, hook coil wires back up to coil, test. Nothing, with or without 7000 RPM chip. Go to take wires off battery. Ring terminal on ground wire falls off of wire. This is a properly crimped wire with adhesive heat shrink. Regardless, it fell off while looking perfectly good. So, held wire end against post with one hand. Held small red wire against positive post with other hand. Michelle scrapes white wire against engine. Consistent spark. At this point I am going to renew both ring terminals on the power wire then test it again. Need to enlarge the hole in firewall so ring terminals can pass through more easily.

Anyway, two new ring terminals are much less time and money than shipping the MSD to MSD and having it tested, repaired, and sent back.

Next will be starting a coil thread. The old Accel coil is arcing from the positive terminal and the Lucas coil in it now I have no idea how old it is.

Will order new ignition switch from Rock Auto now as do not need pickup apparently.

Thanks again for the help as always.

Solder all of your joints and use shrink tubing.....
NO crimp joints