Been running MSD boxes for years, have used or worked on Accel, Petronics, Mallory unilite, Crane, etc. Every system has it's issues and things to look for. For many years I triggered an MSD box with an Accel dual point distributor with one set of points disconnected, worked great. Until I put the engine on a dyno and the RF noise from the points messed with the dyno computer. A points distributor makes plenty of voltage for under 6,000 rpm for most mild performance engines. Over 6,000 rpm an electronic system is a better choice. With a BB mopar and the distributor in the front, I normally don't use a crank trigger, if the distributor is shimmed and air gaped right the timing is rock steady, and stays that way for a long time. One issue with conventional distributors is that the lobes that open the points can wear and while it seems to run fine, if you put that distributor on a scope and overlay the raster pattern you will see that the timing for each cylinder is not the same. And you need a stiff set of points to run higher RPM, which makes the wear problem worse. And since they have not made a lot of point distributors since say 1974, how much wear is on the distributor you have? If you really want to run points find a good technician that still has an ignition scope and have them check your distributor. On MSD I find most issues are with proper voltage supply to the box, poor grounds, pickup coil polarity, and RF interference. I helped a buddy with a MSD grid system with all the bells and whistles, which would at the worst moment fail to start, MSD tech was baffled, and so was I, components were replaced, same issues, turned out to be a solenoid used with the alternator, so you could shut the car off with the safety switch, the solenoid had a voltage drop, SOMETIMES, low voltage to the MSD box so no start. Nothing wrong with MSD engineering, installation in the car was the issue. I would think MSD could do more, like a light that lights up when good voltage is present, they have one that tells you if the pickup is triggering now.
