Starts and then dies

I'm wondering if you (accidently?) bypassed the coil resistor?

Measure both sides of the ballast resistor, key on, engine off. Leave the meter hooked to the side with the highest reading, which is the side coming from the switch.

Now move the ground probe over to battery positive, IE the starter relay battery stud. You are hoping for a very low reading, the lower the better. Over .3V (3 tenths of one volt) means you have a voltage drop in the ignition harness

Next, remove the coil high tension wire from the dist. and ground it. Hook your meter to coil + and ground the other probe. Crank the engine USING THE KEY and read the meter with the engine cranking. You should see at least 10.5V, the higher the better, and in no case less than 10V

Next, leave the meter clipped to the coil+, and move the ground probe to the starter relay battery stud, and crank again, read the meter while engine is cranking. Here you are again hoping for a really low reading, the lower the better, and you want LESS than .3--.4V max. More means there is voltage drop in the IGN2 or "resistor bypass" circuit.

Last, clip one lead to the coil+ terminal, the other lead to ground and start the engine, if it will run. With the engine idling, you should see LESS than battery voltage, anywhere from 8V--11V or so

Last it would not hurt to check running/ charging battery voltage. If the battery is "normalized" that is the alternator has brought it "back up" and it's not half dead from all the cranking, running voltage (warm) should be 13.8---14.2, in no case less than 13.5, and not higher than 14.5

My guess is either you have very high battery voltage (defective regulator or wiring) or have somehow bypassed the coil resistor. CHECK THE COIL for excessive heat.

Some other routine checks:

Scrape the back of the ECU and the mating firewall area clean, use star washers, or run a no12 jumper wire from the block to one of the ECU bolts, and while you are at it, do the same with the voltage regulator

Remove all ign system connectors, IE the ECU, the coil resistor, and the distributor. Work them in/ out to scrub the terminals clean, and to feel for how tight they are.

Inspect the distributor reluctor/ pickup coil for rust, debri, strike damage, and check the dist. shaft for excessive play or wobble. Check the reluctor gap with a BRASS feeler ga. at .008" (inches, not mm)

Hook your meter on low AC volts (that's right AC) to the dist. connector and crank the engine. The dist. should generate about 1V AC

SUSPECT bad connections in the bulkhead connector.