The small red is a "power enabling" wire, think of it as a relay trigger. Make CERTAIN it has power
This is sure as I have spark, just weak.
In my old setup I had one + cable that went straight to coil, should I use this cable to power MSD box? This cable has voltage in 2 key position. There is the second cable that gets voltage in 1st key position.
Should the box get power in key position 1 or just when cranking?
For "simplified" testing, you can just jumper the small red right to the battery
I will do this test tomorrow morning.
MAKE CERTAIN and I do mean absolutely certain that the "big red" is very well hooked to the battery and not some slipshod deal, and that the "big black" has a substantial ground
I will hook it up straight to the battery tomorrow, now it is connected to the extension cable.
You did not mark the ground, coil neg, and coil + colors, is it possible you have them screwed up?
Will make sure about it too, would be wierd but checking wont hurt.
DO YOU HAVE a tach hooked up? If so UNHOOK the tach
Tach to - on coil yes, but no difference if it is hooked up or not.
Make certain the WHITE from the MSD is taped off safely.
This is done right.
READ the MSD destructions, there are test procedures. Also, was this running OK when you put the MSD on there?
(One test is to repeatedly ground the white wire which is for points. This should produce nice hot sparks.)
Will perform this test tomorrow too.
It's always possible that you have a factory defective box.
Is it possible the coil is bad?
Coil is good.
Coil high tension wire?
Dirty/ wet / cracked distributor cap or rotor?
New MSD distributor, no cracks.
Last is it POSSIBLE that you have stumbled onto an MSD pirate/ chineseo fake?