GM HEI

Cope,
What are those numbers in post #1? Is that dwell or centri advance? If dwell, it is GOOD. Are you aware that the HEI body needs to be grounded to produce spark [ Chrys dist do NOT need to be grounded ]. I mention this in case you are bench testing them, out of the engine.
I have only ever had one HEI dist fail & it was an expensive DUI dist. I have used heaps [ lost count ] of Chinese HEIs here & have never had a failure. They are well made.

And what do mean when you say you have never had one work 'right'?