[hugger6933]

If it won't stay running, the timing is too far retarded and needs to be advanced to make it run on its own. If there is a problem in the box stopping it from firing you have done the first thing I would have done , wire it to bypass the box to see if it would fire. I would check the connections at the box and the ground wires for the box the only problems I have ever had out of MSD stuff was my wiring or connections.
Now as far as checking the timing the best thing is to start from scratch with a static time. Since you don't have a pointer it may be a little more difficult but still way doable. Take the #1 plug out and turn the motor[in direction of rotation, clockwise] and go until you come up upon the compression stroke one the #1 cyl. Some do this by putting their finger over the spark plug hole and wait for the compression to blow their finger off. Now since you don't have a tab, this might be where the complacation comes in. If you not 100% positive about it being the compression stroke pull the drivers side valve cover and watch the first two rocker arms. As you are approaching the TDC of the stroke, both of the valves will be closed and the pushrods will have a slight bit of slack in them. If they don't and you have one valve open you are 180 degrees out of phase.Now that you have the motor at TDC#1 take the dist. cap off and the rotor button end should be pointing to where the #1 wire terminal is on the cap. If so put the cap back on loosen the dist. hold down bolt turn on the key and rotate the dist at some point it should fire the loose #1 spark plug wire that has the plug in it you took out of the head earlier. As you rotate it it will fire at some point and that is where you should try starting from. If the motor turns slow and hard like turn the dist. counter clockwise, if it cranks over like it is not firing clockwise. That should help. Jim