So I bought a '87 pickup with a 22r, Weber 32/36, and the rubber plug desmog method.
It ran when I bought it a few weeks ago but only with jumper cables hooked up, I thought it was just a dead battery but I found broken wires, shorted wires, plugs hooked to nothing, etc along the way.
After doing all my major gaskets, timing chain, proper desmog w/LCE plates, manual choke conversion; it was finally time to fire it up but I wasn't getting any spark with the stock ignition

I've spent days studying the wiring diagrams and tracing my harnesses to check the grounds, to check for shorts, and correct all the problems and tampering I could find from the POs. I found a lot of problems to say the least.

Because of the desmog, I assumed the Emission computer was interfering with the stock system so the MSD system (6a, Blaster 2 coil, and tach adapter) seemed like a safe upgrade. I also replaced the magnetic pickup and set the air gap at this time; the cap, rotor, plugs, and wires are new by PO.
The stock coils tested within range but the shielded wire to the magnetic pickup had been tampered with. And since there's no easy way to check the factory igniter and the cost to replace it was only a few $$ short of the MSD system it only made sense to upgrade instead of replace.

Other notes: the ignition switch is newish and is sending power properly; and the clutch cancel switch was tampered with so I cleaned up the wiring and shorted it to eliminate problems. The MSD 6a is keyed switch wire is connected to the Black-Red wire for the stock igniter.

Still no spark while cranking. Using the MSD method to jump the green and violet wires it will spark going to the distributor but it seems to not register the signal from the magnetic pickup in the distributor. I know my distributor timing isn't exactly right but it should be close enough to be sparking.

Does anyone have any experience with this set up or any ideas?
If you have any questions please ask?
Thanks!

Pic for attention

 

Post in the 86 to 95 truck subforum. More traffic.

Sick truck.
I know nothing abt msds but i have one in a ford

 

Thanks but this can be deleted, got it figured out.

Everything was hooked up right but my "new" pick up coil from Rock auto was defective; put the old one back in and its running perfect