Timing question

This is on my 545 Ford Powered IH, I think I'm 180 out.. Here's what happening.
cap and wires off, and key off turning motor with hand switch on solenoid. As it rolls past 180 out the coil sparks against its self. Also as I roll it around it sparks a couple of times when it gets to what I had as TDC it doesn't spark? I had it running quite well sounded like a monster and after a few minuets it quit and Its been given me fits not wanting to run with out bad back fires since? i don't remember changing the timing since it was running .. I did try and do a valve readjustment but had that off worse and have re done them again.. But if I'm off on my TDC there all set wrong I'm sure.. any way does it sound like its 180* out with it sparking at 180 out??
Thanks
Tim

Malory unilite With a MSD 6 .
Its strange.. I have the cap off no Distributor wire in the coil. It arc's about 10* before TDC on the crank what I have the distributor shows it about 180* out as I continue to roll it over it arcs maybe 3 or 4 times as it rolls around to the second TDC on the crank You would think it would spark again about 10* before TDC but nothing all the way to TDC and passed where #1 would be in the cap? Battery was getting weak so I've had to stop for the night. I'll see if I can count the arcs per rev of the dizzy to see if it is arcing 8 times might hook up coil distributor wire and hold it near ground to see spark in stead of letting it just arc out of the coil to ground.
Thanks
tim

did you say you are cranking it with the key off???

i would not expect to see any sparking then...

Key on, with a plug wire in the coil, and the plug body grounded to the engine you should see sparks pretty regular while cranking..

if it ran good at some point but now does not, then you are not 180 out...

you may have sheared the distributor gear pin, or as previously stated the pickup may be toast...

dkp

HI, Yes sparking with the key off.. I assume its getting power from the solenoid from the start wire. Its only got maybe 10 mins. on it but with all the HARD back firing I was having I'm afread I might have broken the pin on cam gear, but everything lines up with distributor and crank TDC. Such a pain to pull the cover.. I was hopping for something else.. I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and pull the front and vairfy my cam timing..
Thanks
Tim

If I were you I would start all over. Pull the dist. and check the pin in the gear. reinstall dist. making sure its on number 1. Back off all the rocker arms and re-adjust.
Oh ha......I would put in a MSD Dist. also.

You mentioned it was running good and then it quit. If you are getting spark with the key off, that may be due to the msd box and how its hooked up.
Verify your ignition and valve timing. Pull your number 1 spark plug, crank it till you hear air push out of the spark plug hole, check your timing mark, should be at tdc. If it's not, pull your valve cover and check your valve timing. Both valves should be closed at the end of the compression stroke and and your exhaust valve should start to open as you go past tdc. If valve timing is correct, your rotor should be at number one on you cap at tdc at end of compression stroke. if it's not, check your distributor gear roll pin. If all the above is good, try unhooking the msd box, and check for spark with just the distributor. Put a spark plug on your number 1 wire, ground the plug and see if it sparks. If no spark, possibly bad unilite module or bad coil. If you have a good spark, check your fuel, make sure it's not contaminated with water or make sure its not old stale fuel. Also, make sure you are running full 12v to your unilite or it will fail. If your ignition system has a resistor wire you should be okay, if not you may need to add a resistor.

In my response, it should have read make sure you do NOT have a full 12 volts to the unilte module.

Those Unilite modules are quite well known for having problems. I've had them just quit, and unless you carry a spare module and few tools to change it out, you are stuck on the side of the road.

In your case I believe you would be better off with a factory dura spark distributor . MSD offers a harness that will connect a duraspark distributor to their ignition box 6a or 7a for that matter .But if running that Mallory be sure as others have said to not have 12volts going to it .

I have had random sparks from an msd when I forgot to plug the pickup in.  So that might be something to check.  Maybe the wiring , the plug, or the pickup went bad.
Also, if the white points wire touches ground it , it will spark. So make sure its isolated from ground.

If Im reading what you are saying, with the cap off, ignition coil wire unplugged, it sparks at specific crank deg.    If thats the case, its tricking you.   If the cap is not on the distributor, and your timing light is not on #1 wire, there is nothing controlling spark timing .    What your getting is random trickery.

Check the pin in the drive gear on the Distributor.