MSD with Crane Optical Trigger, anything quirky?

[moneymanager]

My 74 has operated nicely for years with an MSD 6AL-2, a Crane optical trigger, and a Crane XR700 ignition module. On the advice of 304065 and others I have removed the XR700 box and am trying to get the car running with just the MSD and the Crane optical trigger. (Crane literature over the year has shown both setups but most people favor the simpler/cheaper route without the XR 700 box.)
So I've made the change but I now can't get the car to start. As best I can tell after three checks, my wiring is as Crane and MSD recommend. Any trick I'm missing? Anyone else using this setup have problems getting it going?

[wwest]

I would discard the optical trigger in favor of the (78?) OEM/factory magnetic pickup.

Electrical signal levels probably not compatible, square waves(optical) vs sine.(MSD peak detection).

Tried an optical trigger set-up many years ago it was to subject to oil misting.

[moneymanager]

Others have said that. I've never had misting in my several years of operation. Never heard of using the later mag pickup in an early distributor. Does it work?

[JohnJL]

I have a crane optical pickup in my distributor triggering a MSD6A. Nothing special there...grounds to the same point, red and white wires according to the MSD/Crane literature.

Do you see a spark on any of the wires? Do you get a signal to trigger your timing light?

[moneymanager]

Thanks. No signal to timing light.
Do you have a ballast resistor in the circuit?

[JohnJL]

No, i dont. I have the wiring diagram back at home, but I believe it was the same as the Crane and MSD literature.

How did you have both the 700 and the MSD hooked up before?

[moneymanager]

Just reread 6AL-2 literature. They say no ballast resistor. Pulled mine, made no difference.
700 and MSD were hooked together but difference was the xr700 box. It had 12v switched, a ground wire, a tach lead, a white lead to the MSD trigger line, and the three wire with molex connector to the optical trigger itself. When it came out, obviously the 12v switched and ground lines went away, and the three wire molex from the optical trigger was wired directly to switched 12v, ground, and the optical trigger signal wire. I checked with Crane re the color coding on the 700 optical trigger to get it right. I've got something wrong somewhere!