Ed,

The pickup coil is located inside the distributor... if you trace the two little wires that go in through the side of the distributor they will lead you to the pickup coil. The pickup coil senses the magnetic field on the rotating shaft of the distributor and turns it into little pulses of electricity that tell the ignition box to fire the coil.

However, your backfire may be indicative of another problem. I would suggest a timing issue or a really stretched timing chain, but then again, you said that the car runs fine when cold.

Did you horse it after putting in all your new parts? That could jump a tooth on an old, stretched timing chain.

Time to check the timing (as Doc mentioned earlier). Beg, borrow or buy a timing light and check it out.

Just for giggles, take off your new distributor cap and look carefully around the inside of it. You could have a carbon track or a small crack that would cause these problems.

-Mac

Thank you guys...

Will check the gap as Romeo advised... answering Mac, I did not horse my baby after replacing all the parts... what I did was moving the distributor a little bit, to "adjust" the timing... the problem is that I don't know how to do it, just turned it until the slant felt smooth... I am starting to believe that a big part of my problem has to do with the timing...

Sorry for being so annoying with my questions, you guys are great.

Ed

_________________
My other car is... another DUSTER!!! .·.

Your questions are not annoying; if we all didn't need help and/or want to help we wouldn't be here. You definitely need to get a timing light and learn how to use it so that you can begin to really diagnose your car's problems rather than guess what it might be. The symptoms you describe could be timing related but they could be any of a nymber of other things too. The only way to know about the timing is to put a light on it and get it set right.

_________________
David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

I second that! Keep asking questions!

I've owned slant-powered cars on & off for almost 30 years, swapped engines, transmissions, suspensions... But I still find this board and the people on it an invaluable resource.

Using a timing light is easy... once you do it the first time you'll be able to do it with your eyes closed. I think places like AutoZone may lend them out. If you do buy one, make sure you get one that hooks to the battery as well as the ignition, they provide a much brighter light and are easier to see the timing marks with. (Some of the cheapest ones only hook to the spark plug wire, and you almost have to work at night to use them!)

-Mac

Definitely get one with an inductive pickup... and please keep your eyes open; wouldn't want you to time the fan.

_________________
David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

defintiely sounds like the points, i had the same exact problem with my 71. its a little tricky doing the points with the dist. in the car, so id pull it out. just make sure you mark your rotor and put it all back in the same exact spot. shouldnt take you more then a few minutes... good luck!

_________________
"I don't like these seatbelts, they're too complicated." - my lovely girlfriend in reference to my 71 duster seatbelts

hi,
exwaynes etc, duster quite clearly says that his is an electronic system.
pretty hard to set the points on one of those. lol. but it definately sounds like it's either timing or spark related.

Rod.

I finally sort of solve my problem, I did not adjust the timing because I just don't know how, I learn fast, but I don't know why timing has been an issue for me. I am a timing-adjusting impaired guy.

Anyways, before taking my car to the shop to have the timing checked, I doubled checked the last things I performed on the engine, plugs, cables, dist., rotor, cap, filters, hoses, etc., everything was ok, and then I noticed a drop of gas falling from the bronze "valve-connector" (don't know the name of the piece) that links the carb with the fuel filter. Checked that and noticed that it was lose because it was overthigtened and there was big damage to the thread on the connector. I temporarily fixed it with tons of teflon tape sealant and the engine started to work great. It was a gas problem.

I just bought through eBay a NOS 1945 Holley carb, just like the one I have, but brand new. I can't wait to recieve it and install it.

Thanks all.

Ed

_________________
My other car is... another DUSTER!!! .·.