joe hunt distributor issue?

having an issue with my 53 merc breaking up and backfiring
over 3000 rpms... doesnt seem to be a fuel issue. running
a joe hunt distributor. does this system use a ballest resistor
and could this be an issue if one is used. or should i send
it back to joe hunt for an internal problem? any input appreciated.
distributor awful warm to the touch, actually to me seems hot.

 

The location, right next to the head, may be the "hot" issue...(***uming you are running a Flathead?) If you know of someone with a distrubitor setup machine, Sun, or Allen,.. Have it checked for points "floating" or "bouncing", at higher rpm. I don't recall if Ford products used a ballast resistor on 49-53 systems.

4TTRUK

 

There shouldn't be a ballast resistor inasmuch as a magneto doesn't use any external power source. That's what makes it a magneto-it generates it's own power to it's own coil. It's either the points or it's got a bad coil in it. If it's new, send it back. If it's got some age on it, send it to Bubba.

 

OP says it's a distributor....

 

Must use a ballast resistor with a Mallory dual point or similar.
One other thing you might wanna check is the regulator.
If it charges more than 14-15 volts, you will get it to break up on the higher rpm's.

.............................¨
Taildragger&fenderless

 

Boy, I sure muffed that! That's what "speed reading" will get ya. I saw "Joe Hunt" and went from there.

 

If its a Hunt mag look alike electronic distributor, then yes it needs a ballast resistor in like with the hot wire. Its says you need one in the included instructions, and there is one in the box it comes in. Or at least the one I have in my truck did.

 

yes it is a mag look alike. any idea why its breaking up over 3000 rpm? i am using
the ballast resistor, when cold runs great, have noticed the dist. itself is really
on the warm side toward hot. is this normal

 

I'd give them(Joe Hunt) a call, their tech line is pretty helpful. Are you sure that your timing is spot on for the advance they suggest? Think there was a suggested advance for my 289 ford.....cant remember off the top of my head. But I do remember it having to be spot on or it wouldn't run worth a sh@#.

 

thanks for your input, will call them monday morning , i know
where it is located is not helping, lot of engine heat i presume
is not good for it. thanks

 

I don't remember the problems that my son had initially with his Hunt distributor. but one call to hunt and it has performed flawless since.

 

You have 3 wires out of the plug. One oes though a ballast resister, one goes to 12 Volts, ans I think the ther goes to ground. Download diagram to be sure,

 

The mag look alike is somewhat problematic . They put the ignition coil inside and drill thru the iron core to drive the unit. Then they use ( sitting right on top of the coil) a pertronixs control module. You must run a ballast AND keep the plug gap down to prevent any high voltage from false triggering the module. The unit cant take long hits of high KV for sure....

 

Anyone having internal coil issues ? GMC Bubba makes a good point. Thought all coils were cooled with oil.

 

GOOD news just around the corner. I had the same problems with my Hemi powered Thunderbird with EFI. Sent back to Hunt for EFI upgrade Still not right , had not even go to the failure issue yet...Put MSD unit in all worked fine. I still wanted the Vertex..Hunt look so began a year project ,probably $15,000 later we now have fixed the issue, Hilborn will have inventory by May 1, 2015. will be in their display at LA Roaster Show in June, not cheap, but done right , can be used on carb application with MSD programable 6al box Contact Andy Star at Hilborn East Coast office or contact me for more info. Tomcurnow@aol.com

 

heat break down of one of the internal componets condenser, or a fuel problem when off the choke since you say its ok when cold

 

TO DATE WE HAVE CONVERTED QUITE A FEW OF THESE TO EXTERNAL COIL. EARLY VERSIONS USED MALLORY AND LATER UNITS USED PETRONIXS MODULES ETC. BOTH ARE OK CONTROLLERS BUT CANT RUN NEXT TO LOW RESISTANCE IGNITION COIL.
PRETTY SIMPLE TO DISCONNECT COIL AND ADD VERTEX EXTERNAL CONNECTION FOR SECONDARY WIRE. COIL COULD BE HIDDEN OR JUST PLACED ON FIREWALL....
IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE THE NEW FIX , CANT BEAT THE LOOK..

 

I just bought one from alkydigger. Dead out of the box. Wouldn't even shock me. Had power going in.....nothing out. Had to send it to Joe Hunt for testing. Waited patiently with no response. Called 5 times, 4 emails and nothing from Hunt. Alkydigger finally responded by forwarding an email from Hunt saying it ran fine 30 minutes and I had sent snotty emails they hadn't answered. So now Alkydigger has deep discounted the last one they have in stock and informed me I have to pay 20% restock fee on a part that wasn't working for me but mysteriously worked on the test bench at Hunt.

Sure wish I would have found your site before I spent $679 in a piece of junk the vendor has marked down to $499 now.

 

Seems like there's quite a few posts here on problems with these units - great idea, perhaps poorly executed.

 

A lot of complaints about Joe Hunt look alike magnetos. I don't know if they corrected the problem of the early units or they still have issues.

 

Bubba,
I have not run a mag look alike but I have heard the same thing about them. ^^^^^^^

I personally prefer an external coil unless I am running a real vertex mag. Even a stock GM HEI has heating problems that stem from the internal coil.

 

Have you worked on these Taylor/Vertex Distributers? I have one I'd like to use. It was in my buddy's roadster and I had it running for him and then it failed. I called Taylor about it and they said they were working on the problem but that was a couple of years ago. I haven't bothered with it since and this post got me thinking it'd be neat in my latest project. Wondering if I could ship it to you. PM me?

 

I know this is an old post, and BUBBA is gone (RIP) also that I should not have bought one of the Joe Hunt mag look distributors but I did (even after reading the negative posts). And guess what it failed (as most said it would) on the first day out so more fool me.

But I love the look and want to use it. Bubba indicated you can ADD VERTEX EXTERNAL CONNECTION FOR SECONDARY WIRE. I had read Bubbas post before purchasing and figured if it failed I could do as he says but now that has actually happened I can't figure it out.

I have searched here and on the Ford Barn but cant seem to find any information on the external connection and how to go about this. Can anyone help out with a description pic or a link to the parts required?

Thanks in advance HAMBers

 

are they just saying bring a wire out to a conventional coil?...hidden or otherwise..

 

Could be ................

In another of Bubbas posts he said .........."
The vertex style cap can be converted to a external coil wire with a part from vertex etc. ( veretex makes a external coil magneto)
Remove the coil wire ( cut off) and install a small bolt thru the terminal ( must be drilled) and wire up the external coil wire.

May not be what you had in mind but actually doesnt look that bad....."

I have been trying to identify the part from vertex that is required and how to actually do this but no luck so far.

And I don't understand this bit Remove the coil wire ( cut off) and install a small bolt thru the terminal ( must be drilled) and wire up the external coil wire.

Not sure if that means the high tension wire or something else - I thought it might make more sense to me if I could find the right parts.

 

Really no one can help with this - I know some of you guys put these in the category of fake breasts but some of us are of with those as well
No disrespect intended to any of the ladies on the forum.

 

I had 2 Hunt Magneto look alikes. Both JUNK. See the earier thread. If I remember back then the instructions said use a resister. Hunt guy on the phone said "don't use a resister" . Rod builder friend back in Wisconsin said Hunt H E I quit on customer in the middle of Lake Michigan. Sort of dead in the water wouldn't you say. He was pissed!

 

Lol,,,,I wouldn’t really cl***ify them as fake women’s anatomy,,,,more like fake male anatomy ,,,,Lol .

Tommy