Anybody else trouble with "Mag Look" Distributors?

I bought a car with a VERTEX "look alike" and had the horrors! Initially, the rotor got loose as it is mounted separate from the oil pump shaft (stupid design) so it got out of phase/time. I called the mfg. and talked with the head tech and got some help but not cured. After messing further, I called again and ended up buying a new module and rotor and changed it - with no results! I did manage to get the engine to fire and timed but would start only when it's warm - wtf? Another call and this time it was suggested some wiring mods and bingo! Now why couldn't this head tech tell me what he said the first time and saved me over $100 on parts (unnecessarily), phone calls and frustration? I hear the modules used are from Petronix but don't know for sure. It is suggested not to leave the ingition on too long as it'll burn the module if the engine isn't running - no more than 30 seconds.
If you want to know what the mods I did are, let me know. Looks cool but not worth the price & frustration - get the real deal!!!

 

Pertronix were asked how to fix it and might by now be doing the new internals but the set up I had was not Pertronix.

I actually talked to them about it because Pertronix actually contacted me when one of the guys saw something about the problems I was having.

They wanted to help but when the guy found out which intrernals I had he told me they could not do anything.

I actually switched out to Pertronix and love the set up.

The car runs so good now that I am actually going to give the six twos a try again. It should be easier when you don't have a Mag bug messing you up at the same time.

 

The older I get, the closer Yrars are coming to extinction. Used to use my ride to go to the drug store for condoms, now it is for depends.

 

Guys , just as an offer i would love the help. Ship er to me and lets have a look , maybe there is some good parts we can put in these things and make them work and be reliable?????

 

Years ago I ran one of the Joe Hunt units on an 8BA and it ran well. YMMV.

Doc.

 

Anybody else you a Joe Hunt mag-look? How do you like it?

 

anyone looking to sell one of there broken ones i want one for an engine display io have

 

Got a Joe hunt version in my 289 Ford. It took a bit to get it tuned in but it runs great. Can't wait to put a few miles on it and see what it will do. Seems to burn a lot cleaner than the old set up was running. I did wire a led in to the ignition side of my switch so it will show when I have it on. It says right in the directions do not leave the key on or it will burn the module.Very helpfull guys on the phone answered my questions directly and accurately.

 

I bought one 4 years ago and just tried it out last weekend. SMOKE. After some trouble shooting, i discovered that the ballast resistor was defective and did not limit the voltage to the "Mag Look" as it should have. I returned the unit along with the ballast resitor and Joe Hunt received it yesterday Feb,17th.

I have not heard back from then yet, as it has not been but a day. I need to allow them an appropriately reasonable time to investigate and report back their findings. I do not believe it was the unit itself, but the defective ballast resistor (included with the unit upon purchase) that was root cause for the failure.

I will report back the findings and what my outcome is as I have more information. It's been 4 years and it will be interesting to see if I too will be the owner of a wall hanger, or if they will return it ready for me to try it again with a properly performing ballast resistor?

Regards,
George

 

It`s time for some good news on these units. Bought mine 6 years ago and initially burned the module....called Joe Hunt/ Vertex people and they said must run with a resister. I installed resister and it works like a champ....starts quick and never hiccups ever.

 

I ran a Joe Hunt unit on my 392. It worked fine for a number of years. One night I got stuck in very heavy traffic on the way to a show. On the way home the car developed a problem after a few miles(Bad misfire and hardly running at low revs) which cleared after a while. From that time on I was plagued with this problem, always as the car made the transition from cold to hot. One day it go so bad I realised it was an ignition problem rather than fuel. I had new internals sent over from Joe Hunt. The internals on mine were Mallory but they told me that they had gone over to Pertronix for more reliability.
My belief was that the problem was caused by excessive heat on the night that I first got stuck in traffic...there is no cooling air running through those mag bodies.