Anyone have some experience with this??? After having 2 outtings at the racetrack be plagued with ignition problems I got frustrated and "borrowed" a Vertex from another project of mine and tossed it in my car. In any event it works pretty good with one exception - it doesn't like starting HOT. Fresh battery (seems to crank over fast enough) - BIG battery cables - motor IS well grounded - plug gap .018-.019" - platnium plugs (less voltage to fire them) - motor's a mild 392 hemi - tunnel ram - with 2 holley 450's (vac sec - reo pumps). Fires up GREAT cold or even a LITTLE warm, but drive somewhere and get her hot and try to restart a few minutes later - she just doesn't want to fire and with the high capacity accelerator pumps can easily become flooded. What am I missing???? Any TIPS????? - I'm ALL EARS !!!!!! BTW the factory points distributor DID NOT have this problem. I may very well swap this out for something else but can't help but think I am MISSING something simple. BTW when cranking I do crank the motor for a few seconds BEFORE turning the MAG on. That seemed to help, but BARELY.
In my experience, you do have to get it spinning before you fire it, especially if there's no advance curve in the mag. Will it just keep spinning after you switch on the mag or is it hitting back against the spark? Something way back in my brain says I've heard a mag will get weak with age (could be BS) but if it acts like there's no spark, maybe the output is weak at low RPM? How about the point setting? I never had a problem with one - but they were new right out of Ronco - just some stuff to think about.
If the timing is overly advanced it will make it hard to start hot. I guess you set it with the mag the same as if it were a distributor, maybe you just need to tweak it a little
Magnetos make stronger sparks as they turn faster. Your hot start problem is probably an example of why they are not used on many production cars. I suppose you could note that aircraft (almost all use magnetos) have different start procedures for hot vs. cold starts.
If everything else is OK and setup right....... Hot starting troubles are usually a result of an old coil leaking ... Good news is the new coils are not leak proof but way loooooots better and higher amp..... When you get the mag done try having them set the impulse at 700-800 and the total neared what you want that way your starting on just a few degrees static timing and the whole mess works better........ My last race car would idle at 550 on the mag and run at 6500rpm Always started......kindda messed with folks that it would
I run one on my small block chev., thats in my 32 PU. It has worked very well for over two years. I have a cut out switch for it, and I always roll it over till oil pressure comes up then turn it on and it always fires ,hot or cold,--TV
I run a Vetex on the street and its far better than the battery ignition that was previously on it. It starts and run better when cold and is spot on when hot. I think you may have answered your own question. It sounds to me that the windings are starting to break down in the mag, common problem in mags that have been sitting around. As a band aid fix try reducing the plug gap to .012''-.015''. A rebuild is differently on the cards.
Ahhhh.....uuuuhhhh....ummmmm......nope! I just checked them...........they are RESISTOR PLUGS which I WASN'T even aware of!!!!!!! My race plugs measured well I couldn't measure any resistance. These measure 4.9K !!!!!!!!! I will swap plugs and see if that helps. Thanks for the post!!!!
As mentioned before I HAD resistor plugs in it (I didn't even realize)..... As for the condition of the MAG itself......I did a "bench test" before installing it - first off it LOOKS perfect inside - points looks new as does everything else. I also rigged it up to a plug and spun it over (slowly - by hand) and it sparked the plug with a nice blue spark. How else (short of sending it out) would I test it to determine it's condtion/output. I thought of rigging up a spark plug to make an adjustable gap on it - just for test purposes. FWIW - this mag has 25 degrees of mechanical advance and I presently have 10 degrees initial. 35 total is alot for an early hemi, but other than my present hot start problem it seems fine. I could try LESS initial , but it doesn't seem to me that a few degrees would matter (or am I in for another LESSON here) BTW once started it WILL idle WAY down - not sure exactly how much yet as I don't have the TACH working yet. I got one of those Signal Converters but have yet to try it. They (singal converter people) reccomend RESISTOR WIRES - where VERTEX reccomends solid - I have solid on there now. FWIW once running it seems fine, but I haven't got that many miles on the MAG to really say that with conviction! Clearly I need to check a few things out....magnetos are NEW to me - and I am learning as I go. THANKS for your post!!
In addition to the above....they are like a generator in that they don't make a lot of spark at low rpm's. Their output increases exponentially with rpm.
Well, I fired it up today with a set of Autolite Race Plugs non resistor of course - not sure if they're what I really want to run but they were on the shelf so I tried them - hot start problem - GONE!!!! I made a few blasts down the freeway -(maybe a side street or two as well) it hasn't run this good in years. Now if I can get that darned pushbutton trans to shift decent I'd be set!! Thanks to all for your comments!!! I don't know if it's 100 percent but it's definitely 100 percent BETTER than it was. THANKS!!!!
not to hijack this thread,but i saw a thing on "hot rod tv" today about those Vertex Magnetos that are actually HEI but look like Mags....anyone use one of those? i was thinking about getting one for my chevy when i switch over to a 3x2 because regular HEIs dont clear the back carb, and if i dont have to swap out to points and a HEI mag LOOKS cooler,i'd go with that..anyone ever seen these?thanx creepy
I talked to the Taylor/Vertex rep at a show last month, and asked about that specific unit. He told me that it's all done by 5000-5500 rpm, and that you have to run an external box (MSD etc) with it. He said the only time he would suggest it would be if you wanted the rev limiters of a MSD unit, otherwise, just run a real magneto. He said they work better, are more reliable, are easier to repair and less expensive. He basically told me why NOT to buy his product... I listened!
..i thought newer camaros didnt have dizzies, they just had those coils at the plugs?..oh well creepy
i have an joe hunt magneto for olds rocket that i will run on this engine that will go into my 1928 pickup. quite longtime untill i'll get that on the road but i do got all the parts needed basicly , atleast for the engine /daemon
Hey your intake is backwards. I am looking for a Magneto for my 324 olds. Anyone know of any laying around? Eric
ohh noo im running the engine backwards for frontwheeldrive, so its supposed to be like that... yes i know i don't even have the engine home yet that is just a mock up picture, i just bought it it's still in the states
I am putting together a 283 and I have a Pounden mag. Is setup pretty much the same as the Vertex? What I mean is plug gaps, solid wires and plug type? I wouldn't think that a Wico would act differently but you guys know far more about magnetos than I do. Thanks
You will only be happy if you get a Mag with an advance built into it. It's worth the extra money. I have run both styles and both are Vertex. If you want good starting and ease of driving go with the advance, solid core wires and a hotter plug. Non advance ones will piss you off when it doesn't start or you can't time it to full advance for maximum performance. Tim
Guys, this is a 5 year old thread that has already been answered/solved...why are you giving advice?...
NEVER had a problem with one on radical BBC. One button to get motor spinning and a switch to "unground" (the only actual way to stop a mag is by grounding it). Old Sprint Car guys can test it and ONE amp is plenty. Remember most don't have advance systems and full advance must be set, not initial. OR you can get a Joe Hunt Vertex mag that is actually an HEI in disguise for virtually any engine. Speedway Motors is one seller. My mag always sounded like it was going to die at idle (1000 rpm) but never did, and when you hit to Go Pedal, hang on. Use 'spiro core' wires or just solid ones if you aren't worried about feed-back to radio or other electrics. If you haven't found out yet, mag 'points' are VERY expensive.
I run a Spaulding on a GMC 248 and have for years. I do send it up to the Joe Hunt shop in Rancho Cordova every three or so years for a "tune-up" and it comes back looking like new every time. They do have a website too. They will work on any type of magneto and are very experienced. Normbc9
I have a Vertex with an advance for my 32, Tempted to run it with solid wires if it will mess up cell phones at stop lights etc. Ago
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