Can anyone tell me why the "hot" light comes on and won't let the engine start (seems only to happen in city driving).

I recently purchased a 1967 cutlass supreme convertible... Appreciate any pointers or how to start a new thread -thanks a lot...

 

Welcome to the site, I moved your post to its own thread. The hot light has nothing to do with whether the engine will start. Can you give us more info on when the hot light is coming on?

 

Thanks so much!!! If I drive around in the city turn off the engine to buy gas for example then try to turn the engine back on the hot light is on and the engine won't start. The "HOT" light comes on when I try to start the engine. Never happens on a cold start, just happens once engine is warm and have been city driving...

I have to wait half an hour to an hour before restarting and the "HOT" light doesn't come on at all, not even when re-starting after cooling off period of an hour or so.

Alternatively, when I drive on the highway I can be driving for 20-30 miles, pull over, stop the car turn, off the engine and the engine restarts immediately...

I'm wondering if there is something I can disconnect or just replace that will bypass this problem that seems to be temperature based.

Otherwise the car seems to drive fine...

 

We need just a bit more info before we can offer suggestions. It is normal for the Temp (Hot) and Oil Pressure Lights to come on when you turn the key to Run, and then they go out after you start the car. When you say the car won't start, is it dead, or will it crank but not fire?

 

Thanks...

It won't crank or fire. (when driving in the city typically at lower speeds than the highway). I turn the key all the way and car is silent, the "hot" light comes on until I let go of the key. If I wait 45mins or so, it then cranks, fires and runs as if nothing happened. So my best guess is something is getting too hot and preventing the starter from starting up the engine.

Seems like a small but frustrating problem - especially not knowing if I'll be able to start up again after making a brief stop or errand. Wondering what simple thing is causing this annoying unreliability for such a fun car...


Unfortunately, I'm a novice with this stuff - I can fix basic things but I don't like to take chances on stuff I'm unfamiliar with as I don't want to make things worse by tinkering and possibly ruining something else in the process.

I just want to continue to replace trim and restore the car to as good a condition as I can justify- seeing as this is a fun car to enjoy and let people see something unique in the area... Not a lot of classic cars in this part of the city of Vancouver sadly...

Any help is very much appreciated - Thanks

 

Clean all your battery, horn relay post, grounds, and starter connections, including the engine ground cable. Make sure they are tight with no frayed wires of loose/corroded cable lugs. What your are suffering from is called heat soak and has nothing to do with your temp light.

 

Ok, great - so heat is slightly moving metal and contacts and causing the problem... Thanks, I'll start hunting around for poor connections...

 

It could also be that your starter is in need of a rebuild/replacement if after cleaning all the connections the problem persists.

 

I had a similar problem on a 68. It was the positive cable had wear/corrosion area worn about 1/2 through near the starter. Replaced the cable and was fine. something to check.

 

Thanks, that may save a lot of time chasing down the problem, maybe time to remove and replace the starter and power wire connecting to it... Thanks again!!!