Hey guys - Car is parked outside a friend's house essentially blocking his entire garage. Over a 52 mile round trip, the HOT temp warning went off right as I pulled into his garage (haphazardly as I thought a minor cooldown would suffice). The radiator was bone dry even though the reserve tank on the left was full. So I went ahead and filled up 2 gallons worth of coolant into the radiator. No luck. The issue is with starting the car. On a slight turn of the key, the generator light goes on. So far so good. On a full turn, the HOT temp warning light also comes up along with the STOP light. Any ideas on what the issue is?
No crank. The only noise you hear is the slight buzzing noise once the "generator" light goes on after turning the key. Other than that, no engine noise, no firing up, nothing. Flat line.
Start by jumping the solenoid. Your starter isn't doing anything so start by bypassing the key start.
Make sure it's all the way in park. Then try it in neutral. For starters. Do the headlights dim or show any sign of a load when you crank it?
Then I'd try to tap the starter with a hammer while you have your buddy hold the key in the start position.
Dohhh!!!! why didn't I think of what you are thinking of, neutral safety switch out??? What Joe said. Try and wiggle the shift lever back and forth a little while you are trying to start it also.
When you tap it and your under there make sure it's in PARK!! Put a tire under the side of the car while your under it. You probably don't have access to a real Jack stand.
Use a hammer. Sounds like it's jammed. Can you see your flywheel teeth or do you have the inspection cover on it. Check for bad teeth. But tap it and it might loosen it up.
Do this to make sure you don't just have a weak battery. Lights on then hit horn and turn the key. If it dies out then I'd say jump it.
Do you mean that the Hot warning light was on for the entire trip??:eek2: :eek2: I hate to say this, but the engine could be siezed solid!! Extremely overheated rotating parts tend to fuse to non rotating engine parts during cooldown.
No no no. Definitely not on the entire trip or the car would've burst into flames. Usually the side effect of the HOT warning light going on is coolant bursting out of the radiator.
Tom's right. When I re read this it does look like the hot light was on the whole time. When it went off it was because there was no water to transfer the heat to the sending unit. If it was showing hot for the whole 50 plus miles, it may have come to the same fate as a Vega wagon that I use to have in college. Idiot lights didn't work on that car and by the time that I could tell something was wrong the car was bucking a little (Sammy Hagar at full volume prevents the early warning sounds from reaching you). I made a nice aluminum anchor out of that motor! Try to turn the engine over by hand.
Once you get it home, go out and get yourself a nice set of good quality gauges. Auto meter or something similar. Don't get the pep boys 3 set. You want good big sweeping needles so you can see them easily.
Sorry Joe.:grin: It had to be suggested as a possibility though. Believe me, the thought of any Buick engine expiring in such fashion brings a tear to my eye.:ball:
