temp warning light

[Guest gdiwicker]

Hey All,

The 'HOT' warning light is supposed to light when you turn the key a notch before turning the engine over, right? The 'COLD' light does come on when I start the car. 64 Riv

Ryan

[Jim Cannon]

HOT light should come on when cranking only (if engine is not overheating), not on the position before like you say. That is to check the bulb, to make sure the bulb is not blown out.

[Guest gdiwicker]

I switched bulbs and switched bulb housings. Unless I put the bulb and/or housing in wrong several times I have a short somewhere. It was working before I switched to the brighter bulbs you suggested. Weird that the OIL, and COLD work but the HOT doesn't.

[Jim Cannon]

I didn't put brighter bulbs in the idiot lights, just in the instrument panel lights.

The oil works when you put the key on and engine is not running yet. That's your bulb test.

The cold temp comes on in the morning when the engine is cold. That's your bulb test.

The hot light bulb test is while you are cranking. But if you want, you can unplug the wire from the temp switch and ground the wire for the hot lamp. It should come on with key on. If it does not, you are essentially without a hot engine indicator.

[jimtash]

My hot lamp indicator is doing the same thing. According to the manual, there's a ground wire that runs from the ignition switch to the lamp.

That's another possibility to check into.

[jimtash]

OK after working on it I found that the hot indicator lamp does come on when I ground it at either the sending unit or at the ignition switch. It still won't come on when cranking though.

But it's working properly by lighting up when grounded. So if the engine does overheat, it should trigger the light to come on.

Maybe yours is the same way? I'm interested to know.