Water temperature and stalling out

[Rick Parker]

Starting issues could be the old school Ford type starter solenoid on the firewall if it is used but that would not affect drivability after warm up. You've got a heat induced open circuit in the primary ignition system, might even be in the fuse panel. But I would check inside the distributor.

[Ron61]

I agree with the heat causing the problem, but even if the distributor is bad, that shouldn't keep the motor from turning over. I would get a remote starter and run it where there is no traffic until it stops and then start using a VOM to check for voltage at the starter and other key points. The loose ground is sounding more and more like a possibility and seems to be one of the key causes of these cars having weird problems. It is possible the starter is shorting when hot, but I doubt that.

Ron

[mln385]

It maybe the heat from the headers killing the starter solenoid. Check all obvious connections for being loose first before thinking the worst. If this car has been running all along previous without issue it sounds more like a maintanence item.

[JEwalt]

My car did the same "cold start fine" / "hot start click".

Traced problem back to a burned out idiot light that was not tickling the voltage regulator to activate / charge battery.

My $.02

[Mr Jody]

I have heard of problems with a starter getting overheated by the exhaust manifold or header and not being able to turn the engine. In most any electrical conductor, increased temperature causes increased resistance. So if the starter gets too hot, the increased internal resistance will make it not pass enough current to turn the engine.

Or, perhaps the heat, now combined with some additional problem (high engine temp., loose connection etc.) may be just enough to cause the insufficient current to start the car when hot. You may want to just do a hand check of the starter for high temp if/when it happens again.

I don't recall hearing where this has been a common problem in Cobras, but in the close confines of some engine bays, it may be necessary to install some sort of shield between the header and starter.

A second thought: Have you checked the timing? When advanced too much, won't this put additional load on the starter? Since you are also having problems with operation at idle after the engine warms up, could it be that something is going on with the timing such that after the engine warms up, the advance function is not allowing the timing to return to normal idle advance, causing the problem to just feed on itself until stopped long enough for everything to cool back down? (I maybe grasping at straws, but just thinking out loud.)

[Texasdoc]

Electric or manual choke? Have you checked the choke adjustment and idle speed screws (if electric)?

[blown871]

... check fuel bowls when it stalls.

[CHANMADD]

Buy a new battery................

[Lou1119]

Originally Posted by CHANMADD

Buy a new battery................

I did and that seems to have cured it.

Thanks
Lou