i just got off the highway exit on my way home and all the sudden the engine just shut off like it would if the governor would've been reached but i was only going 40 or so.. then the car started sputtering like shutting down continuously if i applied too much throttle. CEL came on and my temp gauge shot up real high. so once i got home i let the car sit for a little and popped the hood to make sure nothing was smoking or anything. turned the key on to see where the temp gauge was and it was normal but CEL was still on. took the car around the block with no more sputtering but then the temp gauge went back up again. any diagnosis?

 

Done any "engine work" lately, something that would have allowed an air bubble to get into the cooling system? That would explain the overheating. The ECU is designed to shut the engine power when the car starts to overheat.

 

put an intake on about 2 months ago. but nothing recent.

 

Once it cools, check to make sure the coolant level is not low (resevior dry, radiator low).

Did you get an oil change or other service recently, maybe somebody checked the coolant level and didn't tighten the radiator cap.

 

i got an oil change probably a month ago..

 

so i went and looked some more at the coolant. apparently something happened. coolant is on some of my hoses and pullies. and the rest is sitting on the bottom skid plate at the bottom. i wonder what caused all that.

 

Take it some where to have your coolant system pressure tested, to see if there is a leak in the system.

 

Just a footnote and trick to those who haven't tried this. If your temp shoots way up, crank your heater on full-bore, it'll at least evac some of the heat from the engine. I ran about fifteen miles with no coolant in one of my cars years ago and it never overheated. I did, of course, but the car didn't.
(And just in case anyone asks why I ran it when it was empty. I had t-boned a telephone pole, splitting the radiator in half.)

 

Check the cap on the radiator. Maybe the guy opened the cap and did not tighten completely and it is allowing pressure to escape. I would start the car (cold), open the cap and pour in fluid until full. Then tighten the cap. When the car is warm, open the bleeder to let out any air left in the system.

What is the CEL code that came up?