I was driving down the highway when I noticed my temperature and oil pressure gauges started jumping around and sweeping back and forth. I started to pull off on the shoulder and the engine just shut off. Tried to restart it and just got a click from the starter which was just replaced a few weeks ago. Popped the hood and the radiator was cold and the fan could be spun freely by hand. Popped off the rad cap and the radiator was only about half full but there's still a decent amount of coolant in the reservoir. No sign of oil in the radiator or coolant on the dipstick or in the oil fill cap. Was worried the engine had seized but it wasn't really that hot and I was able to turn it at the crank bolt with a breaker bar with little resistance. Theres a heater hose joint over the alternator that looked pretty sketchy and there was a faint green tinge to the alternator casing but it was bone dry. Battery seems okay as the lights, wipers and stereo all ran fine. Let it sit for an hour or two and still no start so I had it towed out to the dealership where my dad works so they can look at it tomorrow. Anybody have any suggestions or experienced something like this before?

oh, its a 2.3L 5-speed

 

it is probably seized

you probable snapped the connecting rods

 

I think I'd have heard that. That's some pretty catastrophic damage right there....

Plus if i can turn it at the crank with a breaker bar then the starter should be able to spin the flywheel and turn the crank as well...

It didn't seem overheated either even though the radiator was cold and half empty. The temp gauge was hanging at the low end of normal like it always does until it started dancing around along with the other gauges about 30 seconds before it shut off. The engine was warm to the touch but not really that hot...

 

either that or your alternator has died

after my alternator was grounded out

the dash lights when dim and then the diagnostic lights came then the dial gauges went to zero

what does your dash lights do when turn the key on

 

Check engine, check oil, rear abs, actually i think pretty much all of them were on but not particularly dim. Still haven't heard from my dad so they must not have gotten to it today.

Alternator seems reasonable along with the battery cables. I know the cables were pretty sketchy looking and i had to redo the terminal on the starter ground wire when i replaced the starter recently. Plus the alternator was right below that heater hose joint that had a rotted clamp on it. Being as the alternator had a green haze over it perhaps the hose **** the coolant into the alternator and shorted it out and then the battery ran it long enough for it to have dried before i looked at it....

Heres a picture, you can see the rotted clamp on the hose right above the alt: