Engine lost power and quit

[jeleuen]

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Any ideas as to cause of engine stopping. While driving at highway speeds, the instruments went to zero followed by the speedometer, then lights also failed, a few seconds later the engine lost power and stopped. This also happened three years ago, the mechanic thought the alternator was bad. He replaced the alternator twice, engine still stopped. Battery also replaced. Finally the mechanic taped or spliced wires around the ECM where all the fuses are. Problem fixed for 4 years. Today it happened again. Battery was discharged to the point the engine stopped. Again the tech today replaced the alternator and charged the battery. Upon starting engine, dash instruments still not registering. Anyway it is late in day, so spending the night in hotel. Drive shaft removed to tow vehicle, so could not stay in vehicle. The issue is electrical but seems not to be the alternator, but the battery does not get charged so engine stops. Maybe the tech will figure it out tomorrow AM, but if anyone has had similar issues or has a suggestion, would appreciate your ideas.

[bcope01]

May not be the same cause, but I had a MOPAR product back in the 1960s that had the same symptoms. Turned out it was a simple alternator transfer relay mounted on the firewall of the engine compartment. Good luck.

Bill

[Cathy]

We had almost the same thing happen last year, turned out a mouse got into the air filter and had a huge nest and acorns in there. We did have lights, tho.

[shilohdad]

We had a similar problem to Cathy's. However, our symptom was that we had no throttle control. Press the gas pedal and nothing happened. Had the MH towed to a repair shop. He also found a mouse had chewed the air filter and made a nest just outside the intake manifold. Interestingly, the computer readout said it was a brake problem!

[jeleuen]

Graduation trip interrupted but rv now repaired. Alternator failed and put out double or triple the volts which caused a breaker to fail. The breaker protected the entire electrical system so did its job, only a $10 part. With towing and repairs about $900 but hey, no one got hurt. And the repair shop in Ashland, Va was a gem.