Engine shutting off when I hit 30 MPH or so

Hello everybody.


So, this morning, I start my car, and everything was fine for a while.


After stopping on one of the 20 or so traffic lights I go thorugh on my way to the office, I notice that the car does not seem to be accelerating that well. It gets to 40-45 eventually, but not as fast as it normally would.


I stop to get something to eat, and when I put the car in idle before shutting off the engine, the engine shuts off by itself. I've had this happen to me before a few years ago, and it turned out to only be a broken exhaust system hose, which after a $45 fix, stopped happening.


I start the engine again after eating, only this time, after I reach 30 MPH or thereabouts, the car shuts down.

When I bring the car to a complete stop and try to start the engine again, I hear a "disengaged" crank, and the engine does not start.


I keep trying to start the engine, and over the course of the next few minutes, the cranking starts sounding more and more 'engaged' during every start attempt, until the engine starts again, and I can drive again - as long as I do not go over 30 MPH or thereabouts.


I wanted to check and see if anybody here has had something like this happen before, or has any idea what this could be.


Car is a 2002 Ford Escort ZX-2.


Thank you.