What could be the reason for the engine in your car to shut off while you were driving it?

Engine shutting off while driving

What year, make and model car? It could be a fuel pump failure (especially when it gets warm with EFI) causing lack of fuel to either injectors or carburetor, ignition module failing under heat, sensor(s) sending bad info to the computer, and on and on. Does it die suddenly, or sputter out? How far does it need to be driven before it occurs? Is it on hot days only, or anytime? What does it take to make it start running again?

It is a 1997 3800 v6 auto transmission. it started making a slight knocking noise at after being driven about 10 miles. the noise didnt occur again until the car was accelerated after being stopped at a stop light. it then made the noise alot louder and longer but when it reached about 25mph or so it stopped making the noise. but a few miles after that it started making the noise when i had my foot on the gas. then i went up a hill so i accelerated a little more to make it too the top and when i got too the top of the hill the engine died. i let it sit for a few minutes then tried to start it again but it wouldn't. NOTE: when vehicle was stopped at traffic light the needle on the oil gauge was towards the bottom of the gauge but when i accelerated it went back towards the middle

its a 1999 Honda civic lx once car warms up it shuts off but turn key off then on an it runs while driving its not on hot days