aaronmayhem

So I was looking around on this forum and it seems its full of people who know alot about this. I am more of an old school type of mechanic. Used to all these old engines with minimal electronics so I am ok with saying I well in over my head but too poor to take this thing to the shop.

Ok so the story of this car. This was my roommates car and a couple weeks ago the battery was stolen out of it and they of course cut the wires when they took it.
My roommates BF hooked up the wires (horribly) and since the car didnt start he push started it himself and tried to drive it cross country.

I know all of you are like WTF and really. This is a true story.

So it broke 200 miles away from me. My roommate mentioned just letting the state tow it and let it go. Ok so a free honda civic! hell yea I jumped o top of it.

{ok dont know why it didnt post the whole thing}

So I get there and first start out with throwing new battery cables on it and hooking up the jumper cables.
Cross my fingers and click
OK so I check all my connections and fuses. All good.
So on after breaking my only socket that I had with me on trying to change the alternator I decide to just push start it and get it into town at least. Town being 15 mins away.

So After a few attempts we get it started and I drive it for about two minutes then
The sms light comes on
then a few other lights come on
then my rpm and mph guage stop working
then finally the whole engine dies a 30 seconds later

Ok so now I am lost.
I read up on a few things and people tell me it could be the alternator, or the ecu, or the eld.

So I figured I might pose this to the forum before heading back up there and just randomly buying things and wasting my money.

What do you think?