My 92 Nissan stanza is overheating, what can cause this?

Hello, this is likely a problem that could have multiple causes. Your initial overheating could be caused by a sticking thermostat, a water pump concern, a radiator flow concern, a cooling fan issue, or any combination of those concerns. Because you had an overheating situation which causes the motor to want to turn off -- other damage from overheating may have occurred, including but not limited to an internal engine coolant leak such as from a damaged or warped cylinder head and or gasket. Thorough testing is needed to find out the severity of the issue and likely cause.