My '92 Dakota has the "shut down whenever it feels like problem" also.
I have to keep turning the key ON untill I hear the fuel pump come on.
Could be the first time, might be the 50th try. Ya just never know [:@].
MAP sensor has been replaced. Is it the fuel pump itself or another sensor
that fires-up the fuel pump when you turn the key on ??????

 

That is an interesting problem.
To jump to conclusions and suspect a bad pump right off the bat could very well cost you hundreds of dollars not needed to be spent... but deal with me here.
I know the fuel pump relay is controlled by the PCM (12V power comes from the ignition switch in ON and START, the PCM provides the ground to activate the relay). The relay is (should be) activated for a few seconds when the key is turned "ON" to pressurize the system.
My Grandpa's 1988 Plymouth Voyager was having a problem where it would not prime the system when first turning the key on (leading to few second cranking time before the engine started running on its own). It would not randomly die, however. I noticed it stopped doing this, and asked him, "So you replaced the fuel pump?" And he said, "Nope, I replaced the Throttle Position Sensor." I'm kinda puzzeled why the two would have anything in common, but, at least on his, it did.
You might consider rigging up something to, more or less, bypass the PCM activating the fuel pump relay and see if that solved the problem, and than troubleshoot from there. [&:]
Let us know what you find out.

 

dodgerules has some very good points there, Also you may want to check out the fuseable links directly under/behind the underhood power center, especially coming from the fuel pump relay and automatic shutof relay. Possiblythe EGR.. and few and far between I've seen mopars actually have "die at will" problems because of the $3 PCV valve! good luck!!!

 

Thanks guys. I'm still waiting to make a decision untill I can do the "key trick"
and get the codes. Had the batt. disconnected awhile back and it tells me that
I have to wait 50 key-starts before it will tell me anything.

I have found that if I slowly back off the gas when approaching a stop sign
instead of just removing my foot off the pedal in one quick motion, it has been
better. I have to watch the TACH and when coming to a complete stop at an
intersection, tap the gas if the idel trys to drop to zero & stall out.

It's an automatic in caseI didn't mention that before ??? Thank goodness I
only drive 5 1/2 mile trips on country roads most of the time !!!

 

Have you checked the fuel pressure? Mine was doing something like that and i ran some lucas fuel injector cleaner trough it and that solved the problem, plus only driving it 5 or so miles will let the engine build up carbon and not run right., so i could just need a good cleaning and blowing out.

 

I'll try that later today. I'm game to try a cheap fix anytime .

THANKS !!! I'll let ya know .

 

Well, 3 days have passed since the injector cleaner routine, and no trouble yet.
The same evening I did that, a guy came over and looked under the hood and
showed me where there were 2 or 3 O2 sencers. He grabbed and gave them
some pretty good pulls and twists. So which over the last 3 days have "fixed"
the problem. It's acted fine for a week at a time and then the prob. would start
again, in the past. So I still don't trust it (truck). Will keep everyone updated.

Again, THANKS

 

Well it died again finally Sat. night. Took about 25 key turns before I heard the fuel pump start. Truck started and went the rest of the way okay. "Key trick" still showing I don't have 50 key-starts yet, so
no code .

 

You misinterpreted this. Code 12 simply means "Direct battery input to PCM was disconnected within the last 50 Key-on cycles." If you disconnect the battery, and right after reconncting it and starting the engine, the PCM "sees" something wrong, it will throw a code, and you'll be able to retrieve it.
So.. in short, the PCM sees that theres nothing wrong. Of course, the PCM doesn't know everything, as you well know.

As far as coming to a stop and dying, try cleaning the IAC (idle air control) motor. It's located on the back of the throttle body. If that doesn't work, it could be the IAC that is causing the dying problem.

 

Fix-it guys found a bad manifold cencer. It was reading 20 degrees, but it was 80 degrees outside.
That explains (I think) why it ran fine in the winter. Now the only problem left is, if it fails to start or quits on me, I have to raise the hood and give the "plug" going to the computer a little tap untill I hear fuel being injected, then close the hood and I'm on my way again. Fix-it guy said he saw no corrosion. PLUG OR COMPUTER ???