common problem with these engines seen many times, as long as you hear the fuel pump when you turn the igniton on, than it is definatly the pick up coil ( the plastic piece under the cap and rotor, (has a wire coming off it with a round plug) replace this before you try the pump (alot easier and cheaper than the pump) remove the cap and rotor and it is right under the rotor, round plastic piece

let us know what you find out!!

 

It is possible for a sensor to be bad and not turn on the light. On that year truck, you don't need a code scanner.
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/general-tech/8717-service-engine-codes-for-obd-engines.html

 

The only codes I got were P300 codes which indicated misfire. Let us know how it plays out. My brother-n-law's 95 dakota just quit all the sudden. Coil pack

These sudden stops are usually Crank sensor, Coil pack or fuel filter and or pump.

 

I might be wrong, but I think you need a code reader to read pending codes, the codes that havn't set off the engine light yet. Cycling the key only displays codes when the check engine light has been on.

 

can anyone confirm that fireman is correct?

also i have checked the fuel pressure and it seems to be fine. so i dont think its the fuel pump.

i did replace the pickup coil when i put the new rotor cap and spark plug wires on.

here is a link to a video i took of my truck running like ****

Running

 

it sounds to me like a vacuum leak in the video, but it could just be some distortion...

 

I cannot confirm or deny what fireman said but lets slow down just a second here. Your original post stated that all was well until you removed valve covers. the problem you are describing resembles an electrical short more than anything else.

I would strongly suggest that you look at wiring in the neighborhood of the valve covers, or that would have been jiggled when you removed the valve covers.

Did you test the Crank sensor?

from the video the whole thing sounds like about 5 bearings squealing so I wouldnt venture to guess anything from the video.

Much as we all like to think that time and wear and tear are the culprits of our demons under the hood, more often than not it is caused by something we have done.

 

to let everyone knows who helped me on this. It ended up being an O2 sensor.

 

I've read a pending code without the code reader.
The light never actually went on and I pulled a code on it.
It does work.