I have a 97 dakota 2wd. It will start and run and get to my destination, but when I come out of the store it won't stay started. It fires like it is going to start but it doesn't. If I pump the gas it will but as soon as I let off it dies. I am thinking there is slack in the timing chain and the tensioner is busted. Before I it breakdown I wanted to get every ones opinion. What do ya think?

 

When was your last tune up? Check engine light on? Might be TPS or IAC.

 

Last tune up was about 1 1/2 yrs ago. no engine light. Last time it acted like this it was the chain tensioner. I also thought it may be a bad distributor. What is TPS or IAC?

 

Throttle position sensor and Idle air control

 

Changed TPS at time of tune up, nothing with IAC yet.