I have been having alot of problems with my 1996 dakota 3.9 V6. In the past few months I have done the following:
Replaced crank shaft position sensor, replaced plugs, wires, coil, cap, and air filter. That stuff fixed some other issues, but now it is losing power and nearly stalling on acceleration. It only does it when you are getting in the throttle for the first time after cranking it. Usually I can just let off the throttle and get back into it and it takes off fine then. However, I have had to completely stop and pull over twice this week. It never actually stalls out though. After it gets going again, it doesn't act up any more. Any ideas what could be doing this?

 

my 1994 did the same thing i replaced the fuel pump and didn't solve it then i learned about the infumous plenum problem so i tacked it and did the plugs,wires,distrutor cap,rotor and it still does it but it is better maybe just needs to be rode hard and put away wet to cleanout the oil but u could look down ur T.B with a flashlight and if u see oil thats probly a good start

 

My '96 has pretty much the same problem. It would hesitate when first starting up for the day when I first went to accelerate, but, I let off the gas, about 2 seconds later, gave it some gas, and the problem was gone.
Had this problem before and after I did a tune up (oil change, plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor, air cleaner). A few weeks after the tune up, I gave it some throttle body cleaner (of course, my throttle body already looked pretty darn good...).
My truck went thru a period of time where it would do it every 2-3 days, but it hasn't done it for about a month or two.
If I were you, I'd just give 'er some throttle body cleaner, and maybe run some Seafoam engine treatment to clean the crud off your valves, and run some injector cleaner. (I haven't run the SeaFoam yet, but I hear its good stuff!)

You might want to check your throttle position sensor (TPS):
The TPS is located on the left of the throttle body (when facing to the front of the truck). As the picture shows, it is a 3-wire connector.
With the key ON (engine not running) check the output voltage (center terminal). At idle (throttle plates closed) voltage must be greater than 200 millivolts. At wide open thottle (WOT, self-explanitory) voltage *should be no more than* 4.8 volts. Voltage should increase smoothly as you open up the throttle (and decrease gradually as you close the throttle).

If the TPS readings are not within specifications, or do not increase/decrease smoothly, there is what is perhaps your problem.
I haven't done any of these tests, because, quite frankly, mine's not that bad, so I don't worry about it.
Let us know what you find out.

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Thanks for the tips. I think that all of the Seafoam stuff is good. I'm going to try that. I'll look into that TPS issue if it keeps it up.

Thanks again,

 

Did you ever fix the problem? I have a '96 with the 3.9 and it has the exact same problem. It has been doing it once in a while since I got it 4 1/2 years ago. Only now it happens all the time. Just wondered if the seafoam helped or if you found out what the real problem was.

 

Mine does the same thing and every sensor, filter, and intake seal are brand spankin new. I think it has something to do with the egr. It had the valve and everything but the transducer was gone. There were no vacuum lines hooked up to it at all. When I pulled the plenum, I hauled it into work and tore all apart. Then I put it in the parts washer and scrubbed every nook n cranny. Even ran brushes thru the intake runners. Got alot of oil and crud out. The thing looked brand new. I bought all new seals, and spread a thin coat of gasket maker on every gasket when I was placed it back on the engine. I milled a block off plate for the egr port on the rear side of the intake. Stamped out a soft copper gasket. Applied the same thin layer of gasket maker.

The issue got worse since the egr valve is removed but after a minute she runs just fine n dandy. If I do try to take off after starting it after sitting all night, she kind of bucks n sputters a lil bit upon accelerating. So I just let it sit and warm up for a second or two. I'm never really in any big hurry to get anywhere so it suits me just fine. I normally let what I am driving run for a couple seconds anyway to let the fluids get moving around before I take off.