Have a 97 dodge dakota 5 speed base 3.9L. Yesterday was driving it and switched gears and noticed no power. Thought i jumped to a higher gear so shifted it down to second and still no power. Then the back end was like bumping almost like seizing and then it would cathc, then seize and catch. Then when i stopped at a light it rolled and worked fine through all my gears. Then worked fine next time i drove it. This morning same thing happened only when it started shudderin i could hear my engine start to drope in idle almost like it was guna stall out. But i kept it running by disengaging and depressing the clutch. Am i wrong to think the problem may be in the rear differential? I noticed a leak coming around the rubber plug for a while, is it possible that a loss of fluid could cause this?

 

Hard to tell by not being there but look into the Crankshaft Position Sensor. Had this happen on my 98. It is on the bell housing on passenger side. This has to do with spark. Noise in rear could be just from accelerating under power and then losing power and vice-versa.