we/me and the wife picked up a 99 Dakota extened cab 4x4 with a 5.2 in it..while driving it back it was bucking ,like a possible fuel problem..tank was close to 1/4..filled ity up to 3/4 tank..was still acting up..stomped it/while driving it to try to clean it out..acted better..but at a stop liked like it maybe was loading up on fuel..keeped the rpms at the next few stops at 900 to 1000 rpms and didn't have that problem..made it back home the CE came on..took it to advance autoparts..said it was a misfire on number 8 cylinder..So I did a complete tune up,plugs wires cap and rotter....ran fine till a day later we put gas in it and a block after the gas station it acted it again..the bucking surging..still no CE..anybody had this trouble on there Dakota?

 

this sounds like what I just went through,i never had a check engine light come on,turned out being the fuel pump,mine would buck and surge like your describing..ive read a lot of people get plugged catalytic converters as well

 

A going bad PCM/computer will do the same thing

 

Ok..talk to a friend of mine after I saw your replys..he has a 2 wheel drive Dakota that did the samething..he replaced sensors coil TPS and so on..still did it..then replaced the pcm and it was it..He gave a fuel pressure gauge with long line with it...said if it acted up and pressure drops,,,then its the pump..but if it stays at 50 psi then its the pcm...There no cat on my Dakota..Somebody eliminate the cat..added a flow master muffler with duels coming out the back..I did the test today with the fuel pressure gauge and it acted up again..pressure stayed at 50 psi,,tells me possible pcm is going bad..is there anything else that can cause this? or that's the 3 possible things,fuel pump,cat,and bad pcm..?

 

does the fuel pump hold pressure after turning key off?? that was my issue,pressure was actually in spec on mine,but, lost pressure 3 sec. after key turned off,basically the regulater in pump was shot,i think it wasn't a pressure issue,but,rather a volume issue while running,theres a whole host of other issues as well,what all has been done to your truck,has the distributer ever been moved?? hows the cylinder pressure check??

 

Like I said did a tune up plugs wires cap and rotter ..looks like the TPS been replaced..cat was eleminated ..Don't know what else was done to this truck..really need help..been causing fights with me and the wife..she don't want to dump tons of cash into it..she has no patient..I got a fuel pump on order..did throw the fuel gauge back on it..after I ran the truck..and shut it off pressure dropped down after 2-3 seconds.then after acouple of mins its was at 20 psi..heres the video of the cold startup..when its warmed up it starts wrightup fast..Going to pm you my phone number ,so I can talk to you if you mind?