'90 Dakota sputters after sitting

[bfreb]

I have a 1990 Dakota 3.9 V8. Recently I had to replace the radiator so it sat without running for about 2 weeks. I started it up, filled her with gas (the tank had been below half tank during the sitting period), and drove on the freeway for about 100 miles with no problems. Pulled into my house, shut it off, got up the next morning, and it will barely idle. It sputters and surges and sometimes dies, but puts up a fight before doing so. I took it around the block like this and its impossible to drive. I have never replaced the fuel filter while I've had this truck (about 5 years), and never touched the fuel pump. What are you guys betting on that is causing this? Thanks for any help!

[chris426]

thats a tough one check your fuel pressure and let me know what thats like and is it throwing the check engine light if it is what codes. and it cant be a v8 if it is a 3.9

[bfreb]

Sorry it took so long to reply. Yes, that was a typo and its supposed to be 3.9L v6. I don't have the tools to do a fuel pressure test. In regards to the fuel pump, when I turn the ignition to ON, sometimes I can hear a buzz from the in-tank pump for about 1 second, other times I don't hear anything. Last time I had the truck running, I tried squeezing the the fuel line right before the fuel filter and found I could quite easily squeeze it completely shut, I don't know if thats normal or not. The car doesn't report any error codes either. Thanks for your reply.

[wayneo69]

if it has a fuel filter change it you may have gottin some bad gas and it could have alot of water sitting in the bottom of the tank