Dodge Repair: 96 Ram: engine issues,

Question
QUESTION: Hey i just bought a dodge 1500 1996 with a 318 it has almost 280k on the motor any ways it won't go over 3000rpms and some times it just stalls do u know what could be wrong

ANSWER: Hi Shawn,
Try to get a fault code readout of the engine controller by using the ignition switch: "on-off-on-off-on and leave on" doing that in 5 seconds or less elapsed time. Then watch the check engine light, which remains 'on', to then see it begin to flash, pause, flash, etc. Count the number of flashes before each pause. Then repeat the process to be sure of an accurate set of flash counts. Then let me know the counts in the order of appearance and we'll go from there.
Just before it stalls what has the engine been doing: slowing down, accelerating, running at a steady speed, idling, or?
Roland

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: It flashes 19 times and when im slowing down it stalls

Answer
Hi Shawn,
Do the flash counts again, but notice that there are pauses between some of the flashes, so I need to know how many flashes there are between each of the pauses. You will see 19 flashes in total, but broken up into flash numbers between one and nine, altogether a total of 19. Do it a couple of times to be sure to get an accurate set of counts. Those group numbers are then paired to give the fault code number and each of the numbers tells us what might be wrong with the engine. The last two groups always have 5 counts in each, when paired is the number 55, and that is the code that means 'end of code readout'. So the first nine flashes have a at least one pause, or there might be three pauses before you see the 5 and 5.
The stalling when slowing down may be because the exhaust gas recirculation valve (egr) is gummed up. I'll tell you how to find it and fix that quickly after you tell me the flash counts.
Roland