Okay, glad it was just the sender, but not glad because it doesn't explain the behavior.

The occasional misfire you appear to be describing sounds like an injector sticking or something.

I would say that too but I have swapped the injector twice once with cylinder 5 and once with cylinder 3. Code stays p0301 can't find no intake leaks either. I smoked intake sprayed carb cleaner all around tried propane all around the intake changed the lower intake gasket and put new upper intake on it. Still same problem makes no sense to me got good compression got good spark got good fuel pressure. I'm missing something and it only effects the one cylinder pretty much just at idle only. Thanks for all ideas anyone has because I'm running out of new ones on my own.

This thread has been going on for a while: Did we already establish that it has good fuel pressure?

Yes and it holds pressure very well even with engine off and switch on
drove it church today and got called back in to work so I drove it to work and it has run perfect today. No miss that I can tell at all today.

So . . . hopefully it stays that way . . . ?

Probably not it comes and goes been happening more often then not in the last 6 months though. Been worrying with thing a long time

This has been very educational. I admire your desire to keep searching for the root cause of the problem. You have done some very detailed work and I have never seen this type of extensive troubleshooting. Very good work and please keep us updated on this project.

Was on call at the job all last week didn't have time to do much but of course it came back the dreaded p0301 so today I bought new plug

it didn't help.
when it'* in its mood to skip it seems to clear up when rpms reach about 1000 rpms at normal idle between misses in park it idles around 700 rpm in drive it drops to around 650 with it missing it bounces from around 590 to 700 in drive
everything in me says vacuum leak but with new lower intake gaskets and new upper intake and gasket new injector o rings then smoking intake sprayed intake with carb cleaner propane and just listening with a hose I cant locate a vacuum leak.
what in the world am I missing lol

Sorry to read about the return of the code and drive ability issue. When running it’* best, my 3800 in a 2001 P.A. has a vacuum of 20.2 inches of vacuum at idle. The needle on the gauge is steady with little to no variation. I am taking my reading at the vacuum line that goes to the fuel pressure regulator. I am supplying this info in case that you desire to do a comparison on your engine. I realize that this is a very basic test compared to other tests that you have done but sometimes it is OK to go back to the basics.

Thank you for that for a comparision I will check it as soon as I can, also I wonder what is a good idle with engine warm in park and at idle.
My dad could tell more about a engine with a vacuum gauge then most could with a high end scan tool. Wish he was still with us.