gas gauge problems, Ram 1500

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Steve K - 25 Mar 2005 17:56 GMT

Aside from how fast it drops...

My gas gauge, after I fill the 25 gallon tank, stays above F for about
120 miles. Then in the next 280 miles the gauge drops like a lead
balloon. Why the heck can't Dodge make a reliable gauge?

Anyway, a week ago the gas gauge was on 1/8 of a tank. I ran out of gas
two miles later.

What the???

Is this normal or is my gauge messed up?

The first time I ran out of gas with this truck it was really on E.

Ram 1500, 4X4 318.

Thanks
Steve

Reply to this Message

Steve K - 25 Mar 2005 18:02 GMT

> Aside from how fast it drops...
>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> Thanks
> Steve

It's a 1999.

Reply to this Message

Carolina Watercraft Works, Inc. - 25 Mar 2005 18:16 GMT

Well, I know the sending units have been faulty on a
lot of trucks. But in my particular case, the actual float
came off the float arm and read empty all the time....after
it exhibited the problems you described. Best I could
deduce was the float was actually holding the arm up higher
than the actually fuel level was. Took it out, reattached it
and it operated normally for a while. I'm sure I'll have to
replace it eventually though. Yours may be in the same
boat as mine. Either way, you'll have to remove it to find out.

Signature

_________________________
Laszlo Almasi
Carolina Watercraft Works, Inc.

Don't you hate it when money beats out love?

>> Aside from how fast it drops...
>>
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>
> It's a 1999.

Reply to this Message

b.clausen - 25 Mar 2005 23:35 GMT

Every Chrysler product I have ever owned took forever to come down to the
full mark. My 2000 Cherokee takes about 65-70 miles, my 91 Sundance about 45
or so. I've never had one run out before Empty tho, so I am guessing you
have a float problem. The 120 miles on the Ram does sound high, I had a 97
1500 4x4, I think it only went about 40 - 50 miles before it came down to
the full mark, then dropped like a rock after the 3/4 mark, like all the
other Chryslers I've owned, my 94 Voyager was the worst.

Reply to this Message

HC - 31 Mar 2005 08:40 GMT

Hey, Steve, I dunno if this'll help but...

My '98 1500 360 auto that is now my father's truck has some weird
problems with the fuel gauge. He has called me a few times to tell me
the gauge is so low he's afraid he can't make it to town (he lives
about 8 miles outside a small town) and wants me to be on standby in
case he runs out of fuel. I had begun to suspect that someone was
siphoning gas from his tank until one day he was at my house and fired
it up and I watched the thing, after he'd told me he was almost out of
gas and didn't understand it because he'd had half a tank the day
before, start climbing after sitting near empty for several seconds.
It wound up climbing, over several moments, to almost a half a tank. I
have not troubleshooted the problem so I can't help you there. But I
can tell you you're not the only one with some odd fuel level problems.
FWIW.

Please let us know what you find to be the trouble with yours.

--HC

Reply to this Message