Can you adjust a stock fuel level gauge?
 

Hey guys,

Something new driving home from the rig. Got on the highway and was well on my way to blowing the doors off of a PSD when my truck surged and I seemed to loose all power. I let off the gas pedal and everything was fine. Pulled off at the next exit. Happened again at the stop light while getting up to speed. I initially thought it was my injector pump going out. I limped to a fuel station to check things out. I had to fill up so I did. I put 30.5 gallons in the tank (it was almost dry). Fuel gauge read just over a 1/4 tank before I pulled over. Didn't have the problem again on my 300+ mile trip home. So I was almost out of gas. I did lay waste to a different PSD, wish it was the first one though. Anyway....

The gauge has reached the red warning area in the recent past, so this is something new and abrupt.

Is there any way to adjust the fuel level gauge to indicate the fuel level properly???? Or do I need to start looking for a new sending unit.

You have a 36 gallon tank. The way the fuel canister is built keeps fuel available to the draw straw even if the rest of the fuel is sloshing around. The only adjustment would be to bend the sender float arm, not the best fix. The senders are famous for wearing out on the pivot point. There are instructions on different ways to modify them floating around the net. I just replace them.

Easiest fix is to fill up at half a tank.

Point was I have never been able to put more than 32 gallons in the tank before. Just wanted to make it clear that my gauge was not indicating the fuel level properly. For what it's worth my manual says I have a 34 gallon tank. But that is irrelevant, even if my tank was 36 gallons 4.5 gallons in the tank would not make the gauge indicate over a 1/4 of a tank.

That would be great but it is not always possible to do. I would prefer to fix the problem, not work around it. But thanks Anyway.

maybe you were sucking up some crap off the bottom of the tank.

if this were the case, I would have continued power reductions due to clogged filters. As stated in my original post there were no such problems.

Fuel is always picked from the bottom of the tank. Unless completely full, the top of the tank is just air.[laugh]

I got your point. Replace or fix your sending unit. Modern vehicles show less fuel on the lower side of the gauge than you really have by design. I just replaced my canister assy, I have 10 gallons in the tank when it shows 1/4. The low light comes on with 7 gallons. I've gone thru three senders now, I think my advice is good.

Dodge had a TSB out for the sending units on these trucks. cant remember exactly what years were covered but i know they were having a problem exactly like yours. showed 1/4 tank but was actually on E

You'll probably find that the problem will continue to get worse. I used to be able to run down till the light came on, then I'd put 30 gallons in. Then one day I ran it dry when the gauge showed 1/4. Over time, it got to the point that once I reached half, I needed to stop for fuel.

No adjustment on the sender, but you can swap it out for about $60-70 bucks.

Do you know if there is there a web site that you can look up TSB's or do I have to go to a dealer??

Mine is pretty, well shall we say, inadequate.

thanks for your help!!!


"No adjustment on the sender, but you can swap it out for about $60-70 bucks."

Thanks for the info aggiejustin!!!!

You can find TSBs here but I'm almost certain there was never one for the fuel sender http://dodgeram.info/tsb/index.html

There are a few fixes here though
http://dodgeram.org/tech/repair/fuel_sender/sender.htm
http://dodgeram.org/tech/repair/fuel...y_C-sender.htm
http://dodgeram.org/tech/repair/fuel...uel_sender.htm

Main thing is the dealer parts guy might try to tell you the sender isn't available by itself and you have to buy the entire module for $300.
This isn't true, sender is about $50 or you can buy an entire remanufactured module for $125.
I find it much easier to tilt the bed up rather than dropping the tank.

ya i looked it up it was a customer satisfaction notification # 704.
"Models: 1997 model year Dodge Ram (BR) trucks equipped with a 5.9 engine ("D" in the 8th VIN positon) built through August 20, 1996 (MDH 082011) at the Lago Alberto Assembly plant ("M" in the 11th VIN position)"

Hmm seems like most everything thing in these trucks were designed to fail early

I set my trip meter every time I fill up. I go 400 miles and fill again with 25 gals. When I bought it 3 yrs. ago it would go down to 1/4 tank at 400 miles. Now at 400 miles I still put in 25 gals. but the gauge shows over 1/2 a tank.