jefe here.
The fuel gauge on my '01.5 started to not drop as fast on a recent vacation trip. Up till then, it read very accurately, me thinks. It read an eight of a tank, and the digital readout DTE said I had 77 miles to empty when we went DEAD PEDAL going south on I-5 in WA. My low fuel pressure idiot light came on when we ran out of #2, but it was too late. It was a long day having the 10,000 pound truck and camper towed to a nearby dealer and waiting for the diagnosis. That was kind of fun. A mechanic just knocked on the plastic fuel tank and announced that we had no fuel. He then poured in 10 gallons, bled the system and it started right up. We then filled the tank at a station down the street and it took 24 gallons. Hm? Let's see. 10 gallons, plus 24 gallons equals the capacity of the tank. Yep, we were out of fuel.
Since the gauge and readout said we had fuel, I believed them. What a sucker!
So, has anyone else had this problem and what did you do about it? Also, are those two gauges in cahoots? Does one read off the other?
I'm hoping it's just a matter of replacing Dodge's $2.00 fuel gauge.
What say Ye? A recent camping trip to the Eastern Sierra.

regards, as always, jefe

 

Possibly float got a hole in it and filled with fuel. That's my guess...

 

If the float filled it would show empty. No floaty. More likely float sticking. Pretty common. New sender is pretty easy fix. New float while you're at it ain't a bad idea.

 

Mine is doing the same thing, and from what I read on here it is just 1 more thing these trucks have problems with. Mine was dead on for years and then one day while I was on a long trip I thought to myself" I am getting great mileage today". Problem was that the guage was very slow moving and looking at the miles I drove and the miles to empty would have takin me over 900 miles. I thought I better stop and get some fuel. At 1/2 showing on the guage it took almost a full tank of fuel. I have been told its the sending unit and the easiest way to get to it is to lift the box/bed.

 

I always go off total miles driven, not the overhead.

Mine will show 50 miles to empty and there is still 7-8 gallons in it.

You shouldn't run it much past quarter tank though or your vp44 may get hot, its cooled by bypass fuel, more reserve,more cooling.

Your sender could be going out. A common cause according to many is filling with the high volume big rig pumps, which wash the fuel over the sender, stupidly placed around the fill hose!!

I'd recommend keeping track of mileage over the gauge or the overhead to save headaches in the future.

 

Yep, repaired many of these. Pretty easy to pull the bolts on the left side of the bed, loosen the right side a good bit, and lift the front corner. Then it's easy to access the unit. The connectors take a funky little tool sometimes but should only need a squeeze to release and a hard pull. Sending unit and floats are repairable and available , ******* will try to sell you the whole unit!

 

where are you guys buying the sending unit? only place i can find one out here is at the dodge dealership, and they only sell the sending unit, and a in tank lift pump.

total for that is upwards of $350.... YIKES!!!!

what i do is use my trip counter once i get 400 miles i know its time to fill up

 

Like usual, you have to do the work FOR the Dealership monkeys.

Check on part number 4897669AB you can get it for under 50 bucks still from mopar parts america.

Part Number MSRP Price
4897669AB $68.45 $49.26
Electrical - Chassis electrical - Senders - Fuel gauge sending unit
Fuel gauge sending unit, all models, gas engine, all, 35 gallon 2000 - 2002

 

Yep my *********** thought the same thing. but the part numbers made 'em eat crow.

 

When it happened to me, I was also having problems with my IP. I was showing a 1/4 tank and had fits figuring out what was going on.

And those push lock connectors on the tank, I wanted to rip em off of there. Shoulda actually....gary

 

Yup, 3 times. bleed the 3 injectors I can get a wrench on and off I go.
Ran out 1st time just below 1/8 then above a quarter then just above 1/2. I now fill up around 200-300 miles; usually pee time anyway. 184,000 miles now doing the trip meter.

 

Mine has been goofy since I got it. I fixed it and it worked for a week so I just gave up and go off the trip meter. If I'm just going back & forth to work I try to fill up before 500 miles and she'll take on 26-29 gal. If I'm pulling, 300 miles is my max but like stated earlier, I'm either to my destination by then or someone has to pee!


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fuel sendor common problem

 

Here are some links to a recommended repair I came up with when mine quit. My email address is outdated on the links, but you can contact me through this forum.

Fuel sender repair - Fritz's Dodge Ram Tech
http://www.dodgeram.org/tech/repair/...y_C-sender.htm

From: Don Broadhead: Don.Broadhead@usa.alcatel.com You really can fix it for about one dime!! I just did it and it works so far.

http://dodgeram.org/tech/repair/fuel...sender-diy.htm

 

I'm on my third sending unit. Or maybe my fourth. Last one I saved with the intention of rebuilding it to be bulletproof.