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Fuel Gauge

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Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2006-04-02          127036

Well I ran out of diesel for the 3rd time today. You would think Dodge would spend a little money on the gauge after the 5K it is for the Cummins. Considering what a problem it is to get restarted.
Incidently you can reprime by jump starting if it is a manual.
Empty on mine varies from E to about 1/8 of a tank. You don't know if you have another 90 miles of fuel or are on fumes. What a piece of junk.


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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2006-04-03          127062

Eric, aside from the two obvious points, that the Dodge vehicle itself (not the Cummins) is on the low side of overall quality, and that, as your wife I'm sure already told you, you should keep more fuel in the tank than that, especially considering it's history....... 3 times ???

I would suggest you check; a) all the connections, whatever is the empty point shouldn't vary, b) tweak the meter a bit with a resistor in line to correct it a little, and c) carry a 5 gal. can of diesel in the back.

Is the truck covered by fire insurance? LOL.

Best of luck. ....

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DenisS
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 367 NJ
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2006-04-03          127064

my father always says: keep the fuel at the 1/4 full level. Keeps the crap from the bottom of the fuel tank from cloggin up the fuel lines, too. Do I listen to him? Why, I usually start thinking about filling up when the needle dips just below the "E". ....

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shortmagnum
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 848 Wisconsin
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2006-04-03          127086

Here's another reason to keep 1/4 tank or more in your vehicle. And I'm assuming diesels have the pump in the tank like gas vehicles. I've been told that fuel in the tank helps to keep the fuel pump cooled as it's constantly maintaining pressure in the system. Running your vehicle near empty means the fuel pump is out of it's cooling bath and thus wears out faster. If you've ever changed a modern fuel pump they are really pricey, without even including the labor.
Dave ....

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Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2006-04-03          127127

I normally keep the truck full. The trouble is not what the needle reads the problem is the variation on the empty point. It seems to vary summer to winter. I came in from Nashville in the middle of the night and it had 1/8 of a tank reading. Took it to church and then went to diesel station and ran out.
Maybe the plastic tank expands enough to move the pickup tube out of the diesel. ....

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SG8NUC
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 579 g
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2006-04-03          127129

I'd try it a couple more times just to make sure. LOL ....

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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2006-04-03          127131

(Cummins Rams don't have an in-tank pump like gas engines. The lift pump is located on the engine near the fuel filter.)
PETERS if you are right about tank expansion, then you might have a bad or dirty fuel cap which isn't allowing either a. pressure to escape during hot temps pressurizing the tank puffing it up or b. not allowing pressure equalization while cold and causing a vacuum which could be imploding the tank. NOTE: I had this situation and I ruined three lift pumps over time because they were starved for fuel. Another thought: My three Dodges have all had excellent-reading fuel gauges. However, on my gas engine Ram the dealer replaced the sending unit/fuel pump assy. When they did it they replaced the unit it was about 15 degrees out of index and thereby the float got hung up on the inside of the tank showing 1/4 full when it was empty.
....

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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2006-04-03          127133

When my Ford tank gets low it reads empty going downhill and 1/4 tank going uphill. As long as I keep climbing I'll never run out of gas. ....

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Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002
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2006-04-03          127136

earthwrks. I was thinking about the thermal expansion of the polymer which is much higher than steel. I did the calculation and it is only 30 thousands in depth. Certainly not enough to cause the problem. I have not seen any great pressure or vaccum in the tank.
I think I am going to buy a toolbox/tank and put in in the back. Then I can fill up when I find the right price. ....

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shortmagnum
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 848 Wisconsin
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2006-04-04          127149

"When my Ford tank gets low it reads empty going downhill and 1/4 tank going uphill. As long as I keep climbing I'll never run out of gas."

Mine does too. It must be a Ford feature!! ....

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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2006-04-05          127274

PETERS: It's not necessarily the expansion of the tank material itself, but the air and the fuel too which have a greater impact on tank "puffing" or "imploding". I have a new 60 gallon schoolbus fuel tank mounted on the front of my backhoe trailer. When it is hot out (mid 80's) and nearly empty and it gets very cold overnite (30's) (and lacking a proper vent) it is impossible to pump fuel unless I cock the filler cap open---which takes two hands to open due to internal vacuum. On the other hand going from cold to hot, I have had the filler cap go flying out of my hands being under so much pressure. ....

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