Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Bad fuel level sending unit?

[jebia]

I ran out of gas last week, the fuel level gauge was reading between the red empty marker and the 1/8th marker. I'm guessing my fuel sending unit is the culprit (everything else on the dash works fine). For now I'm just filling up at 1/4 level and watching the trip meter.



I'd like to fix the problem myself.



Has any one replaced the sending unit themselves?



How hard is the replacement?



What is the cost/part number of the sending unit?



Do you have to drop the tank (or remove the bed)?



Thanks in advance.



Jon

Albuquerque

 

[rblomquist]

There's a lot of info on that just do a search and you should get plenty of reading material to base a decision on.





If it were me though, I'd just reset my trip meter each fillup and go get fuel at a predetermined value. I'm sure you've read that it's not a good idea to run these trucks low on fuel anyway if for no other reason than more fuel in the tank means a bigger heat sink. I know it gets hot in Abq in the summer, prolly benefit your VP44.



Guess what I'm trying to say is why spend time and money when you can easily avoid it by tracking your runs on the trip/odometer.

 

[jebia]

Thanks, I did a search and found info on multiple instances where the fuel level gauge was bad, but could not find any info on the sensor location or the procedure for replacment.



I guess I want to fix the problem because, when things that are broken they knaw at me/bug me.



Jon

 

[tractorface]

I am in the middle of repairing mine. The whole module is $400, not sure if the sender is for sale seperate or not. Anyway. I was also looking for a leak so I wanted to be able to run the truck and inspect the area for leaks so... ... . I pulled the bed back far enough to do this. Not real hard, actually did it by myself. I will probably get help putting it back on but who knows. I did use an electric impact wrench which I felt made removing the bed bolts easy. Also removed the bumper to make pulling the bed back a one man job. ( I ain't Hercules and lifting the bed over the bumper was not in my plan). Oh yeah sender is hanging on the side of the module. I saw the sender repair internet sites and looks good, however after comparing the sender to saome old ones lying around the shop at work I have decided to retrofit a Stewart Warner sender instead. Will take some slight mods but the design I feel is more reliable. Electrically they are very close. I read 20 Ohms full and 222 ohms empty on the one I pulled from the truck and 30 ohms full and 247 ohms empty on the one I plan to use. I am comfortable this will work for me. I am cotemplating using a capacitive type sender from an outfit in Florida. I will probably order it and install it whenever I get around to it. A capacitive sender has no moving parts and we use them in our product at work. Anyway Hope this helps. I hope to get time to post some oics as soon as I gather the parts to rebuild my leaking rusted supply and return tubes. BTW I am driving my old Isuzu trooper while I fix the truck... . Sure miss my truck

 

[jebia]

Thanks tractorface,



It's a bit harder to get to the sensor than I thought.

 

[T Smith]

I ran out of fuel in my rig at 1/4 tank. An '00 2500 4x4 QC SB.



Read up on the fuel sender fix, and had a spare day to tackle the job. I did the remove the fuel side bolts of the bed and jack up the bed until I could get to the top of the tank. If you go this way, be careful that the bumper doesn't put a dent in the side of the bed. It was a tight fit to get the fuel pickup unit out, but it made it after I compressed the unit (it is two parts, kind of spring loaded). The hardest part for me was getting the fuel lines unhooked!



When I got the unit out, it was a different style than what the guys are showing the fix for. Only thing I could figure out is a different style for the 24V vs the 12V, or I'm really missing something!



Anyway, there are no dealers around here to get parts from and I needed the rig, so it had to go back togther with the old parts.



I decided to clean everything up, and noticed that there was some kind of a coating on the electronic metering device that the float arm controls. Cleaned that up real good with solvent, and also cleaned the bottom screen real good too. Moved the float up and down a bunch of times and noticed that the guage seemed to work normal.



Put it all back together, and everything seems to be working fine for the last 3 fill-ups so far, but I'm keeping an eye on the trip meter!



I imagine I should replace it sometime, but don't want to spend the big bucks for a whole unit. Wonder if the electronic meter part can be purchased separately?



T Smith

 

[JimKing]

I repaired mine using the instructions found at:



http://dodgeram.org/tech/repair/fuel_sender/sender.htm



Still don't know if it is that accurate. I never get below 3/4, the fuel gets HOT on a 100 degree day, even at 3/4. . I can't imagine how hot it gets at 1/4.