2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission fuel guage won't go lower than half tank

[Israelson]

I've replaced the sending unit twice and the $150. 00 fuel guage once but still have the problem. The low fuel light never comes on and the guage stops at about half tank. Anybody had this problem. I noticed in the service manual that the power that runs the sending unit and fuel guage comes from the ECU, does anybody know if maybe there is a computer fuel guage calibration that might vary the voltage supplied to the sending unit and fuel guage and if so what the voltage should be? By the way the guage has never worked since I've owned the truck and I usually never run the truck with less than a half of tank. The one time I did I was left stranded, what an expierence. I had the fuel sending unit replaced under warranty which ran out at 50,000 miles and I now have 52,000 miles on the truck. I contacted Chrysler/Dodge customer service and had a frustrating expierence, they will not do anything for me or even talk to me about the problem, because of that expierence I may never own another Chrysler product and I told them that, but they don't care! Hope you all can help.

Thanks.

 

[Tardog]

The first thing I would do is pull the sending unit out and see if it works out of the tank? It is very common for the float to hang up on the side of the tank depending on how the unit is installed. Some have had problems with the connecter at the top of the tank. I can't help you with the ECU feeding things? Good luck, Did you replace the whole canister or just the sending reostat ?

 

[Whitmore]

When you know your fuel level is below half take a rubber mallot and rap on the tank a few times to see if the float will jar loose, some have had luck with this method.



Cheers, Kevin

 

[Missouri Mule]

The fuel sending unit is quite famous for messing up and not sending the right signal. I'm on my second failed sending unit.

Lots of info on this topic in archives and TDR ppublication.

 

[Israelson]

Response

We'll I've used one of my old sending units that I know works and rigged up an electrical connector including the ground, I can plug it in and manually operate the float with the same results, it'll work fine through the top 3/4 of the tank but at a quarter tank it stops operating. Thanks for your suggestions... I may use the hammer after all, it'll at least make me feel better...

 

[Israelson]

Mistake

I said my guage stops at a half tank it actually stops at a quarter tank, I dought that changes anything...

 

[Tardog]

Maybe it's the gauge in the dash that isn't working correctly. Could be a manufacturing thing , piece of plastic stopping the swing etc. Does the Dash gauge ever go below a quarter?