have an 85 w-150 ...gauge not work ...replaced tank with known good sendor unit ...still gauge not work.... any ideas ????? tests??????

hello. its been a few years, but on my sons 86 D100 we had the same problem after changing the tank and had to run a ground wire from the sender to a good ground. been working fine since then.

andy.

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84 D100 /6 long rod 225
86 D100 /6 my sons w/offy intake/weber carb
2016 buick regal turbo

I've found that an common inexpensive 12V test light (just a small lightbulb in a screwdriver-like housing a a grounding wire and clip - not a LED) is very handy - if you connected it in place of the sender in the tank (and ground the clip properly), it ought to come on brightly with the IGN and start blinking on and off (very roughly 1/sec) after a few seconds, and the gauge will read somewhere onscale (~1/4 full for my test light).

If it doesn't light up, you've either got no ground or nothing is coming from the gauge to the sender. The blinking may be a little irregular, but that seems to be normal.

Most of the time I've encounted that, the ground strap at the sending unit was broken or missing.

this is an 81 w-150 with pastic tank ...two wire hookp

I have scanned and uploaded the entire instrument panel and gauge section from my 83 Dodge van FSM HERE. This includes sections on troubleshooting the voltage limiter and each individual gauge, including the fuel gauge. It tells you how to test both with the factory tool and without.

thanks Reed but mine is different setup

hello. if you unhook the connector, one of those two wires at the sending unit should have (low) voltage from the instrument cluster with the ignition switch in the run position. the other is a ground and thats the one we cut and attached a new wire to, then connected it to the ground strap at the front corner of the bed that connects to the cab. may not be your fix, but something to check if all else fails.

we got very good at removing and installing the tank figuring this one out

andy.

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84 D100 /6 long rod 225
86 D100 /6 my sons w/offy intake/weber carb
2016 buick regal turbo

I don't believe the fuel gauge system changed drastically between the 1982 Dodge pickup and the 1983 Dodge van. The physical appearance and arrangement of the items may be different, but the underlying components and troubleshooting methods will be the same. However, use the info as you see fit.

the trucks have a plastic tank atleast from 76 to 85......need to get back under it and check some wiring...thanks for the input