I have a 1990 Dakota 3.9 V6 rwd base model I was how many gallons my fuel tank so I can start calculating my miles, also when I'm under 1/4 of a tank every time I come to a stop it will die and I'll have to rub the engine so it doesn't the lower I am on fuel n the faster I stop both make a difference I already replaced a fuel filter no change can that be the fuel pump?

 

Let's not get kinky here. You shouldn't rub your engine, at least not in public.

Now to be serious, I'm a little unsure of your issue as the sentence runs on so much. Does your truck stall only when it's below 1/4 tank? If you have low pressure you may need to REV the engine yes. A 33 year old pump might be failing and running lower pressure. A fuller tank is easier to pump from. Low levels means it has to work harder. Eventually I suspect your pump is going to fail completely.

Quite likely your fuel pump is heading south. You can drop the tank or take the bed off to replace it. If you pull the bed, that would be a good time to clean and go over the frame.

 

Further to that, how do you know your tank size ? Does the VIN provide it ?

 

To estimate your fuel mileage, fill the tank normal full. Then write down current mileage and when it is time to fill your tank again, fill it and write down how many gallons of fuel you used.
Also at same time write down existing mileage and subtract the original mileage then divide the number of gallons into the driven miles ....

Tank size has nothing to do with it, is the amount of fuel used. ..... How many gallons does it take to replace what you used?

As far as your other question, about fuel pump and fuel delivery issues .... If you "rub" your engine and it keeps going, you are getting enough fuel .... thats not it.
I have no idea, I'm guessing maybe throttle position sensor, timing ... air fuel ratio???? I have no clue .... not your fuel pump though.

Stupid story time .... I have a 1993 Dodge Caravan. We were driving from New Mexico > Washington. Was July or August but it was hot out. The fuel pump was going out.
We found that as long as we drove at night while the roads were cool .... we had no problem. By 10:00 AM when the roads started heating up and that heated of the fuel tank ... the hot desert roads radiating heat just 12" away from the fuel tank .... Caravan sits low to the ground ...
Our pump would stop working .... we could limp into the next town at 30mph .... Our OEM fuel pump worked until it got too hot.

Since it is fuel that cools the pump .... IIRC, your tank is kinda long and shallow .... below 1/4 tank would only be a few inches in the bottom of the tank and the actual pump could be partially exposed and getting hot .... and failing in a weird way. ..... Only if it 33 year old OEM pump I kinda hesitate but say maybe it is your fuel pump. .... Only if it is OEM though.
Any other fuel pump just fails and quits working.

My 1993 Caravan you just heard.
Uncle had a 1990 Caravan and the fuel pump died same way .... was tough to figure out the problem.

My 1992 Dodge shadow, we bought with a bad fuel pump and never knew it. We drove it for about 6 months and I liked it and had the engine rebuilt and it was all fine.
We had the car about 1 year and the fuel pump went out, so I replaced it.
Holy frigging crap, I could not believe the difference in performance. It was always fast enough .... with a new fuel pump the brand new engine turned into a race horse.
That fuel pump was bad for the year we owned the car ....

So a smart man says no way, when a fuel pump quits working it just quits, I've seen it on Chebbys and Ferds. .... Old 90's Dodges .... all bets are off.
Thats why I keep saying, If it is OEM then maybe .... If you already replaced it once and is aftermarket ... doubtful.

 

Year old thread, poster hasn't been active since posting it.

As for tank size, I believe it should be available by VIN here. That search would only be available for 1998+ vehicles. Most gas pickups in the 90s era will be a 26 gallon.

 

@dodgetruck2 Sucks to be me
Year old thread, poster hasn't been active since posting it.

I just seen it at the top of my listings when I selected new threads and I answered it .... I'm still a bit puzzled about how this forum works.

As a google user, I have some odd searches .... I own a 1951 Ford 8BA flathead V8 <---- Chrome headers My 49 Dodge truck, 1970 Dodge 318 engine .... I drive early 1990's vehicles.

My only point is, once it is on the internet it will come up in search engines for a long time ...... Very often I would search google for my question, and it would bring me to old threads that actually did help ... I then would respond to the thread and thank them for the help ..... People do not understand that .... this post may be inactive for 3 years .... someone will google a question and the thread now gets activated again ..... This helps the forum, us users, brings new blood into the crew ..... It is not a bad thing when a random user reactivates a old thread and ask a question.

I just have a different way of looking at reviving old threads ..... I feel it is a good thing.

 

I was just informing you and the reviver that the thread most likely will never be responded to by the original poster

 

Only thing I'm suggesting, everything talked about on the internet is public information .... If the conversation is on point and has useful information .... 20 years from now it might be brought back up.

While I try to not bring back old threads ..... I do not shy away from them if it helps someone.

Whatever we write today on the internet becomes a piece of history and can always be brought back up .... this conversation your future Grandson may look up and say HEY THAT'S MY GRANDPA!

I try to protect myself with nobody in my family or friends knows I'm Los_Control ..... 20 years from now their will be nobody searching my name to see all the idiot things I said.