Hi All,

I'm new here, I just bought 93' dakota v6 yesterday 93000 miles from the guy nexts door with these kind of problem. because I got a deal on this truck. any help will be apreciated. just don't know where to start tracing the problem.

 

Fuel gauge is a very common problem, and basically, is caused by using crappy metal for the sending unit (in the tank). You can try using gas cleaners (Chevron's Techron has been recommended in many places for this), but, it might not work.

For the temperature gauge, go under the hood. On the front of the engine, on the passenger side of the upper radiator hose, you should see a 1-wire connector (the 1-wire should be purple-ish). Make sure that is pressed on firmly to the sending unit.
If that doesn't fix it, it's probably the sending unit (threaded into the block). It's fairly easy to replace (a tight area, but not that bad), and doesn't cost but about $10.

You can try grounding the wire to ground (such as with a jumper wire), and than check the gauge. With the wire to a good ground, the gauge should read full hot. If it doesn't either the wiring is faulty, or the gauge is bad.

 

thanks alot dodgerules for your quick respond, I'll do that.

 

I have the same problems. Changed the temp sender, still doesn't work. I just installed a new fuel pump assembly (because it would stop pumping after 10 minutes of driving), and the gas gauge still doesn't work. The weird thing is the gas guage reads 1/4 tank all the time, even when full. The low fuel light works though so I don't have to worry about running out and getting stranded. Any ideas?

 

I would say that the coolant guage problem may be due to not changing the correct one. There are 2 coolant sensors. 1 1 wire for the guage and 1 2 wire for the comp. The fuel guage may be due to the float stuck. It is very common to accidentally install the float wrong.

 

Just for thread continuity, he later solved the fuel gauge problem, in his case, it was the float arm was too long, and was hitting the side of the tank.
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...-new-pump.html

 

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LOL, that was my post. Guess I'm in too many discussions on too many threads, talking about too many dakotas, Mine ('94) and someone elses ('91). I fixed the '91 fuel gauge thing finding the float arm was too long and hitting the side of the tank. The '91 still has the bogging, bucking, sputtering issue though. My '94 only has the fuel gauge and temp gauge thing going on. I have the feeling the fuel gauge thing is going to be the same "long arm" issue. I had just installed a new pump in it too. The thing is I had just bought the '94 and immediately put a pump in it. Since the tank was pretty much empty I didn't know if the gauge ever worked or what. Probably did, it was just empty from the beginning. Now the float is probably stuck agains the was like the '91 was. I'll look into it and post back. Hopefully I can repost to the right thread this time :0)
The temp gauge is still an issue though. It has the one wire sensor and the new looked exactly like the old. Maybe the wire is just bad.

 

Make sure the connector is fully in-place (the wire on mine likes to pull out, the plastic connector will be all the way on, but I have to push in on the wire itself too).
If that doesn't work, use a jumper wire and short-to-ground the wire. Your gauge should read full hot. It if doesn't either the wiring or gauge is bad. If it does, either the wire isn't making good contact with the sending unit, or the sending unit is bad.

 

What about if the temparture guage moves just above the first line after the engine warms up and sits there the whole time afterwords,
because mine does that but it dosnt get any higher and you cant tell me these engines run that cool