Hey guys, this is my first official post here on the forums, but I have a question that google just can't seem to answer for me...

I have a '96 Dak with a 318 5.2L V8 with a gas gauge that doesn't work, so every time I get gas, I fill up all the way and watch my trip meter to see when I have to fill up next (I try to keep it roughly around 180-200 miles)

Well, because my gauge doesn't work, I looked at the forums and it said that some fuel sys cleaner might fixed the guage, so, I thought I'd give it a try and run my tank right to almost empty and see what happened...

Well, I did my math wrong and ran out of gas, but luckily it was right at home pretty much, and my mom got in her Cherokee and towed me the rest of the way home.

Here's my concern though - when I first noticed I was running out of gas ,I was going up a hill and my tranny went haywire on me. My spedmeter stopped at 45, and my R's were reading 1 and a half, and dropping below one of I stepped on the gas. I made it over the hill, and it stuck in 1st and I couldn't get it past 35 mph. It finally wouldn't shift about a mile after that right on the street my house is on when I was trying to go uphill. I threw it in reverse, went down the hill and was going to see if I could enough speed to go up it and she just died on the spot.

Got some a gallon of gas in it, managed to get it started, and then I went in my mom's Jeep and got more gas. Took for a test drive when I got home, and I got her up to 45 (I didn't wanna get too far from home).

Should I be concerned with my tranny, or do you think it'll be fine? and is that a common problem when you run out of gas? *your tranny wont really go past 1st...?*

Comments appreciated!

 

You only live like an hour south of me. Sweet haha. I can't help ya but I sometimes have a problem like yours where my truck will hit 45 and kinda stay there as the rpms increase fast up to around the 4000 range and it just doesn't feel or sound right and it shifts hard after a while or not until I let off the gas.

 

Is the transmission kickdown cable properly adjusted?

 

Well first be low on gas can cause the engine to run rough. So with a weak engine could be your problem. You have a 96 which the transmission is electronically controlled. The speed sensor could be failing causing the computer to not shift it. Do you have a Check Engine Light? Dirty/burnt or low transmission fluid could cause that too.

 

That's sweet Melodytoinvent - are you kinda from the Big Rapids area then...?

Well guys, I filled the thing entirely up with gas and she's been running good thus far. In the event that some of the crap from the bottom of my tank got sucked into the engine, my fuel system cleaner should hopefully get rid of most of that.

Az93Dkota, I don't really know too much about that... things are okay now, but I'll look into that.

And No crazy4x4rt, I never did get a check engine light on or anything... just replaced the gasket and tranny fluid back around mid July too. Seems to be shifting pretty well right now - lets hope it stays smooth lol!

 

Don't ever let it get that low on gas dude. Its bad for the engine, bad for the fuel pump. Its just a bad idea. My gas gauge doesn't work, but as soon as the low fuel light comes on I stop and put more gas in it.

 

Yeah, I never intended for it to gt that low!

You see, I did my math wrong, and the weird thing is that my gas lite never came on. Then again, this is the first time I ever let it run out - but trust me, I wont be letting it happen again!

 

Ur like an hour from me too, lol.

 

lol, nice! Looks our Dakota's are the same year and engine as well. Mind if I ask where abouts you live...?

 

I'm around the St. Johns area. They may be same engine, year, etc, but at least yours is running! lol