I've checked the archives about this and find nothing, save for the posts I expected to find about the fuel gauge needle moving while accelerating/decelerating/cornering. I know the '93 model is probably low-tech and this doesn't bother me - my Corvair and my Fairmont did this too, but not quite as enthusiastically as the Dakota does.

Our problem is recent and I suspect a bad ground at the sending unit or somewhere related, but I hope to get direction here. For the past week, the fuel gauge needle jumps even while at a standstill. Sitting in the driveway, stopped at a traffic light, whatever. Today on the way to get some groceries the needle fluctuated between Empty and the quarter-full mark so I stopped to put in what came to 8 gallons, about half-a-tank's worth. At rest, key off/engine off, the gauge read Empty. KOER, it went all the way to Full. It fluctuated - moving or at rest - between Full (pegged) and ¾-full all the way home. One time, it went down almost to the ½-full mark. I dug out my Haynes manual when I got home but that miserable waste of 2003 money had no mention at all about the fuel gauge; just a brief mention of the fuel pump/gauge sending unit on top of the fuel tank.

Anyone ever experience this? Is there a ground connection somewhere I can check?

 

i had the same problem, what happens is a plastic piece that holds the float onto the metal shaft wore far enough that the tabs for the fuel gauge reading separate and reconnect. (im really tired and i hope you understand this, my apologies if you don't).

here's how i fixed it.

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...uel-gauge.html

 

Easy fix once the pump and sending unit are out, nice detective work. How much of a hassle is it to remove the bed? Never tried it, never looked under there. How many bolts to remove, and how many friends would I need to lift the bed off?

 

About 6 or 8 bolts, a few plug wires from the brakes, and 4 burly people, if they aren't too strong. Your potentiometer might be worn (from the sending unit). Easier to remove bed than to prop it.

 

Thanks for that, I just went out and found eight bolts. I'm gonna shoot them with PB this afternoon and give that a chance to work its magic. One more question - I was looking at photos of the fuel pump assembly, and they show the float arm attached to the assembly. It that's the case, what's the trick to getting that out of the mounting hole? - or is the float assembly/sending unit attached separately?

 

the float assembly/sending unit screw onto the side of the pump. if you need a new one and have trouble finding one i have a brand new OEM one for a 93.....Will sell if you need it.

 

Thanks for the response, but it didn't answer my question. The fuel pump assembly seems to be a snug fit through the hole in the top of the tank. If so, how do you get the sending unit off of the pump, if the whole assembly including the sending unit screwed to the side of the pump is wider than the hole it's supposed to come out of? I have been all over the internet trying to figure this out, and there are a lot of posts saying what to do, but there is not one freaking photo or video showing the actual removal of the unit from the tank. That is what I would like to see. One forum had photos, but they changed to a different forum format and all the photos were lost.

 

it all comes out as one unit and goes back the same way. i don't think it is a snug fit but someone else here will chime with exact specs.

 

Let's try this a third time. This:

is supposed to come out of a round hole the the same diameter as the top of the unit? Does someone have a photo or video of how this is done?

 

You have to "manipulate" the float on the way out and in. There is probably 2mm of room when moving it. Be sure to clock it correctly when you reinstall it as the float is sensitive to placement. It is not difficult though.