New truck owner.. need help with problems!!!

[75k20]

*this truck will be my daily driver,
i take short highway trips often, around 100miles at a time

So I got lucky (hopefully) and traded my 1997 dodge dakota with a 5.2 and 5 speed 4x4 for a 1975 K20 with a 350 and 4 speed 4x4.

I really like the truck and i want to make it something that i really love. I have close to no knowledge about the details and specs of these trucks so I have a lot of questions.

The gas gauge doesn’t work. I believe I have the intellitronix gauge cluster. The truck has 2 fuel tanks but the driver side doesn’t work. How could I fix the gas gauge and how does it work with dual tanks and one gauge?

The turning radius is horrid, I had to make a 3 point turn coming out of a gas station. When I turn the wheel all the way to one side it makes a terrible screeching noise, don’t know if it’s normal or not. Can i fix either of these?

I know this gets asked a lot but how could I improve fuel economy? I just want 15mpg highway. With no OD i only go 55mph at 2500rpm. I don’t mind cruising slow but If there’s a way to improve this it would help tremendously.

 

[fast 99]

The screeching noise, ps belt loose? RPM is too high to get decent economy. Change the gear ratio, taller tires or 700R4 tranny are options. Even with a lower RPM trying to get 15MPG everything will need to be real right. The fuel gauge works by a variable ground at the tank. Where is the pointer at on the dash?

 

[75k20]

The screeching noise, ps belt loose? RPM is too high to get decent economy. Change the gear ratio, taller tires or 700R4 tranny are options. Even with a lower RPM trying to get 15MPG everything will need to be real right. The fuel gauge works by a variable ground at the tank. Where is the pointer at on the dash?

could be the belt i’d have to check it out. i’m not sure what gear ratios i have in the truck but what ratio would be better fitting for highway use? I’m in college right now so budget friendly is my main phrase.

The pointer on the dash was at full until i went to the passenger side tank (the one that works) and i tried to move around the connection that i think was a brown wire. after i tried moving it around the fuel gauge read empty.

 

[CalSgt]

The gas gauge doesn’t work. I believe I have the intellitronix gauge cluster. The truck has 2 fuel tanks but the driver side doesn’t work. How could I fix the gas gauge and how does it work with dual tanks and one gauge?

Possibly a bad wire or bad fuel level sending unit in the tank.

Each tank has its own sending unit and when you flip the switch on the dash, the gauge should read whichever tank is selected. The selector valve that switches the tanks goes bad and the easiest way to get running again is to bypass it and only run one tank. I know lots of people that never felt the need to repair it.

 

[75k20]

Possibly a bad wire or bad fuel level sending unit in the tank.

Each tank has its own sending unit and when you flip the switch on the dash, the gauge should read whichever tank is selected. The selector valve that switches the tanks goes bad and the easiest way to get running again is to bypass it and only run one tank. I know lots of people that never felt the need to repair it.

that makes sense, it would be nice to have 2 tanks though. i’ll have to take a proper look at it. maybe a wire is getting grounded out somewhere.

 

[fast 99]

When the when the dash switch is changed from side to side there should be an audible noise from the change-over valve on the frame.

If this truck is the one pictured the senders should be easy to access. Try disconnecting the wire on top of the sender and read the dash. Then ground it and see if it changes. If it does the problem is at the tank. If not, there is a problem with the circuit, switch or valve. There should be a tank ground, usually a single wire near the sender.

 

[75k20]

When the when the dash switch is changed from side to side there should be an audible noise from the change-over valve on the frame.

If this truck is the one pictured the senders should be easy to access. Try disconnecting the wire on top of the sender and read the dash. Then ground it and see if it changes. If it does the problem is at the tank. If not, there is a problem with the circuit, switch or valve. There should be a tank ground, usually a single wire near the sender.

i’m having trouble diagnosing this fuel gauge problem. i’m not very good with electrical. at the top of the sender I see the feed and return, one ground wire and another wire that i can pull off. which wire do i try to ground?

when i click the fuel tank switch in the cab to change tanks i hear a click when it’s only going one way, it doesn’t make any noise when i switch back. the gauge is just stuck on full

 

[fast 99]

The one that is nearest the center. Should have a round pin sticking straight up.