I have a 97 dodge Dakota. It accelerates fine but when it idles, the rpm's drop and then dies.?

Question

I realize the fuel filter and pump are within in the gas tank. These problems never accured until I ran extremely low on gas. Are there any other options that I can check myself before taking this to a garage and removing the gas tank? Any suggestions or is this just a major problem that I have to deal with?

Answer 1

Get your IAC motor checked."Idle air control". And of course change the fuel filter. It should Be near the gas tank. Do what the guy said about following the fuel lines from the tank to the filter. The fuel filter should not be in the gas tank. The fuel pump and fuel sending unit are in there,But the filter isn't

The filter is somewhere along the frame of the truck not too far away from the gas tank.
It may have two nuts you have to break the line loose. It may have clips you have to squeeze to remove the line, Or it may have pressed on lines that you need a relatively cheap tool that you put over the fuel line and slide into the filter where it joins the lines to release the springs holding it to the lines.
Your tank should not have to be removed to do this.
How ever after that is done and your still not getting the right amount of fuel the sock attached to the pickup tube on your fuel pump may be dirty. To get to the you will have to drop the tank

Answer 2

1st I would try getting a highly concentrated bottle of fuel injector/fuel system cleaner....Run that through, you may have some dirty or clogged fuel injectors, that when you "give it gas" it pushes the fuel through because of the pressure, then when it idles, it dies, because it can't get enough fuel through the injectors. I doubt that it is your fuel pump, because it would not continue running, however a dirty fuel filter could have the same affect I described above with the fuel injectors, again try the cleaner, probably won't work if its the fuel filter, but it would be cheaper. If it is the fuel filter, most are mounted OUTSIDE the fuel tank and are only about $10-15, and are simple to replace. Just follow your fuel line out of the tank, and you should run into the filter somewhere, but usually not more than half way to your engine. Hope this helps

Answer 3

i reckon that the fuel pump and tank are fine due to it accelerating fine, so i would check and adjust the idle? let us know what happens ?

Answer 4

You will have dragged gunge from your fuel tank into the engine causing it to splutter and die at low revs. try Redex to clean things up. also a high revs run can help.