1999 Dodge Ram Battery Gauge

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pmk138

Junior Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2017
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Ram Year
1999
Engine
5.9 Magnum
Just wondering if anybody had any thoughts on how fast my voltage gauge should rise in a 1999 Dodge Ram? I believe it has always jumped up fast right after startup. Today I noticed that the gauge increased very slowly up to about 14. I also thought the gauge was always higher than the 14 volt mark. I just had my engine out and it has been in for a couple weeks. Anybody have any thoughts?
 

dudeman2009

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Feb 9, 2016
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Location
Arizona
Ram Year
2001 1500 Sport with enough electrical modifications to make my brain hurt
Engine
Magnum 360
That information is bussed in from the PCM. The cluster reads updates as fast as the PCM can send it, which is multiple times per second. The speed to which the cluster responds is dependent on the health of the servo on the indicator as well as the averaging done by the PCM/Cluster.

We can rule out the signal averaging as it has always been there and doesn't change. The only thing left is the rotational speed of the gauge itself. It's possible that the gauge is getting old and stiff. However, your perception of fast and slow might be different from mine, what you think is strange might be within what i'd call normal. When its having issues, take a video and share it with us.
 

jlbayes

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Joined
Aug 3, 2017
Posts
191
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14
Ram Year
2001 & 1997
Engine
5.9l cummins
A cluster self test will eliminate the cluster (or solidify) as a possible cause.
 
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