Need help with understanding how many miles I have til empty

[Ryner_98]

I’m a fairly new truck owner so I do apologize if this is a dumb question but I own a second GEN 98 dodge ram 2500 V 10 and I don’t know how to tell how many miles I have until empty is there like a calculation I can do?

 

[crash68]

You would need to know the amount of fuel left in the tank and an estimated rate of fuel consumption based on previous driving habits.The rest is mathematics.
Easier way is to track your fuel economy and figure out how much range you potentially have. Then reset the trip odometer every time you fill up the tank.

Even the newer vehicles with the DTE meter is never accurate, I've drove a few miles with it stating 0 miles left.
When the fuel gauge is on the red, it's a good idea to fill the tank. If you want to push how far you can go on a tank of fuel, carry a five gallon can of gas in the bed for when you run out so you don't have to walk to the gas station.

 

[Ryner_98]

Thank you so much

 

[nlambert182]

What Crash said....

No fuel gauge or DTE meter is 100% accurate on purpose. Manufacturers know that folks will push their luck so they've built in a small reserve so that even when you get to E (or 0 miles on the DTE reading) you still have a little further to go. Trust me... my wife tempts fate on a regular basis. I asked a Ford tech once how she can go another 20 miles with the DTE reading 0 and he explained it. They've basically tried to dummy proof the system.

My suggestion would be not to run it that low though. I fill up at 1/4 tank but I would at least refill it at 1/8 tank. In my 97 Ram, I ran it almost to E on the way to work. Passed 2 gas stations and figured I'd get it later. Got a call later that morning that the wife and our newborn had been in a pretty bad car accident. I had to stop and fill up the truck before I could even get to them.

 

[PolarisCobra]

The gas in the tank helps cool your fuel pump (which is in the gas tank). Running too low can reduce the cooling effect of the fuel, this can cause the pump to fail. Better to keep 1/4 or more in the tank if you can.

 

[Dean2]

Ran a V10 for years. Always calculated my range by multiplying gas tank gallons, in my case 35 U.S. gallons by 11, unless I was towing and then by 6. They actually have more range than that but I always wanted to be conservative. I also track every tank and the mileage, the detailed log is for maintenace as well as claiming vehicle expenses. Long term those were pretty good numbers, lifetime overall average so far on the 1996 is 13 mpg, to stay on the safe side of running out. Even with the large gas tank, I always carry 10 gallons in Jerry cans as backup.