Dodge Fuel Tank

• This short buyer’s guide will help buyers pick a new fuel tank for their Dodge truck.

• Older vehicles have metal fuel tanks made from aluminum or steel. Many modern vehicles have switched over to using plastic fuel tanks. Both types have advantages and disadvantages.

• Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts come from the vehicle’s original manufacturer and official partners. Original Equipment (OE) replacements refer to components built by other companies. In general, OE replacement parts cost less and provide the same performance as OEM parts.

• A replacement fuel tank for your Dodge truck can cost anywhere between $46 to $2,159 at CarParts.com.

Is your 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 fuel tank leaking or showing contamination? Has all attempts to fix it come to nothing? You should consider looking for a replacement fuel tank.

This short buyer’s guide will help buyers pick a new fuel tank for their Dodge truck. It will compare metal and plastic tanks, distinguish between OEM and OE parts, and estimate the cost of a new tank.

Older vehicles have metal fuel tanks made from aluminum or steel. Manufacturers weld together stamped sheets into the desired shape. A laminated layer protects the tank from the corrosive effect of the fuel they store. 

Many modern vehicles have switched over to using plastic fuel tanks. These parts use HDPE or another resin with the same durability and flexibility.

Plastic fuel tanks weigh less, take up less space, and make less noise than their metal counterparts. Their softness and flexibility let them fit in tight spaces while also minimizing the risk of rupturing from physical pressure.

They also withstand corrosion better than laminated metal tanks and stand up to the greater corrosive effects of biodiesel. Plastic surfaces do not form condensation like metal tanks and will not rust after getting exposed to water. 

On the other hand, steel fuel tanks cost less to produce than plastics, thanks to a century’s worth of infrastructure and experience. They are reliable and will shrug off high temperatures that will melt plastic into black good. Further, a steel tank outperforms a plastic counterpart in preventing fuel vapor from leaking. 

Finally, steel lends itself well to recycling with new fuel tanks often using metal salvaged from older units without causing any problem in performance.

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts come from the vehicle’s original manufacturer and official partners. For Dodge trucks, the official provider of genuine parts is Mopar—the parts, service and customer care organization of Dodge’s parent company FCA.

In contrast, Original Equipment (OE) replacements refer to components built by companies not directly associated with Dodge or Mopar. These aftermarket parts usually fit in the same place and cost less, while delivering roughly the same performance as OEM counterparts. Some OE parts even fix known problems with the factory-issue parts.

A replacement fuel tank for your Dodge truck can cost anywhere between $46 to $2,159 at CarParts.com. The store offers both direct fit and universal fit tanks that come in one piece or as part of a kit with other components like fuel sending units or straps.

Browsing the wide listing can proceed quickly with the help of the filter tab. Enter the year, make, and model of your Dodge truck in the tab to find the replacement fuel tank guaranteed to fit your vehicle. Get a professional technician to install the new part unless you feel confident in your auto repair skills to go for a DIY job.

Your Dodge fuel tank was built to last, just like the rest of your Dodge. When it came from the factory, all shiny and new, your Dodge fuel tank was prepared to face the challenges of life under the vehicle with a heavy anticorrosion coating. The challenges that your Dodge fuel tank faces in its position underneath the vehicle, so close to the road, vulnerable to road debris and road splash, which is often full of dissolved road salt during the winter months, are numerous and continuous. After years of being assaulted by rocks and other debris and bathed in caustic salt laden grimy slush and water, your Dodge fuel tank won't be so shiny and the coating that protects against rust will wear away. At some point, the road debris will start to breach the surface of your Dodge fuel tank and the moisture will do what it does in such cases, and rust will likely form. Eventually it will eat through the old Dodge fuel tank and cause a leak. It is not only on the outside surface that rust is a danger, however. Even the inner walls of your Dodge fuel tank are vulnerable to rust, due to the occasional tank of water contaminated fuel and condensation that can form inside, which can lead to rust that will slowly eat through to the outer walls. Once you discover a leak in your Dodge fuel tank, it will need to be attended to promptly, as leaking a highly flammable substance is never safe, carrying with it the risk of fire and even explosion. Your best bet is to replace your old Dodge fuel tank with a well-manufactured and affordable replacement from our extensive inventory of aftermarket Dodge parts. You can order your Dodge fuel tank online, via our secure site, or by dialing our toll-free telephone number, and we'll be happy to send it to you by free ground shipping, as we do for all customers making orders of $50 or more.