Q: Slow acceleration and gasping noise -1985 Chevrolet C10

asked by on September 23, 2016

My Chevy isn’t running so good lately. When I start it up it idles nice and smooth in Park. But when I put it into gear the idle gets very slow and the truck sounds like it’s gasping. When I accelerate it revs up but doesn’t move fast at all - just extremely slow. It will dies sometimes when I accelerate, too. Do you have any ideas on how get my truck running better?

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Hello. There are multiple possibilities here. There could be a vacuum leak to the engine (which affects timing, mixture, etc.) all of which kick in when under a load (vs. idling). Also, check ignition timing, especially ignition advance mechanisms, for correct ignition timing under low speed operation. To have the problem scoped out in person, a certified professional from YourMechanic can inspect the slow acceleration and advise you on the proper repairs.

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