Chevy Truck Losing Power when Accelerating – Solved

We know that your Chevy truck is precious to you and so if your Chevy is losing power when accelerating, that is a serious issue at hand. Vehicle owners usually start preparing for a big and costly repair whenever they encounter motor capacity losses. However, you need to first understand what the underlying cause is and maybe, your Chevy could be fixed with minimal repairs.

The main reasons why your Chevy truck might be losing power when accelerating are low engine compression, clogged fuel or air filter, faulty fuel pump, and so on. Keep reading to find out more about these problems and ways to fix them.

6 Reasons Why Your Chevy Truck Is Losing Power When Accelerating

One of the best ways to know what is wrong with your Chevy truck is to notice the symptoms. Given below are the top reasons why a Chevy truck could lose power while accelerating along with the symptoms you need to look out for and the solution to the issue:

1. Bad Fuel Pump

Your Chevy Truck engine comes with a fuel pump that takes the gasoline from the fuel tank and transfers it to your truck’s engine. Now, the fuel pump needs to transfer the right amount of fuel and send the appropriate pressure. If your fuel pump malfunctions or fails, that could lead to several performance problems like losing power suddenly. Even if the pump is simply clogged, that too could decrease the engine’s throughput and cause malfunctions in the power unit. Fuel pump going bad is normal and happens due to wear and tear, contamination via bad gas or clogged filters, overheating, running the tank very low, and so on.

Chevy Fuel Pump Failure Symptoms

• Hard starts or no starts
• Misfires
• Whining noise from engine near fuel pump
• Hesitation or surging while driving
• Lack of power and drivability
• Check engine light with codes for lean/rich AFR

Fuel Pump Repair Solution

Replacing the fuel pump is not cheap, so you should be replacing the filter periodically. To know if the fuel pump is bad or not, you need to check the fuel pressure. A new fuel pump will cost you $90 or more. If you are unable to replace the fuel pump on your own, then brace yourself for even more expenditure on the labor.

2. Faulty Fuel Injector

The fuel injector’s role is to spray fuel into the truck’s engine where the combustion takes place. If the fuel injector has started to fail or has become damaged, the engine won’t receive the right amount of fuel it needs to execute its work. So, if your engine doesn’t get enough fuel, then the truck can lose power and leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere.

Chevy Truck Fuel Injector Failure Symptoms

• Cylinder misfires
• Rough idling
• Poor gas mileage
• Hard starts
• Lack of power or acceleration

Fuel Injector Repair Solution

You can clean your clogged fuel injector with a fuel injector cleaner. If this doesn’t solve the problem, then it’s time to replace the fuel injector. A new fuel injector can cost anywhere from $100 to $300.

3. Chevy Truck Oxygen Sensor Failure

The oxygen sensor of your vehicle measures the amount of exhaust that is emitted into the environment. This data is used by the ECM to figure out if more oxygen is required for better engine performance. If the sensor gets damaged, then incorrect data readings will inhibit the ECM from determining the correct fuel mixture proportions. This makes it harder to drive your truck because it keeps losing power.

O2 Sensor Failure Symptoms

• Check engine light
• Poor fuel economy
• Rough idling
• Lack of acceleration and overall power
• Misfires

Oxygen Sensor Fix

If the oxygen sensor goes bad, you need to replace it. Also, it won’t cost any more than $100. But, some of the sensors can be very difficult to replace as per their location.

4. Low Engine Compression

If you want the engine to run correctly, there needs to be adequate cylinder compression during the combustion process. In this case, the motor’s power will be low as well which results in your Chevy truck losing power when accelerating. In addition to that, other signs of low engine compression include misfires, engine not starting, and bad fuel economy.

Chevy Low Compression Symptoms

• Significant power losses
• Misfires
• Hard starts
• Sluggish overall performance

How to Fix Chevy Low Cylinder Compression

There could be several problems behind low engine compression-like holes in the engine piston, faulty head gasket, damaged camshaft, valves leaking, etc. To fix the issue, you need to first diagnose the truck to find out the part that has been causing problems. Perform a professional compression test to find out what the problem is. You might need to replace the timing chain. However, the cost could surge up if you need to repair the piston rings or the head gasket.

5. Fuel Filter Issues

The fuel filter of your truck is located between the pump and the injectors. Its job is to filter the engine fuel to get rid of all the impurities that would have otherwise been harmful to the engine. In case the fuel filter is clogged or dirty, then it will fail at its job which in turn will give rise to acceleration problems. In addition to that, the contaminants can enter the engine as well, giving rise to many serious issues.

Failing Fuel Filter Symptoms

• Hard starts
• Rough idling
• Engine shuts off while running
• Misfires
• Poor performance and acceleration

Fuel Filter Solution

The fuel filter for a Chevy truck is quite cheap and can be bought for as low as $10. Also, you should change the fuel filter periodically for proper maintenance of the truck. It’s an easy procedure and you can replace the fuel filter yourself in no time.

6. Clogged Air Filter

The air filter is yet another component of your truck engine that can get clogged and cause engine issues. You need air to enter the combustion chamber of the engine. Before the air mixes with the engine fuel, it will enter a filter that will remove bugs, debris, contaminants, etc. If the air filter goes bad, these contaminants will enter the engine and cause severe harm to it.

Chevy Air Filter Symptoms

• Very dirty air filter upon inspection
• Rich air to fuel ratios
• Decreased power and acceleration
• Noisy intake sounds
• Misfires
• Black smoke from exhaust

Clogged Air Filter Fix

Cleaning a clogged air filter is possible sometimes, but not always. It is a cheap part that will cost only $5 to $25. It is also very easy to replace on your own. But, if you want a mechanic to do it for you, that is cheap as well.

Summary

If you are facing problems with the acceleration of your Chevy truck, never delay. You need to diagnose the issue as soon as possible and make necessary repairs. Else, you’ll give rise to more problems that will lead to costly repairs. Maintain your Chevy regularly to avoid such problems in the future.