Loss of power!

I have to prime my truck a few times with the key before it'll start and warm it up. Before it'll maintain an idle. After that it runs fine until it suddenly flutters and loses power. It doesn't die, I just lose "go". If I pull over and pump the gas for several minutes it'll recover and drive fine, until it does it again. The frequency of these events is increasing to the point that it's not drivable. Am I looking at a fuel pump? Some sensor? It has an in-tank pump. It's a manual transmission.

My car has 225000 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.

Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi, thanks for writing in. This sounds like a bad fuel pump and or bad fuel filter. The hard start may be a low fuel pressure cold causing the hard starting. Have the pressures tested and leak down checked to see if the pump and fuel regulator is holding pressure and not leaking down. If you would like help, consider having an expert automotive technician from YourMechanic come to your home or office to inspect and diagnose loss of power issue for you, and make or suggest any repairs as needed.

How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :

Weak Fuel Pump

The fuel pump has to be powerful enough to be able to send the fuel at high pressure. If the pressure is low the fuel injectors will not be able to spray the correct amount of fuel into the combustion chamber and that will result in a loss of power.

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.
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There are several causes for your car to lose power significantly while accelerating. The most typical causes of a car not accelerating while driving include a faulty sensor, contaminated fuel or air filters, or a faulty timing belt. Generally, this isn`t something you should ignore.
Decreased Fuel Pressure

Low fuel pressure can lead to engine misfires, low acceleration, rough idles, and engine stalls. If your check engine light is on and your car has been stalling out, you may have a fuel pump failure.

The “Bog” simply means the engine is not receiving enough fuel when you go to wide open throttle. While there are other issues that may cause similar reactions within the carburetor, often the problem can be traced back to the accelerator pump system. Incorrect adjustment is the typical culprit.
Your Chevy 350 TBI may bog down on acceleration simply due to dirty fuel injectors, a bad fuel pump, or fuel plugs in need of replacing. app.
It should be 58 – 60 while running and hold pressure after shutting off the engine.
If the fuel pump doesn`t meet the required pressure specification, then the fuel pump may be failing to pump fuel to the engine. A typical port-injected vehicle requires fuel pressure between 30 and 80 PSI.
The most likely issue is that a component is clogged. A clogged fuel filter is the most common reason, although a loss of power in your car could also indicate problems with the fuel pump or fuel line. Impurities or debris may be blocking the system, which causes the loss of power in a car.
Faulty spark plugs result in an engine misfire due to incomplete burning fuel. An interrupted combustion process can significantly affect the engine performance. Unattended engine misfire may result in intermittent strange engine sounds, power loss, and engine knock.
Why does my car not accelerate when I push the gas? A car not accelerating properly can be caused by a number of things. It could be due to the throttle body, gas tank, spark plugs, or the ECU. It could also be because you have a dirty air filter or a clogged fuel filter.
The most common reason a pump fails is wear on the pump from improper lubrication or over-use. The best way to explain a failed fuel pump due to wear and tear is to explain what other reasons may have lead to a failed pump: Most fuel pumps are lubricated by the fuel in the tank itself.
To confirm that your pump has failed, check the pressure in your fuel lines with a fuel pressure gauge; if it reads zero, then your pump is likely dead. You can also check your car`s fuse box; a blown fuel pump fuse is another reliable symptom of a failed pump.
The most common reason a pump fails is wear on the pump from improper lubrication or over-use. The best way to explain a failed fuel pump due to wear and tear is to explain what other reasons may have lead to a failed pump: Most fuel pumps are lubricated by the fuel in the tank itself.
To confirm that your pump has failed, check the pressure in your fuel lines with a fuel pressure gauge; if it reads zero, then your pump is likely dead. You can also check your car`s fuse box; a blown fuel pump fuse is another reliable symptom of a failed pump.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Loss of power few minutes after starting the car.
ANSWER : Hi there. Actually, the OBD-II error code you listed, P0233, is a generic OBD-II code that is triggered when the engine control module (ECM) detects that the secondary circuit to the fuel pump has an intermittent voltage when the fuel pump relay is turned on. The fuel pump secondary circuit powers the fuel pump and can cause a no start or the engine to suddenly stall while driving, which might be the source of the stalling issue you’re experiencing.

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I am replacing my power brakes booster and need some advice about removing the power unit from the bell crank.
ANSWER : Hi there. When removing the brake booster from a vehicle, you will need to remove the master cylinder and cap off the hydraulic lines. Then go in the cab and remove the pin from the bell crank and unbolt the 4 bolts that hold the booster on. Then remove the booster. Do the opposite to install the booster. If the bell crank pin had a cotter pin to secure it, make sure that you use a new cotter pin. If you need further assistance with removing and installing a brake booster in your vehicle, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.

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I have white/bluish smoke coming out of the exhaust occasionally. I have no power loss and it happens infrequently.
ANSWER : I suggest you study the smoke and try to recognize a pattern. It might mean that you have to spend a lot of time looking in the mirror, so try not to be unsafe. If you are having a problem with valve stem seals, you may experience the smoke more when you are letting your foot off of the gas. Decelerating raises the engine vacuum and draws oil past the valve seals and into the intake where it goes on to be burned. Stem seals will also be the diagnosis if you have a big cloud of smoke on starting a car that has been parked several hours or overnight. If you have a problem with piston rings, you will see more smoke when you are accelerating and demanding more power from the engine. Either way it’s going to be a big expense. Many people prefer to put off the repair until the oil starts to foul the spark plugs and the engine begins to skip. If you want to be sure what is going on with your car, contact Your Mechanic to have a technician come to your home or office to check out your car and give you a recommendation.

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Check engine light on, power loss in fourth gear
ANSWER : Many different faults can be attributed to your 2008 Chevrolet Aveo5’s loss of power. In cases where the Check Engine Light has not set a hard code, it can be a bit harder to pinpoint the issue.

If the spark plugs were replaced when the Check Engine Light was able to be read, I can only guess that the code was for a misfire without knowing the actual code. The most likely causes of a loss of power would be a misfire, spark plugs, fuel pump, fuel filter, oxygen sensor, MAF sensor or vacuum leak. A qualified technician, such as one from YourMechanic, will be able to diagnose the vehicle’s loss of power and perform any repairs required.

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I have loss of power after 30mph, hard to shift.
ANSWER : Hi there. It is very possible that the minor exhaust leak has grown into being the primary cause of your acceleration issue. The exhaust system is engineered to efficiently expel exhaust gases from the combustion chamber through the exhaust system and out the tail pipe. This creates compression and when there is a leak, the internal engine’s combustion is significantly impacted; which can cause these issues. However, there are other fuel or ignition system components that impact acceleration as well as transmission problems as well. It might be a good idea to have a professional mechanic complete a car is slow to accelerate inspection at your location; so they can determine what repairs would be needed to resolve this problem.

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loss of power sluggish
ANSWER : I recommend inspecting, then cleaning the throttle body if any deposits are found. It’s important to do this with key off and disconnect the electrical connector to throttle body. Do not put your fingers in there until it is connected. Push throttle plate and if it sticks or binds replace it. Perform the throttle relearn procedure after cleaning. A scan tool is used to clear any diagnostic codes set during this procedure. If you would like this taken care of, an experienced technician with the right tooling, such as one from YourMechanic, can diagnose the loss of power issue and let you know exactly what actions are needed.

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Loss of power using turbo
ANSWER : It sounds like the vehicle is going into limp mode. This occurs when the powertrain control module (PCM) (also known as the electrical control unit) has determined there is an overboost condition. The computer disables the turbo to prevent damage from occurring. There are many potential causes for an overboost condition, with a failed turbo being just one of them.

Some other possibilities include vacuum leaks, a faulty vane adjustment solenoid, faulty turbo actuator or a bad MAF sensor. There is a technical service bulletin (TSB) # 21-07-65, which advises to check for vacuum leaks before replacing the turbo.

If you would like a second opinion from the dealer, I suggest you give the team at YourMechanic a call to inspect your loss of power condition.

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Loss of power while driving.
ANSWER : The fuel pressure should be checked to inspect the condition of the fuel pump. If the fuel pressure is low, there may be a problem with the fuel pump or fuel filter. A weak ignition system may also cause a lack of power under load if the spark plugs are worn or if the spark plug wires are old and frayed you can have misfires when under a heavy load. Consider hiring an experienced technician like one from YourMechanic who can come out for a closer inspection of the vehicle in order to offer a more personal diagnosis of your loss of power concerns.

Read Full Q/A … : Loss of power!