sudden loss of power under hard acceleration

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10-26-2026, 05:46 PM
ozone

sudden loss of power under hard acceleration

First, some background. I finally got VIN#16,427 back on the road last year after several years sitting. Lots of maintenance and upgrades performed. After putting it all back together, it started and ran great. Probably 100 miles or so later, I had it out a week ago and on the way home, on 3 separate occasions, starting out in first under a somewhat aggressive acceleration, I had a sudden loss of power lasting only a split second, and then everything was fine. I haven't driven it since. No issues with normal driving.

Here's what was done during maintenance related to the engine:
* New fuel pump/filter/accumulator/flexible fuel lines
* New fuel injection lines
* New plugs/wires/distributor cap & rotor
* New vacuum lines/hoses/pipes
* New engine bay wiring harness

Other related information:
* Gas is about 15 months old. I checked the tank and there is about 2" of fuel remaining with the gauge reading 1/4
* Injectors were not flow tested, but really seem fine. Smooth idle and acceleration otherwise
* Research indicates I might have a sticky air flow sensor plate. If I goose it at idle, in neutral, and warmed up, there does appear to be some hesitation in the throttle response, but no real loss of power
* No cold or hot start issues. Less than 11k miles since new.

So, there you have it. Any tests I should perform or ideas of other potential causes for this?
10-26-2026, 06:49 PM
Bitsyncmaster

Fill the tank and I bet that fixes the problem. Don't let your tank get to low. When your going up a hill it could suck some air.
10-26-2026, 09:14 PM
David T

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bitsyncmaster

Fill the tank and I bet that fixes the problem. Don't let your tank get to low. When your going up a hill it could suck some air.

Get a bottle of Techron and add it to a full tank of fuel. Check the hoses and the check valve around the Control Pressure Regulator. One of the CPR's functions is to act like an accelerator pump and give a spike of fuel when accelerating. A vacuum leak from a hose would prevent it from working correctly. Actually a vacuum leak anywhere will cause you problems. Make sure the air sensor plate does not touch the sides of the venturi. It can be adjusted to center it by loosening the bolt if necessary. If you still have the hesitation you may have to rebuild the CPR. You might also want to check the base timing, the mechanical advance and the vacuum advance.