What Are the Causes of Poor Acceleration in a Chevy S10?
by Lennon Simpson
There are many things that can cause acceleration problems in any vehicle. The internal combustion engine is so complex that even the slightest problem can potentially disrupt the power delivery in a very serious way. While there are things that can go wrong with any car, every car also has its own "Achilles heel" for that specific engine, and the S10 is no exception.
Intake Manifold Problems
The intake manifold gasket is notably weak on many S10 year models. While this not only can disrupt the air pressure and air flow of the intake manifold, which is not a welcome problem, it can also allow coolant to leak into the combustion chamber. Coolant doesn't detonate and takes up space that fuel and air would otherwise occupy. This causes uneven and weaker combustion, which will seriously detract from acceleration.
Slippery Transmission
While many transmissions have the potential to begin slipping after many miles of use, it is pretty much assured to happen on older S10s with an automatic transmission. A slipping transmission is caused by parts starting to wear out, especially the gear teeth and the automatic clutch. This leads to slower and less precise gear shifts, which translates into slower, gummier acceleration.
General Problems
All vehicles can develop problems with the three factors that run an engine. These are air, fuel and spark. If any of these three parts start to fail, the engine will not run correctly and acceleration will start to decline. These issues can include, but are not limited to, dirty air filters, old spark plugs, gummed-up fuel injectors, bad fuel pump, loose throttle body and melted catalytic converter. This list is practically endless, but if your S10 is having trouble accelerating, start by examining each of the air, fuel and spark systems one by one.
References
Writer Bio
Lennon Simpson is a graduate of Hendrix College where he received his B.A. in philosophy. His articles on politics and current events have appeared in "The Profile." He also volunteers for after-school creative writing clubs in local high schools where he teaches writing to at-risk youth. Simpson began his professional writing career in 2008 as a poet in Central Arkansas.
