98 tahoe possible fuel problem

I have a 98 Chevy Tahoe 5.7 V8 all stock. About a year ago I was driving home from camping (150 miles) pulling a popup camper, just as I got in to my hometown, I pulled up to a stoplight, and the engine died. I started it back up, and it did this several more times until I got it home. Also I would mash down the gas and the truck would get up to about 30 miles an hour and it wouldn’t go any faster. If I gradually accelerated very slowly I could pick up speed and get going 60 or 70 mph.


I took it in to a Midas (I know really bad place …) and asked them to look at it. Before no time they were throwing parts at it left and right, they replaced the fuel pump, the computer, had it reprogrammed by the dealer, and so on. They never fixed it, and to make a long drawn out saga short, I told them I would pay for half of the cost on the parts and no labor, and they agreed just to get rid of it and me. I paid about $600 out and no fix.

I took it home, did some research and replaced the spark plugs, rotar, cables all with ACDelco GM replacement parts. No deal, although it did seem to work a little better. Then I replaced the fuel filter and that seemed to fix the problem.

All of that happened around 100,000 miles starting at about 140,000 miles the truck has been acting up again. What it does now is similar to before. I can pull out of the drive way and mash down on the gas and it will run about 30 – 35 MPH, or if I gradually accelerated very slowly I could pick up speed and get going 60 or 70 mph or better.
Also if I apply the e-brake while in park or neutral, I can open up full throttle and get about 3K – 3.5K RPM on the tachometer. Again if I do the gradual increase I can get it up to 5K. It seems as the engine warms up for a while, the problem goes away, however it is notably not as powerful as it once was. After doing this engine revving in neutral, there is a strong gas smell.

I have replaced the fuel filter again. Also replaced the exhaust with new walker exhaust system from the exhaust manifolds back including new pipes, new cats, and new muffler. Unrelated, I have replaced the power-steering pump, radiator, and associated hoses in the past several months.

Any Ideas?

Thanks in advanced for any help you can provide.

Also can you include some information on what kind of tool and instructions for checking fuel pressure please?

It is still possible to have either, 1. a dirty fuel filter again if the tank wasn't cleaned after the fuel pump replaced. It can take a while to clog one. 2. You can have a bad fuel pump again. I have seen GM pumps go bad after a year, let alone jobber parts. A question for you. Do you often run your tank below a quarter full? If you do, you are killing your pump. The cool fuel is the only thing that the pump has to keep it from overheating. How many GM vehicles have you heard whinning at an idle? The pumps are on the verge of quitting. Get your vehicle to a certified GM mechanic at a dealer you trust. Trust me, there are honest dealers and mechanics out there. Not everyone is out to screw the little guy. I am a GM tech, and I pride myself on being honest, because I once was a shade tree, until I got layed off from my high paying plant job. I was forced to go back to my roots and learn a new job. I am now ASE and GM certified. I know where you come from, because I was there. Don't let a bad apple spoil the bunch. Trust your GM tech. Thanks