I have taken my pickup (97 Chevy pickup 1500) no one can seem to find out what is wrong with my truck. I was coming home from out of town(295 miles away)I had it on cruise control. I came upon a steep hill & my truck would not continue to accelerate. I took it off the cruise control & tried to press on the gas but nothing it would not go any faster than 20miles per hour. I made it to the next town. I let my pickup cool down then it would start but if I press down on the accelerator it would die. If I turned it on & let it go at its speed (10miles per hour)without pressing on the accelerator it did fine. The 'check engine soon' light had been on so I decided to take it to Auto Zone to check for a code P0442(evaporative emission system)small leak/no flow condition. I took it to a shop to get it checked on they put on a new catalytic converter?? It didn't solve the problem. They told me it was the fuel pump. I had the fuel pump changed. Well two months ago I took the same trip(295 miles away) the accelerating problem has not happened again but the 'check engine soon' light with the same code P0442 came on again when it would not accelerate. My concern is I live in Texas so there is a long distance between towns where I travel to & from so if my pickup acts up again I may be left stranded out there waiting. No one has been able to figure out what is going on. My brother is a mechanic he has check it: replaced fuel cap,checked the hoses for cracks & checked the pressure but nothing. What could be going on with my pickup? Please help..

Thoughts:

. Check/replace the Ignition Control Module (ICM):

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/catalog/parts/partsShelf.jsp?categoryDisplayName=Electrical+%26+ Lighting&fromType=parts&fromString=search&parentId=cat30065&currentPage=1&filterByKeyWord=control+module&isSearchByPartNumber=false&navValue=15700029&categoryNValue=15799999&fromWhere=&itemId=prod61183&displayName=Control+Module+-+Ignition&searchText=control+module

Common failure item on older GM products. I recommend replacing them every 120,000 miles or 10 years, whichever comes first.

. Check/replace the Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS):

AutoZone.com | Vehicle Selection | Year (http://www.autozone.com/autozone/catalog/parts/partsShelf.jsp?categoryDisplayName=Engine+Manageme nt&fromType=parts&fromString=search&parentId=cat30067&currentPage=1&filterByKeyWord=variable+speed+sensor&isSearchByPartNumber=false&navValue=15900430&categoryNValue=15999999&fromWhere=&itemId=prod60533&displayName=Vehicle+Speed+Sensor&searchText=variable+speed+sensor)

When the VSS fails, it often causes a host of bogus codes to be thrown--your P0442 may be an example of this. I saw a 1994 Ford Lightning pickup truck that limped back to Texas from N.W. Arkansas last week, due to a bad VSS on the differential. Eight or more engine and ABS codes were thrown, all of which were bogus. When the VSS was replaced, the problem was solved.

. Check/replace the Throttle Position Sensor (TPS):

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/catalog/parts/partsShelf.jsp?categoryDisplayName=Fuel+Delivery&fromType=parts&fromString=search&parentId=cat30060&currentPage=1&filterByKeyWord=throttle+position+sensor&isSearchByPartNumber=false&navValue=14900136&categoryNValue=14999999&fromWhere=&itemId=prod61278&displayName=Throttle+Position+Sensor&searchText=throttle+position+sensor