Truck randomly sluggish at times...

Well I've tried searching the forum for this issue and can't really find what I'm looking for and also I'm not sure if this is in the the right section, but oh well.

So my truck pretty much has the same power it always has, haven't done any mods to the engine other than a K&N air filter. I've noticed though that my truck will be pretty torquey like are trucks are for the most part, but every once in a while my truck acts like its got no power whatsoever. For example today I was driving home from work and I needed to speed up real quick to get over to get off an exit and I had to REALLY push the gas for it start gaining speed, I mean I almost had my pedal to the floor and it was just really sluggish to get up and go. My brother has a taco too and his is completely stock and he told me he has the same issue on occasion. Is this just something our trucks do or some vehicles do at times?

 

I've started keeping my tranny in 4th, instead of D while driving around city streets. I find that gives me a little better response when I gas it.

 

Perhaps it's heat soak. I see you're in California... freeway stop & go in the afternoon heat... the engine is choking on all of it. It probably feels better in the morning?
"Cold air" intakes that just have the filter sitting there, hanging out in the front corner without actually being enclosed and sampling air from outside the engine bay are a major cause of hot weather sluggishness

 

Ahah! Maybe he needs to open up a skewp to let the heat out?

You might pick up an obdii gauge like Scanguage or Ultraguage to tell you a lot more about what's going on. Like you can get temps from 5 or 6 points in your engine for instance. Or check on o2 sensor consistency.

 

Running rich maybe?

 

Ding ding ding! I think you've got it, cause that makes total sense, my truck is great in the morning, but when I drive home in the So Cal heat with stop and go traffic for an hour straight is when I notice it.

Thanks everyone for the responses, they were still helpful.