For those vehicular operation inclined.

[Tiger Carson]

This may seem silly, but am I correct in assuming that if an accelerator spring is good, it should hold the gas pedal in place?  Like, you shouldn't be able to pull it back more than a centimeter, right?  My truck's gas pedal can be pulled back about an inch or two, which I'm assuming is NOT a good thing. (I used to be able to really accelerate when I floored the pedal, now it can barely accelerate decently when I floor it on certain steep inclines.  So that was my first indication something may be off with it.) Again, it may seem silly, but I am very much concerned about that...  Plus, while I haven't been driving it regularly since middle of last year, I did drive it fairly often for about seven years...  That was when the spring was last replaced after the old one snapped on me while driving. (Didn't seem strange at the time when it happened, but the replacement may have been just as old, so it may be that the current spring is giving out on me now.)

[Dr. Orange]

Nah fam you good. Gas pedal issues are weird, so I just wanted to double check.

Can it also be moved from side to side out of curiosity or if depressed does it take a second to kick in?

Because what I'm thinking is that especially in car's around that time, when the gas pedal is pressed there's a steel cable, the accelerator cable, that pulls open the carburetor to allow for more fuel to mix and helps with acceleration. After all the years it might have gone bad. Not many cars use carbs anymore. Looking at diagrams of your car, the throttle is under the air cleaner. If it doesn't open up fully that'll confirm.

But if you don't want to mess with your car I'd take it to a garage. They'll hopefully have a similar answer. Not a hard fix just a pain to get under the dash.

[CrypticQuery]

Further information might be useful.  Make/model/year of the vehicle in question, acceleration characteristics on inclines versus flat ground, whether there is any pedal bounce or slack, etc.   

[Tiger Carson]

It's a 1984 Chevrolet Custom Deluxe 20.  As for the characteristics, it can accelerate well enough on flat ground, but inclines can be rough depending on how steep the incline is.  I'm not sure if Parr Blvd. in Reno Nevada means anything to anyone who doesn't live here, but it's kind of steep, with a fully working accelerator pedal, one can get up to 65 mph without fully flooring it in about five seconds. (But due to how the drivers are insane around here, flooring it is required.) As for the bounce/slack, the latter is what I'm talking about.  I'm assuming if the spring that holds the pedal out is good, there shouldn't be any slack beyond maybe a centimeter.  But there appears to be an inch or two of slack.  I can pull it out from where it rests up to two inches away.  My understanding of a vehicle's pedals is that they shouldn't be able to be pulled back easily from where they rest.  Like, it should feel like you're pulling against a properly anchored pole in the ground or something.  Not feel like it's as easy to move as a feather.

[Dr. Orange]

So like it I were to look at your gas pedal. From stationary position I could pull it backward in the opposite direction towards the drivers seat? Because a pedal should only go forward.

And it's just an issue on hills. For the most part it's doing fine on flat ground?

[Tiger Carson]

Bingo doc, I had a feeling that the pedal shouldn't be able to be pulled towards the seat, and yes, the issue is mainly on hills, as it can go well enough on flat ground or going downhill due to gravity.  I probably could have made it more clear if I had said that in the first place. ^^;;

[Tiger Carson]

Haven't tried to move it side to side, but I don't think it does.  Doesn't feel like it takes a second to kick in either when depressed...  And while looking at diagrams is a good idea, I forgot to mention that almost nothing in the engine compartment is the original equipment. ^^;;  Only thing in there that's original is the heater if I'm remembering what the mechanic said when I had the air-conditioner finally upgraded after some belts got thrown off too.  But the cable going bad might also be a possibility...

I think I'll take it to the mechanic anyways, brakes are making a lot of squeaking when I come to a stop, and that usually means the pads are going out.  Probably won't be long before it's metal on metal, which is not good.  So I'll ask about it when I do that.  Thanks for the answer man.