i have a 87 l98 and 2 days ago my car started running like s***. it is hard to start and once it does, i need to give it gas or it dies out, and i smell a strong gas smell. so i looked around and found a cirlular part behind the plenum in front of the distributer. it is leaking gas and i have no idea what that is. can someone please give me some info. thanks

 

If it has a vacuum line coming out the top of it, you have found the fuel regulator.

 

thanks. is there any that can be the reason for t running like crap?

 

if it is a ruptured diaphram then it definitely will spew and cough. Pull the vacuum line off and crank it up. If it is a ruptured diapram then gas is going to blow out where the hose was connected. BE CAREFULL... Lay a rag arond it so you don't explode the thing into a flame ball. It wont be pretty.