"acceleration pause" sounds like dirty throttle body housing - easy to clean yourself with TB cleaner or spray carb cleaner.
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Not only could the plastic guides be broken but the chain has stretched too. DNA racing makes metal rubber coated replacemnt guides. Time (or perhaps tad too late) to replace. But don't wait any longer since the chain will wear into the alloy timing chain cover eventualling into the cooling water jacket - mising antifreeze with you oil. Not a pretty picture. If you take the head off to repair (recommended) you coudl properly clean the TB and check/refresh the valve train.
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