Engine acceleration

There is no troubleshooting steps for a "faint odd noise". The first thing I would be looking for is a dragging brake, specifically, due to a sticking parking brake cable that is not fully-released. If a front wheel gets hot, suspect a constricted front rubber hose. A tight universal joint can cause poor acceleration. A plugged catalytic converter will restrict exhaust gas flow. For that, you will hear a steady hiss from the tail pipe that doesn't sound normal.