I'm double checking to see if I'm doing this properly.
Does anyone know of a link or any directions for thoroughly cleaning out the throttle body? And what else to clean out system? Also, what's the best spray cleaner for the throttle body. Last spring, I put a bottle of fuel system cleaner in the gas tank. I also took some throttle body cleaner spray and sprayed the throttle body, but I had to shut off the car, so it wouldn't stall. Any way around this also?
(And every oil change I put in a bottle of injector cleaner in the gas tank)

 

do a search for "seafoam" and maybe for "deep creep"...they are the holy grail for internal engine cleaning...lol

 

I took the throttle body off the manifold and cleaned it with some acetone It worked quite nicely. Other than that, seafoam rocks.

John

 

seafoam

 

a word of caution:

when i removed the tb from my old tpi iroc, i cleaned it with some of that spray Carb/TB cleaner. it worked fantastic!
HOWEVER:
after a few days of driveing i started to have problems, the car would idle high, when cruzing on the highway, and letting off the gas, the car would maintain speed (and no i didn't have cruize) at around 70 or 75. it would also continue to run and stumble for a few seconds then quite when the key was turned off!!

come to find out, when i cleaned the TB, the solvent removed all the lubricant from the throttle mechaninsm that controlled the blades. there was enough resistnece that they blades would stay open or at part throttle. i oiled the mechanism on the side of the TB and it cured the problem.

just a word of warning...make sure to lubricate the moving parts after dousing them in solvent.

 

why would you clean the tb? just to make it open/close smoother??

 

You often get quite a build-up of goo on your throttle body. I personally buy a good fuel injection safe cleaner (preferably a can that will spray at all angles)and use a toothbrush and a rag to clean mine if I'm not going to take it off.

 

are you sayin like, dirt can get stuck on the inside or on the blade to restrict airflow? i've taken the elbow off a few times and didn't notice it being particularly dirty

 

I cleaned mine because there was so much gunk on it the throttle blades stuck at idle. I had to push the gas down pretty good to get it going. Then the blades would break loose and the car would lurch forward.

John

 

Using cheap low octane gas will make this worse I imagine I always us 92-93 octane pump gas.

 

It's not that hard to take the TB off the car for cleaning. I take mine off once a year and clean it out with Gumout and a rag. Just make sure you remove the sensors and gaskets first so you don't ruin them with the Gumout. If you get it on the top plate gasket it will make it swell and ruin it.

- Brent

 

what is the purpose of the top gasket under the rectangular plastic plate on the top of the TB?

 

For sealing against air leaks of course.

- Brent

 

Also, do NOT use carb cleaner to clean the throttle body. The blades have an anti-carbon coating on them that can be damaged due to using typical carb cleaner. Use fuel injection cleaner instead.

Pic