Throttle Body Cleaning Tips Requested

[doitmyself]

'05 Caravan, 2.4L 4cyl eng., 105,000 miles

After doing my timing belt change, my mechanic friend mentioned that my throttle body was dirty. I studied the topic with a search here and am looking for any more tips. My FSM has no procedure.

1. CRC TB cleaner is mentioned often as being SAFE. Others talked about using Sea Foam, FP60, or Dealer brand products. Comments?

2. Can I do this job good enough without removing the TB? (Cable controlled). I'm just plain tuckered out with too much DIY "fun".

3. Damage to special TB coatings (i.e. Ford)....what's the consensus here? Does Chrysler use this?

4.My TB has an Idle Air Control (IAC) and Throttle Position Sensor attached to it. Should I be concerned about damaging them....chemically or physically?

5. Some mention doing this with engine running???? Wouldn't that throw codes?

6. Anything else that I can muck up with this procedure? The Critic recommends NOT using the plastic straw on the aerosol can!!!!!!!!

Thanks everyone for any tidbits of help. Here's a diagram of the 2.4 TB:

 

[UberxG]

Get a can of the crc stuff and go at it, once wet get a non lint cloth and wipe down the plate. Im positive you dont have to remove the throttle body, just give it a good spraying.

Once completed your car might not start right away, i would just keep cranking till it does.

Ive done this plenty of times and its rare it would cause a check engine light.


EDIT: Leave the car OFF. I wouldnt worry about the idle air control valve .

 

[Jimmy9190]

I clean my TB once every 20,000 miles. I always remove my TB when I clean it. You can buy a new TB gasket at any parts store for 2 bucks for reinstallation. I also always remove the IAC and clean the end of it. Use a shop rag soaked in TB cleaner. You just want to clean the black crusty crud off the end of it. Don't drop it or handle it roughly or you will have to buy a new one. Clean the orifice for the IAC also and lube the o-ring with a little clean motor oil.

On my TB I always remove the MAP and TPS sensor too so I can really clean the TB well and also I lube the pivot points and throttle linkage springs with spray silicone.

The cables just unclip off the TB. They are just as easy to re-attach. I have never heard of any special coatings on a Dodge TB, but I have a different engine than you. As long as you use TB cleaner (not carb cleaner) you should be OK. Reinstall the TB with a new gasket (dry).

 

[Corvette Owner]

Just don't do what I heard one guy did, he feed sand through his throttle body with the engine running to clean it ! He read this on the internet, and his car naturally was messed up.

 

[The Critic]

Yes, do not use the straw under any circumstances!

The cable can easily be removed (think bicycle brake lever) so I wouldn't let that get in the way.

 

[willix]

If the IAC & TPS are easy to access pull them out & place them aside so you can be more liberal with the spray.

Engine warm, spray it wet & let it soak a short while than wash it down into IAC port, opening the throttle,into the intake intake, reassemble, start, burn the cleaner out of there.

 

[Mr Nice]

Take if off and just clean it by hand with a rag, no need for any sprays or cleaners.

 

[mechanicx]

The main thing is the throttle has a very small appeture at idle and deposits can build up on the throttle body easily restricting airflow. So the main thing is to just clean the throttle bore area arounf the throttle. You can take the IAC valve out to clean its bore also.

 

[punisher]

and the shop shortcut.................

Pull off any snorkel to the throttlebody (MAF side), disconnect MAF wire harness, engine off, open throttle all the way short spritz with TB cleaner, use a finger to clean the gunk, reapply spray as needed, cycle key to get vehicle in failure/FMEM mode, start engine, spray throttle body with a shot of TB cleaner to rinse the butterfly/bore, give the IAC intake hole on the throttle body a few shots to clean the IAC, hook up intake snorkel, plug in MAF....................profit.

Don't use old toothbrushes to clean the throttlebody. Cleaners tend to break down the plastic and the toothbrush will break/melt. Don't be too aggressive. I know one person who managed to clean off the coating on a Ford throttlebody, no small feat. All of the deposits I have encountered were soft/sticky due to PCV blowback in front of the TB. It breaks up fast when hit with cleaner. TB antistick coatings will be very hard/brittle.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx
The main thing is the throttle has a very small appeture at idle and deposits can build up on the throttle body easily restricting airflow. So the main thing is to just clean the throttle bore area arounf the throttle. You can take the IAC valve out to clean its bore also.


A big +1.

The butterfly valve itself doesn't have to be cleaned at all, sure we feel better that we did something when the entire plate is clean, but in reality it's the bore and plate edges that get gummed up and stick, that's the most important area to clean.

I did that a week ago on my Mazda 3. I just soaked the rag with a carburetor cleaner, opened up the throttle plate manually and cleaned the bore and edges of the plate. My idle was getting a bit rough after 65k miles without cleaning and it improved instantly, the middle of the plate is still dirty. Took me all but 10 mins without taking the throttle body off.

 

[mechtech2]

I don't like spraying them.
It just gets crud further down and may mess up the idle motor or get crud on the valves.
A manual cleaning will work great. Solvent and a lint free rag. Your finger, screwdriver or whatever. Get an inch before and below the plate, and the plate really clean [both sides].
This helps in all sorts of ways.

I use a catch can for the PCV, and have not had any residue on the TB for several years.

 

[oily boyd]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
I don't like spraying them.


X2.

I once cleaned my Mustang 5.0 TB by spraying it and a week later had to replace my EGR.

 

[Whimsey]

I guess if you have to clean the thottle body your car burns at least some oil. My 1996 Contour 2.0 L Zetec doesn't use any measuable amount of oil between changes, 5,000-8,000 miles oil changes. I've checked the TB and it's clean, NO build up, gunk or coating of any sort. The car has about 85,000 miles on it. It's garaged in the NJ winters and runs in the "good" weather. Plus it's also our "vacation" car, long trips. I had the "pain in the butt" to change PCV changed at 60,000 miles by Ford for free under their emissions warranty for that year.

Whimsey

 

[Kestas]

I use gasoline to clean the throttle body. How can gas harm the coating? It should be designed to be resistant to gasoline.

 

[Vikas]

Why would you believe that? During normal operations, gasoline never touches the throttle body.

 

[Kestas]

You're right, my mind was stuck in "carburator" mode. But what about the pcv gases? Don't they contain crankcase gasoline vapors? For that matter, where do the throttle body deposits come from?

 

[sunfire]

Engine blow back when the car is shut off. And PCV vapors.

 

[KrisZ]

There must be something to the new emission systems. My Mazda 3 doesn't burn any noticeable amounts of oil, but the throttle body plate is just nasty. Or maybe it’s my driving pattern with 100% city, stop and go, and plenty of short trips during the weekend.

I don’t really care, as my car runs great.

 

[mechtech2]

Vikas -
Gas vapors certainly do reach the TB [from the open intakes]. And burned 'whatever' vapor does [from the pcv ].
Gas should work just fine for cleaning. Not a bad idea.

I pay zero attention to those coatings. If they are so great, why is there a build up ?
Being actually clean is better than theoretical cleaning by some magic substrate.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: Kestas
You're right, my mind was stuck in "carburator" mode. But what about the pcv gases? Don't they contain crankcase gasoline vapors? For that matter, where do the throttle body deposits come from?


EGR (if you have it)is a likely culprit in many cars, and factory calibrations mean it is most active during part throttle driving.

PCV fumes can be fuel and oil, but once again it varies wildly by design.