Should I Clean My Throttle Body? Keep Hearings Goods And Bads.

[Michael West]

I've been going back and forth about cleaning my throttle body after reading what people are saying about doing it. I have an 89 lx. I have a brand new gasket for the TB and a bottle of CRC TB cleaner. I'd like to remove it from the car and give it a deep cleaning. It's VERY dirty and i want to get rid of the lag when I press the gas, and also smooth out the idle a bit.

One thing I've heard is that TB cleaner will remove the protective coating on the inside of my throttle body that comes on there to attract the dirt and other bad stuff before it goes into the engine, so I shouldn't clean it. And then I've heard it makes your car run likes it's new if you clean it. Can someone please clear this up for me? I'd love to clean it as long as I'm not going to harm anything.

Thanks!

 

[mikestang63]

Some TB have a teflon coating on them. You would see a sticker on it. However, I personally have cleaned dozens of TB without any problems. The only thing is you may have to clean it more often, but it is much better to clean a dirty TB than to let it stay dirty. Use the proper cleaner, some rags and a soft toothbrush and you will be fine. I would remove the IAC and also clean that.

 

[Michael West]

Ok perfect! Thanks. My cleaner actually says that it is safe for coated TBs. also, how do you remove the throttle connections from the bottom of the tb? Do they just pop off?

 

[mikestang63]

You don't have to remove the TB to clean it. You can remove the intake tube and clean it on the car. after you remove the intake tube, stuff a rag under the TB opening to catch the cleaner and dirt. Spray cleaner all inside the TB and with a soft toothbrush scrub the inside and the outside of the TB blade, Then hold open the TB blade by pushing the throttle arm on the bottom of the TB and with some cleaner on a rag clean the back of the blade and the inside of the TB.

Remove the IAC and with some pipe cleaners soaked in cleaner run them through the passages in the TB and also in the IAC holes with the pipe cleaners and Qtips. If you have some compressed air use that on the TB or IAC, to get out all the cleaner and crud or turn the TB cleaner can upside down and it will shoot out air but not as well.

With a clean rag or shop towel wipe all of the inside of the TB until it is clean. Then simply resintall the IAC, intake tube.

If you want to remove the TB to clean it, is it a stick or auto? If a stick. just take a screwdriver and pop the little nub that goes into the metal clip on the throttle body. If an auto, you will also CAREFULLY pop out the TV cable with a flat screwdriver out of the hole where the plastic bushing is on the TB- sometimes people replace the bushing with a brass bushing and a pin- if they did remove the pin and then you can pop the TV cable out. You will also disconnect the TPS, IAC electric connectors, the TB to VC tube.

With either method, you should check/reset the base idle,tps when you reinstall everything. The procedure is in the tech section, If you are careful and don't tear the TB or IAC gasket, you can reuse them. Make sure you do not overtighten the worm hose clamp on the intake tube on the TB as it may cause the TB to stick.