cleaning the throttle plate

**kennyg** · 02-25-2006, 04:10 PM

Anybody ever do this? I read on another forum it is highly recommended to do. I looked at mine on the Escort and on the air breather it says "throttle plate has a special coating, do not clean". Should I or not? Will this help the car`s performance at all??

**CalgaryDetail** · 02-25-2006, 04:56 PM

I have never done it but if it says it has a special coating i would listen, i know the companies dont alwayas tell you the right info (like washing with dish soap) but if it has a coating no point wrecking the plate. good luck

**AL-53** · 02-25-2006, 04:57 PM

Some throttle plates have some type of a teflon coating on them ...and a strong solvent type cleaner may damage it....they do sell throttle body cleaners that are safe for that type....

you can also use a APC to clean them...there is an article on a forum on cleaning that type of throttle plate...it may have been Ford Truck world....or bob is the oil guy forum....I have bought some CRC throttle body cleaner and it states safe for coated bodies....also seafoam put in a spray bottle will clean it also....but best to find info on it before doing it...it may depend on the make of car what is safe......

do not use a priority carb cleaner as the solvents are to strong....

Oh....Valvoline makes a synthetic throttle body cleaner that is good..just hard to find in my area....

Al

**harry444** · 02-25-2006, 04:58 PM

Well it says "do not clean " so what do you think you should do..... :nutkick

**97F1504x4** · 02-25-2006, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by kennyg

Anybody ever do this? I read on another forum it is highly recommended to do. I looked at mine on the Escort and on the air breather it says "throttle plate has a special coating, do not clean". Should I or not? Will this help the car`s performance at all??

As long as you use one of the TB Cleaners( CRC is good) that say it is safe then go ahead and clean it. Simply remove the intake tubing and then spray the cleaner inside. You can also use a rag to wipe it down. The bad part with these modern day cars is the best way to do it is while the engine is running that way it cleans the entire intake track. But with todays MAF type cars the truck wiil not run if it sees no air flowing across the MAF. Well it will run but barely. Just be careful if you use the red plastic straw that comes with these make sure it is pushed into the spray head fully or do not even use it at all. If it comes out whiel the TB butterfly is open you risk it shooting down the intake manifold. After doing this start the car and let it run for a few minutes to burn up any residual spray. It may take a few cranks to start if you flood it with the cleaner so expect that.

Richard

**kennyg** · 02-25-2006, 06:57 PM

So, Gunk carburator cleaner would probably not be safe??

**AL-53** · 02-25-2006, 07:09 PM

no carb cleaner....it has some strong solvents...like tolulene..acetone...and a few others..it may damage the coating.....a straight throttle body dedicated cleaner for coated surfaces...like CRC...Valvolene synthetic....seafoam creep...

No Gunk...wal-mart...stp...pensoil straight carb cleaners....

the coating is there for a self type cleaning with some of the better gas with additives...like in Mobil gas...Shell V-power....exxon with Techtron..

Al

**97F1504x4** · 02-25-2006, 07:11 PM

Originally Posted by AL-53

no carb cleaner....it has some strong solvents...like tolulene..acetone...and a few others..it may damage the coating.....a straight throttle body dedicated cleaner for coated surfaces...like CRC...Valvolene synthetic....seafoam creep...

No Gunk...wal-mart...stp...pensoil straight carb cleaners....

the coating is there for a self type cleaning with some of the better gas with additives...like in Mobil gas...Shell V-power....exxon with Techtron..

Al

Yep what he said.

Richard

**GearHead_1** · 02-25-2006, 07:54 PM

If you pull one of these off and take a look around the edges and on the back side of the throttle plates you will see that the teflon flakes off in a rather serious way even if you don`t clean them. I`ve ported/polished many of these on both GM`s and Ford`s and never found one that I was more comfortable leaving the Teflon alone rather than just polishing the plates along with the bore. The flaking and build up that is on the plates can be pretty dramatic it almost looks like carbon deposits inside of a cylinder head.