115,000 Throttle Body, before & AFTER!

[Don]

I posted earlier about my wife`s Explorer and for advice on pulling the throttle body for cleaning - my Camaro was nasty at 73,000 - so I figured hers had to be disgusting ... I was right.

Yesterday, I worked and it was t-shirt weather, today I`m off and it`s freezing with snow flurries - figures. Well I was able to get everything removed only (temporarily) losing 2 bolts in the process (one on the ground and the other behind the headlight).

Needless to say rubber gloves don`t do much in the way of keeping fingers warm, so I was dealing with numb fingers - even with frequent breaks to warm up the hands. So other than my numb fingers dropping small bolts, everything went great. It idles MUCH smoother, hovering at ~1,000 rpms and the engine is dead silent. The test drive was awesome, you could clearly tell the engine was breathing a whole lot better and didn`t seem to struggle under hard acceleration AND it was MUCH quieter and smoother under acceleration than before.

Well, enough wasting your time with jabber, here are the before and afters:

[Setec Astronomy]

You know, I understand how that could improve your idle performance, but can you explain how you think that removing a layer of gunk that`s maybe as thick as the paint on your car has improved the breathing of your engine at higher RPM`s?

[Don]

You know, I understand how that could improve your idle performance, but can you explain how you think that removing a layer of gunk that`s maybe as thick as the paint on your car has improved the breathing of your engine at higher RPM`s?

I`m sure it`s all mental My butt dyno said it`s better, so it must be true (like info on Facebook)

[RTexasF]

1,000 RPM seems like a high idle speed for a warm engine.

[Don]

1,000 RPM seems like a high idle speed for a warm engine.

No, that`s when it was dead cold (V6) ... after the test drive it was more like 800 rpms.

[Coleroad]

I`m glad you got it done, great job.

[TuxedoTaurus]

You know, I understand how that could improve your idle performance, but can you explain how you think that removing a layer of gunk that`s maybe as thick as the paint on your car has improved the breathing of your engine at higher RPM`s?

That build up not only prevents the butterfly from returning to normal closed position, but will also affect the wide open position.

You would be amazed at how the tiniest amount of movement of the butterfly messes with air to fuel trims. The fuel injection system are fine tuned and the slightest adjustments will really effect them. They do have some tolerance where the ecu can adjust for minor issues, eventually the ecu can’t keep up.


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[Setec Astronomy]

That build up not only prevents the butterfly from returning to normal closed position, but will also affect the wide open position.

You would be amazed at how the tiniest amount of movement of the butterfly messes with air to fuel trims. The fuel injection system are fine tuned and the slightest adjustments will really effect them. They do have some tolerance where the ecu can adjust for minor issues, eventually the ecu can’t keep up.

Respectfully, that buildup on the butterfly and any ridge in the bore is a very minor disturbance at large throttle openings, and if the ECU couldn`t keep up he`d be throwing a code. Idle is a lot trickier for a lot of reasons.

[TuxedoTaurus]

Respectfully, that buildup on the butterfly and any ridge in the bore is a very minor disturbance at large throttle openings, and if the ECU couldn`t keep up he`d be throwing a code. Idle is a lot trickier for a lot of reasons.

Yes if it went outside the threshold. If it gets that bad codes are normally set by the Idle Air Control valve or EGR is clogged. The carbon build up can cause the butterfly to stick at spots and cause performance issues with the Throttle Positioning Sensor reporting to the ECU.

When he cleaned the TB it gave the butterfly its smooth operating motion back. That’s where the “seat of the pants” dyno felt the difference. The small performance loss was regained.

I check my throttle bodies for build up every 15k when changing or cleaning air filters. I will usually clean them every 60k some way. I don’t pull them unless there is excessive build up behind the TB.


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[Oneheadlite]

Respectfully, that buildup on the butterfly and any ridge in the bore is a very minor disturbance at large throttle openings, and if the ECU couldn`t keep up he`d be throwing a code. Idle is a lot trickier for a lot of reasons.

While I`m glad that Tuxedo and Don have had good luck with the throttle cleanings, Setec I`m with you on this one. My experience (doing it for a living) has only been issues arising from the carbon ridge building up on the back side of where the throttle plate closes, choking out air flow at idle. Once the plate opens past that, I`ve never seen an issue.

Worth mentioning is that for cleaning throttle bodies, carb cleaner makes life much easier as it`s formulated to melt away the build up vs brake cleaner. Brake cleaner doesn`t have nearly the effect on carbon. I think carb cleaner also leaves a very mild lubricant behind, while the brake cleaner dries residue free.

[TuxedoTaurus]

Worth mentioning is that for cleaning throttle bodies, carb cleaner makes life much easier as it`s formulated to melt away the build up vs brake cleaner. Brake cleaner doesn`t have nearly the effect on carbon. I think carb cleaner also leaves a very mild lubricant behind, while the brake cleaner dries residue free.

That is very true, right tool (or product) for the job. There is a difference in the two. I’m no chemist to break it down, but you feel and see a difference


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[Don]

FYI, I used CRC Throttle Body and Intake cleaner for the TB and the IAC and I used CRC MAF sensor cleaner for the MAF sensor.

[tropicsteve]

good for you don, just getting ready to clean up my maf and tb on my 2000 ford f150, just as some preventive maintenance.

[Don]

good for you don, just getting ready to clean up my maf and tb on my 2000 ford f150, just as some preventive maintenance.

Thanks. We bought this from her parents, so I pretty much know it`s maintenance history - regular BASIC stuff, but nothing "detailed" like a TB, IAC or MAF cleaning.

[DaveT435]

Regardless of the effects, or lack of effects from the oil build up In the throttle body I run a catch can to prevent it. The motor has no need for the oil coming through the PCV system so I prefer to eliminate it. If nothing else it`s nice to see a nice clean throttle body when you pull things apart.