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Throttle Body Cleaning


venturenot
05-17-2010, 08:40 PM
I had a sticking gas pedal and decided to clean my throttle body to see it it would help. I got some Throttle body cleaner, removed the inlet air duct and sprayed the throttle body with cleaner while opening the butterfly plates. A ton of gook came out of the bottom plate, but I had to cut the job short because i had to leave. My gas pedal no longer sticks and I would like to go back and finish cleaning.

My questions are:
(1) Is it OK to scrub inside the butterfly opening with Throttle body cleaner and a tooth brush.
(2) I don't know what it is called, but how do you lubricate the lever/assembly that you depress to open the butterfly plates. Should I just put a little oil on the cable and lever/assembly?

Thanks,

lesterl
05-18-2010, 08:46 PM
1) Go ahead and use some shop towels or gently brush with the toothbrush and the TB Cleaner. If the TB isnt sticking anymore, might let it go at that and seafoam the intake.


2) do you need to lube the throttle assembly? is it binding up? Might try a little white lithium grease.

venturenot
05-18-2010, 08:55 PM
(1)No throttle no longer sticks and car idles nicely. I still would like to go back and use the tooth brush and clean a little more. What is this Seafoam, how do I apply?

(2) No nothing is binding, it just looks a bit weathered -llke it could use some lubrication.

ricebike
05-19-2010, 08:51 AM
1 seafoam through google and vids...

2 from a motorcycle standpoint, i do lube the outside cable/spring... but on cars where the hood is closed most of the time, i guess it's optional

here's a link

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1803942

ricebike
05-19-2010, 08:53 AM
1 seafoam through google and vids...

2 from a motorcycle standpoint, i do lube the outside cable/spring... but on cars where the hood is closed most of the time, i guess it's optional

here's a link

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1803942

and another about the valve return spring... scroll down

http://www.your-adrenaline-fix.com/throttle-return.html

If you have ever thought you were doing yourself a favor by lubricating the workings of your throttle with grease (even if it was light grease) or any other type of petroleum product such as wd-40 or similar lubricants it was a big mistake. Use of any type of petroleum product such as wd-40 or light grease in the throttle assembly will only attract dirt, which mixed with oily products results in a soup that will greatly diminish the throttle's return abilities.

If the inside of your throttle housing does have any lubricants inside or lubricants between the throttle tube and handlebars be sure to completely disassemble everything and clean all the parts well with brake clean or other similar contact cleaner type solvents and allow to fully dry before reassembly.

The best way to lubricate your throttle assembly is with a dry graphite powder or nothing at all. Yep, Nothing. Clean and dry in here is the best policy, and as far as between the throttle tube and handlebar goes...You can take some silicone spray and apply it to a clean rag then wipe it onto the handlebar while the throttle tube is off, allowing it to dry before reassembly of everything as this will enable the throttle tube to have a little quicker return action but will still require more frequent disassembly and cleaning to keep the action fast and crisp as even silicone can attract dirt and other fine particles.

lesterl
05-19-2010, 09:36 PM
I pulled the vac line from the vac modulator on the transmission and used that line (engine running) to suck up the seafoam cleaner a little at a time untill the can was about 3/4 gone, then I stalled the engine out with a large gulp of the stuff.

Let the vehicle sit for 5-10 min with the key out of course, then try to start it, may have to hold the throttle WOT to clear the engine out.

I tried this on my 97, did it in the snow and there was alot of black crud under the tail pipe and I boosted my compression on a low cylinder by about 20 PSI....

venturenot
05-20-2010, 08:23 PM
1 seafoam through google and vids...

2 from a motorcycle standpoint, i do lube the outside cable/spring... but on cars where the hood is closed most of the time, i guess it's optional

here's a link

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1803942

and another about the valve return spring... scroll down

http://www.your-adrenaline-fix.com/throttle-return.html


Thanks, alot of good info there. It isn't binding, so like the old saying goes "If ain't broke, don't fix it". I think I'll just leave it alone for now.

venturenot
05-20-2010, 09:44 PM
I think I am going to seafoam through my brake booster vacuum line. It looks like there are 2 parts to the this line: the hose and a circular attachment that fits into the booster. Do I pull out the circular attachment from the booster, and feed seafoam into circular attachment. Or do I pull off the hose from the circular attachment and leave circular attachment attached to booster and pour seafoam into the hose vacuum line?

lesterl
05-20-2010, 10:07 PM
Either, the vac modulator hose is on the front tho (assuming you have a 97-99 van), you just want to feed a little bit at a time as the booster line is a big vac leak and it may not run, runs bad with the smaller line off.

venturenot
05-20-2010, 10:14 PM
Yes, I have a 98 Venure, and had a remanned long block engine installed in Sept just 25,000 miles ago. I was surpised to see the throttle body all gunked up on the inside, and making my gas pedal stick.

I know where the brake booster line is, but do not know where the vac modulator line is located that is why I chose the Brake booster.

lesterl
05-20-2010, 10:18 PM
It is on the drivers front of the intake a little hose that connects a steel tube down the front drivers side of the motor to the front of the transaxle with another small piece of rubber hose there. My motor was just replaced also, it looks pretty clean tho, altho only about 10k of my driving on the thing and it was a J/Y pull for about $650 with a warranty.

venturenot
05-21-2010, 03:36 PM
It is on the drivers front of the intake a little hose that connects a steel tube down the front drivers side of the motor to the front of the transaxle with another small piece of rubber hose there. My motor was just replaced also, it looks pretty clean tho, altho only about 10k of my driving on the thing and it was a J/Y pull for about $650 with a warranty.

Can't find it. I am going to start new thread - Seafoaming Car.

azharj
06-12-2011, 07:33 PM
Can WD- 40 be used for cleaning throttle body? Will it not damage the throttle positioning sensor?

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