'02 Montana; accelerator sticking HELP!

[astro44]

I have an '02 Montana and the accelerator sticks as I attempt to accelerate. Once I'm moving it seems to work fine. This is very annoying and I hope this is something simple. Any tips? Please help.

[spike88]

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If your van has a throttle body system (like my previous 2001 Safari van), then get your local auto mechanic to clean its area out. Sometimes, the outside of the throttle body gets "gummed up" and makes its gas peddle feel sticky. re: Hard to press down.

If your van uses a TPS (Throttle Position Sensor) system, get its TPS replaced as well. If wondering, TPS replaces the older gas peddle steel cable system. I know the new 2007-2009 van use TPS. Not too sure if your sytem uses a throttle "steel cable" or new electronic TPS system.

Hope this helps...

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[astro44]

I would like to try this myself. I will locate the throttle body (assuming it has one ?) and see what I can do. Thanks for the info.

[spike88]

Originally Posted by astro44

I would like to try this myself. I will locate the throttle body (assuming it has one ?) and see what I can do. Thanks for the info.

The Throttle Body System is sometimes called "single Fuel Injection system" (compared to Multi-port Fuel Injection system). The TB (Throttle Body) in layman's terms is a "beefed up" carburetor. It does much more then this but from a visual confirmation need, look for a "carburetor looking" thing that sits ontop of its engine air intake manifold system. And, look for something which your vehicle's gas peddle cable and gas line flow hoses are connected to as well.

Some folks use Engine Junk (engine degreaser spray) to clean the outside of the TB. Personally, I feel official TB Cleaner spray (which is located at many auto supply stores) should only be used. Especially since some spray can get inside the TB itself.

For some good instructions on cleaning vehicle's TB, surf:

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you..._throttle_body

Good luck!!!!

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[astro44]

That is great. I plan to do this over the weekend. Thank you. One last thing , is it recommended sraying it inside the throttle body ?

[spike88]

Originally Posted by astro44

That is great. I plan to do this over the weekend. Thank you. One last thing , is it recommended sraying it inside the throttle body ?

Instructions in the above URL are:

"If you have not already done so, put on rubber gloves and eye protection. Once the throttle body is exposed, spray the throttle-body cleaner inside the air duct, and use the brushes to gently dislodge the dirt, gum and varnish that are present. Note: Be very careful not to let the thin, plastic spray nozzle (or anything else!) fall into the throttle-body opening. Periodically wipe the residue clean with the paper towels. Repeat this process until all the interior surfaces are clean to bare metal. Use the flashlight to get a good look at your progress.

Before replacing the throttle-body ducts, put a drop of household general-purpose oil on the shafts of the throttle shaft where it enters the throttle body. Use a small cotton swab, and don't overdo it - just a small drop of oil will help keep the throttle blade rotating smoothly. One drop should be fine. "

For cleaning the `external sides` of TB, I'd use Throttle Body Cleaner as well. Don't use normal engine degreaser spray (like Engine Junk) because some splashing may land inside the TB opening. Thus, I'd use Throttle Body Spray on external sides of TB as well...

See above "drill down" URL for more details.

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[dewaynep]

Yes, you HAVE TO spray it inside the throttle body. I have to disagree with Spike's explanation of what a throttle body is. In your case, all the throttle body does is vary the amount of air going into the engine. The injectors are separate from the throttle body and inject fuel directly into the intake runner for each cylinder. You don't have to change the TPS, that has no bearing on your symptom. Please, make sure you buy throttle body cleaner and not Carb cleaner or any other "engine" cleaner. There is a coating on the throttle body that may be washed off if you use carb cleaner. To get to the throttle body you will need to remove the rubber "accordian" looking hose from between your throttle body and air-box. There are 2 electrical connectors and 1 hose that will need to be disconnected also. The accordian hose is a tight fit and if you are doing this outside in the cold, run the engine for a while to get things in the engine bay heated up and more pliable. While you have the intake hose off it is a great time to put in a new air filter since you will have done most of the work to get to it (it is impossible to get to without removing the hose). Once the intake hose is off you will be able to look right down the throttle body and see where there is a buildup of carbon. It will probably take most of the can of cleaner to get the buildup off of the throttle plate and throttle body. Use a rag, not paper towels. Paper towels won't hurt anything, but you'll be ripping them as you try to clean the throttle body. It sounds harder than it is, but you'll notice the difference in a smoother idle and better acceleration. Most importantly, have fun.

[roadrunner2]

Very good post and procedural info, dewaynep.

I had to do this with the 3.4L V6 in a 2000 Silhouette I had.

[astro44]

The step-by-step explanation is awesome. This sounds fairly simple and once complete will be a welcome improvement. Thanks again!