I need to clean my throttle body on my '97 F-150 and it has a label saying not to clean directly. Is it still safe to use TB cleaner and to go ahead and clean it? It needs done but how would I go about it. Help would be appreciated, thanks!

 

Remove the big hose off the front.
Open the throttle by hand with the outside linkage.
Spray all around the inside and the plate.
Remove the IAC and spray clean the inside until it runs out clean.
Make sure the IAC pintel inside move freely.
Reassemble everything.
The motor may be hard starting for the first cranking due to the cleaning fluid until it evaporates away.
I would reboot the computer to get rid of the table shift that has occurred from the way it was operating.
To do this remove one battery cable for at least 1 minute then reconnect.
Do a cold start with the headlights on then the fan on high.
This sets up the worst cold start loading beside the temperstures.
Let the motor fully heat to temp then go on a 5 mile round trip.
Then do several hot restarts to complete the new tables that will continue to build as you drive.
After this you should have perfect starts providing there are no other issues.
Good luck.

 

Wonder what the reason for that warning label is?
I've cleaned quit a few without any problems

 

The warning label was intended to alert that a coating is on the throttle body to prevent build up.
But when gum and carbon has built up it needs to be cleaned off.
The buildup interfers with normal idle.
The reason it does is the throttle plate is off the fully closed position by the amount of the throttle stop adjustment.
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The stop adjustment is set as the min base hot idle of about 500 rpm+/- with the IAC fully closed to prevent stalls under a no load condition and is part of the total amount of air the engine gets when the IAC operates..
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Under decelleration conditions the PCM closes the IAC to a low bypass just enough to keep the engine from stalling hence the idle stop opening again plus the IAC small opening.
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A note: the stop setting should not be changed or adjusted to allow the throttle plate to close when in a hot condition because the throttle body casting will shrink around the plate and stick it fast as cooling takes place. It should not be adjusted to raise the idle or the IAC loses it's ability to fully control the idle under various engine loads from lights to A/C to power steering loads changes.
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Once the IAC is operational, the idle air bypassed allows the idle to move up the the 750 +/- 50 range.
The very tight idle control is done with the crank sensor detecting the RPM and sends it's signal back to the PCM where it is compaired to the idle softeware table to match the 750 value.
The IAC is continiously adjusting air bypass to maintain the idle speed using this feedback loop to within +/-50 rpm.
The engine bay sticker usually says the idle is non adjustable for the reasons above as to how the whole loop operates.
Outside adjustment interference is not allowed.
Once some part of this operation goes into trouble, there can be cold start issues, hot start issues, decell stalling etc.
.
The last thing that gets done under decell conditions is the PCM updates it's tables at a tme there is least system action to keep track of.
Good luck.

 

Thanks fellas, helped a lot!

 

Thanks for the detailed explanation Bluegrass
Have a great day!

 

i would also clean the erg valve