Negligible benefits to claning the throttle body?????

In my opinion, yes. My ’94 3.0 with 90K gained no discernable improvement in any performance area after I cleaned mine, which is in line with what Ford engineers have determined when leaving this off the required maintenance list. Keep in mind what a throttle body is: a big air tube with a butterfly valve. The ONLY place that carbon deposits could have any significant impact within said air tube is near the butterfly, and if only if the deposits are REALLY heavy. The only people who I can imagine having this type of problem are the K&N filter users, which, over time, only serve to allow dirt and oil to both coat the MAF and TB, and allow dirt into the engine. Again, my opinion.

I can tell you it is very beneficial. There are several reeasons why Ford would not suggest it. One is the liability aspect. Some moron sprays half a bottle of TB cleaner in the intake and washes all the oil off cylinder walls then sues Ford. Any major company also has to take care of its dealers and garages. If Ford wanted to they could make vehicles that had virtually no maintenance. BUt why would they? The majority of car owners are not going to home repair things anyway. And then all those high priced income making entended warranties would be garbage. Ford makes great vehicles but it is still a profit oriented company. And that is the bottom line.

One obvious problem with your argument: Maintenance items in a owner’s manual are not necessarily intended for the owner to perform -- that’s up to each person to decide, based on their own level of competence, risk tolerance, etc. As for the liability aspect, I don’t buy that at all. There are FAR worse things people can (and do) do in attempting “routine maintenance”; the onus is upon the owner of the vehicle to do the maintenance properly.
Sorry, but I stand by my original statement. I think my 9-year-old truck’s light carbon deposits are more “real world” and the reason this action is not required as part of regularly scheduled maintenance. You may also have a point in the risk to benefit aspect, as in someone can do more harm than good -- all the more reason for Ford to not recommend fixing something that ain’t broke.

Anyway, if you want to dispute this further, give me data supporting your claim, such as evidence of just how widespread you believe this problem to be and how it manifests itself to the average driver (symptoms). Some charts showing before and after throttle response measurements on your truck would help to change my opinion as well, since seat-of-the-pants observations are way too subjective.

 

Do you work for ford? The basis of this whole forum is personal experience. If you want scientific data go to work for NASA. If you want to see support for my OPINIONS just read the rest of the posts. Seems a lot of people agree. And exactly what is far worse than washing all the oil off your cylinders and siezing your motor? As for the deposits to each his own. Every driver is going to have varying levels of deposits. That is life. In my personal opinion you really should be more open to other peoples experience and opions. Oh one more thing..... isn't "way too" a bit subjective? LOL

 

What is the MAF sensor?

 

Read here: MAF Sensor Cleaning

 

Thanks Rock! The thread that you sent me a link to answered all of my questions--good text explanation with pictures.

 

(I wasn’t going to bother responding, but I didn’t like that LOL swipe.)

Do you work for ford?

No, but they make my truck and I trust their engineers’ recommendations over those made by people in forums, especially when the recommendations are founded on baseless claims. How about you? Do you work for CRC? Stockholder, maybe? Do they know their product could cause an engine to seize-up?

The basis of this whole forum is personal experience.

Really? Says who? It’s about many things, including disagreements -- like this one.

If you want scientific data go to work for NASA.

Funny guy! Sorry; what was I thinking, asking for facts, proof, etc.? Surely, the observations of a handful of posters on a forum are FAR more meaningful than Ford’s service database of a COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND engines. Of COURSE the only reason they don’t recommend this cleaning is that of liability, since you are personally aware of many seized engines as a result of “throttle body cleaner” leak-down. You can verify this claim, RIGHT?

If you want to see support for my OPINIONS just read the rest of the posts. Seems a lot of people agree.

What’s a lot? 10? 20? That makes your opinion valid and gospel, and makes me close-minded by questioning it? Glad to hear you’re so sure of your knowledge and have this all figured out!

And exactly what is far worse than washing all the oil off your cylinders and siezing your motor?

First, you find me evidence of this EVER happening, then we’ll continue the debate. And if true, then I admire your courage -- your willingness to RISK SEIZING YOUR OWN ENGINE to accomplish the removal of this “harmful” carbon. After all, the TB cleaner manufacturer says you SHOULD do this often, and they know better than Ford, right? Ever consider CRC’s perspective, that of to sell TB cleaner??

As for the deposits to each his own. Every driver is going to have varying levels of deposits. That is life.

Hmmm, could that be why Ford doesn’t mandate this operation?

In my personal opinion you really should be more open to other peoples experience and opions. Oh one more thing..... isn't "way too" a bit subjective? LOL

Well, I’ve got some personal opinions too, but I’ll choose the high road and keep them to myself. Also, I don’t see the connection between having a different opinion/questioning the findings of others and having a closed mind -- rather, I view it as vice-versa. If you want to believe everything you read on a forum, that’s your prerogative. If you think disagreeing with someone is somehow wrong and an example having a closed mind, then you have a lot to learn about forums. If you’re going to shout “clean it now!!!” in a thread, then be ready to back up your claims with some real data, especially that dubious claim of engines seizing from TB cleaner.

 

Sorry Rock I gotta say something. THIS POST IS NOT DIRECTED AT MICKEY. This thread is about throttle body cleaning. Some people, myself included, end up defending their point of view more than seeing others. You should overlook personal disagreements that take away from the value of this forum. As for the value of this and any post on FTE, try it for yourself and draw your own conclusions. That is the only value that matters.

 

Hello everybody.

Just a quick note:

DONT USE THE SMALL SPRAY TUBE WITH YOUR TB CLEANER.

I JUST SHOT MINE DOWN THE INTAKE NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN!!!!!!!!

Couldn't retrieve it. Just had to hope the $.003 tube didn't cause a $1000 repair. No problem after 100 miles.

Secondly: The TB Cleaner is made for those type of laquered TB surfaces. Carb Cleaner is NOT!

 

OH MY!!!!!
I would suggest you take the manifold off and get that thing out. The spray tube is PROBABLY too long to make the bend and go into a valve and combustion chamber. However, after a peroid of substantial heat, it might melt and pieces of it get into the engine. This is just an opinion. I don't think I have ever seen or heard a documented case of that. If it were my truck, I would definitely be getting it out of there. I wonder if you could get to it with a set of fingers? As long as you didn't jam them in there, I don't see what it would hurt. Nothing more than melted plastic in the cylinder I am sure.

 

Wow, that is a bummer.....you are now the second person that I have heard that happening to. Someone over at the Taurus Car Club of America did the same thing.

 

Wow! at least nobody here laughed at you the way they laughed at that poor guy on the Taurus site.

That completely sux.

I do have one question to echo from the Taurus site though, Did you look like this after you shot the tube down the intake?
:-staun

 

couldnt it messwith the valves closing....and an non closed intake valve could be pretty crappy....

 

According to the Ford 2000 Ranger Work shop manual that I have...(page 303-04B-4), "a sealant is applied to the throttle plate and bore area to reduce closed plate-to-bore airflow. The sealant should not be removed or cleaned.". I cleaned mine anyway. I just tried to stay away from the closing area the best I could. We'll see.

 

Interesting fact; thanks. I have a 99 Merc GM 4.6 and was wondering about cleaning the throttle body. My shop manual says not to because of a teflon coating that will deteriorate with certain cleaners. One of the guys on Crownvic.net came close to explaining what your manual states very clearly. Behind the butterfly axis, or at the rear of the TB is what he described as a substance that appeared to be almost painted on. I now take this to be the sealant your 2k Ranger shop manual is discussing. I can see a reason for wanting to aid the butterfly plate to close air-free against the bore body. That is what it is suppose to do.

It's hard for anyone maintaining his/her own vehicle to look at something fouled with carbon and not want to clean it. However, IF I succumb to the temptation, I think I'll take the TB off the TB adapter and make sure I keep any cleaner from getting at the sealant. Another wise move might be to use somehing less toxic to clean the unit, like a mild solution of simply green. Again, both would require (at least for me) the removal of the TB so I could control my work better. That means more time. Anyway, thanks for citing the manual (basis for facts appreciated) and good luck.

 

IMO, the benefits of the so-called "protective coating" are more myth than fact. Seems that TBs regularly get carboned up, regardless of the coating.

Quite frankly, I'd rather have a nice clean TB than tip-toe around the protective coating. If I have to clean my TB again a little sooner than when it came out of the factory (no evidence of that, even), then so be it. Simple job do do.

Just my 02.