Cleaning Throttle Body
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: on the creekbank in NC
Cleaning Throttle Body
I cleaned my throttle body last weekend. Man there was more carbon there than on the bottom of a burnt bisquit! I have 76K on my Ranger. The person that had it before me took great care of the outside but not the enginge. I am sure they never cleaned it. I used CRC and they recommend you clean it every 3000 miles! Now I don't know about that often but afterseeing what was in there I promise to clean it often. By the way, it didn't help the ping any. However, there is a noticable improvment in throttle response.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Connecticut
Cleaning Throttle Body
Same thought I had when I first cleaned the TB on my Ranger 4.0L ....I wisheded I had done it sooner and more often! I also experienced better throttle response and promised myself that I would clean it as a part of my regular maintenance plan from that day forward. So when I recently purchased a used '97 Taurus (vulcan) one of the very first things I did was clean the TB. I believe in it. 
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Connecticut
Cleaning Throttle Body
Easy project. To get at the throttle body to clean it, you just have to remove the air cleaner outlet tube that runs between the TB and the air cleaner box.
This thread has some more info on how to do it: Throttle Body
This thread has some more info on how to do it: Throttle Body
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 132
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From: Oregon
Cleaning Throttle Body
Thanks Rock! I'll pick up some TB/Air intake cleaner today and give it a try. My pickup has about 55,000 miles on it and it has never been done so it can probably use it. However, I don't have access to compressed air right now. Do you think that will be a problem to just use the cleaner and not the compressed air?
PS I will also change the oil in the near future after performing this task.
PS I will also change the oil in the near future after performing this task.
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Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Connecticut
Cleaning Throttle Body
You don't have to use compressed air to clean the TB, but I think it helps out a lot.
FYI .....many auto parts stores carry small portable cans of compressed air that you can get right off the shelf. And if you can't find one there, try computer/electronic stores which also sell them.
Good luck, let us know how it goes.
FYI .....many auto parts stores carry small portable cans of compressed air that you can get right off the shelf. And if you can't find one there, try computer/electronic stores which also sell them.
Good luck, let us know how it goes.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 132
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From: Oregon
Cleaning Throttle Body
Just a quick thought...cleaning the throttle body is easy. I don't understand why manuals don't recommend doing it in the maintenance chapter? Perhaps a liability issue or perhaps most people are too lazy? Seems like a common sense thing to do to me.
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From: NJ USA
Cleaning Throttle Body
I don't understand why manuals don't recommend doing it in the maintenance chapter? Perhaps a liability issue or perhaps most people are too lazy?
...or perhaps the benefits are negligible. Why isn't that a possibility?
...or perhaps the benefits are negligible. Why isn't that a possibility?
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Connecticut
Cleaning Throttle Body
Originally posted by jcandrew
Just a quick thought...cleaning the throttle body is easy. I don't understand why manuals don't recommend doing it in the maintenance chapter? Perhaps a liability issue or perhaps most people are too lazy? Seems like a common sense thing to do to me.
Just a quick thought...cleaning the throttle body is easy. I don't understand why manuals don't recommend doing it in the maintenance chapter? Perhaps a liability issue or perhaps most people are too lazy? Seems like a common sense thing to do to me.
Originally posted by MickeyP
...or perhaps the benefits are negligible. Why isn't that a possibility?
...or perhaps the benefits are negligible. Why isn't that a possibility?
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: on the creekbank in NC
Cleaning Throttle Body
Negligible benefits to claning the throttle body????? 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.
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Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Mount Solon, VA
Cleaning Throttle Body
My mechanic said that he cleaned the throttle body of my '00 XLT because I was complaining of a rough idle.
It clearly states on the throttle body:
CAUTION: The throttle body bore and plate area have a special coating and must not be cleaned.
If he did actually clean it -- what damage/problems could this cause?
He also cracked a spark plug and didn't test drive it. So I picked it up and it ran like crap and set off a CEL. He put in a new plug and cleared the CEL by disconnecting the battery. The truck seems to have relearned but now I have a definate miss under hard acceleration. The miss isn't consistant but it is there. It feels like my old Sentra did when I would turn on the A/C while driving -- a momentary loss of power that recovers right away.
Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!
It clearly states on the throttle body:
CAUTION: The throttle body bore and plate area have a special coating and must not be cleaned.
If he did actually clean it -- what damage/problems could this cause?
He also cracked a spark plug and didn't test drive it. So I picked it up and it ran like crap and set off a CEL. He put in a new plug and cleared the CEL by disconnecting the battery. The truck seems to have relearned but now I have a definate miss under hard acceleration. The miss isn't consistant but it is there. It feels like my old Sentra did when I would turn on the A/C while driving -- a momentary loss of power that recovers right away.
Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!
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Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Mount Solon, VA
Cleaning Throttle Body
I'm a dork -- I read a post further down about throtle body coating and that answered my first question (I'll look harder next time!).
Any idea as to the engine miss and if my bonehead mechanic screwed up my truck?
Any idea as to the engine miss and if my bonehead mechanic screwed up my truck?
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,748
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From: Connecticut
Cleaning Throttle Body
Hi Richie T, welcome to FTE!
To be completely honest, I would not have a lot of confidence that your spark plugs are installed properly. Using the right type of plug for your type of motor is vital. Gapping and torquing the plugs to proper specs is just as important. Maybe your mechanic was in a hurry or something, I don't know, but breaking a plug makes me wonder about the whole installation process.
The right spark plug wires, properly installed, are also very important. And a new air filter should be part of any tuneup.
You also might want to think about dumping a bottle of fuel injection cleaner (Chevron Techron gets good reviews around here) into your gas tank.
If it were my truck, that's how I would appropach the problem at first.
P.S. Do you still have a lousy idle?
To be completely honest, I would not have a lot of confidence that your spark plugs are installed properly. Using the right type of plug for your type of motor is vital. Gapping and torquing the plugs to proper specs is just as important. Maybe your mechanic was in a hurry or something, I don't know, but breaking a plug makes me wonder about the whole installation process.
The right spark plug wires, properly installed, are also very important. And a new air filter should be part of any tuneup.
You also might want to think about dumping a bottle of fuel injection cleaner (Chevron Techron gets good reviews around here) into your gas tank.
If it were my truck, that's how I would appropach the problem at first.
P.S. Do you still have a lousy idle?
Last edited by Rockledge; Jul 12, 2003 at 03:44 PM.
Freshman User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 26
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From: Mount Solon, VA
Cleaning Throttle Body
Rock -- Glad to be here!
I ran a bottle of Chevron cleaner through and I still have the rough idle. I bought a set of plugs (Motorcraft) and wires and I'm changing them this weekend (I have read good and bad about the OEM replacement plugs esp. with the AGSF22PP number but I thought i'd go with OEM first).
I'm also changing the air filter and was think about cleaning the MAF sensor.
A lot of posts that I read say that a rough idle is just part of having a 3.0 and that a lot of them do. Doesn't seem right to me though.
I ran a bottle of Chevron cleaner through and I still have the rough idle. I bought a set of plugs (Motorcraft) and wires and I'm changing them this weekend (I have read good and bad about the OEM replacement plugs esp. with the AGSF22PP number but I thought i'd go with OEM first).
I'm also changing the air filter and was think about cleaning the MAF sensor.
A lot of posts that I read say that a rough idle is just part of having a 3.0 and that a lot of them do. Doesn't seem right to me though.