Stuck throttle body
The Southernmost Mod
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 6,902
Likes: 21
From: Caracas, Venezuela
Yes, they can stick if they're gummed up, or have bent plates. Usually, when gummed up, they stick closed, so you have to apply some extra force when you're starting to drive for the day. have you done any work on the top of the engine recently? My guess? you misplaced or bent something when you replaced the cable, when you blasted the springs, you blasted the external plates too, that probably lubricated whatever is rubbing just enough for you to drive, I'm confident your problem is there.
If by any chance your TB is ever too dirty, a toothbrush (softest at hand) and TB cleaner is all you need. Just blast it and don't get too crazy with the brush.
If by any chance your TB is ever too dirty, a toothbrush (softest at hand) and TB cleaner is all you need. Just blast it and don't get too crazy with the brush.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 5,221
Likes: 805
Been cleaning throttle bodies on my vehicles for years intermediately, but never because one was sticking. Just wanted opinions of if might be normal for one to stick if dirty or if I should be looking elsewhere like at the springs or for a salvaged replacement. I'll post a shot if a cool day comes around next week and I get to it. As far as the TPS sensor, I replaced it years ago before knowing about any setting, but it seemed like I hand to wind it into position and it has never been an issue. I have gotten paranoid from these forums before and collected several spare TPSs with the pig tails to attempt to make a reader as described sometimes, but I can never put my hands on the TPSs when I come across a forgotten thread about it. Plus removing the throttle body to get at the sensor when "it ain't broke" was usually a no go for being without a truck. Next spring I have a todo list to get on for the old girl of items I put off or stuck back together as good enough.
Hotshot
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 11,958
Likes: 228
When these trucks get older and rack up miles you have to clean the inside of the throttle body eventually, but use throttle body cleaner and NOT things like carburetor cleaner. Sometimes a toothbrush is helpful. I would remove it to clean out so you can avoid getting cleaner in the IAC or TPS.
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 534
Likes: 3
From: Chesapeake
The truck had been running fine since anything was done to it last. Was a little surprised yesterday that AutoZone had next to nothing gasket wise on hand so I may just clean it place again. My TPS is service proven at this point.
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 534
Likes: 3
From: Chesapeake
Small to no update, but I needed this truck for commutes to work due to a tag issue from 8/2-8/14. I had not gotten to cleaning or checking the throttle body any further. Instead I just moved the gas pedal back and forth a couple times before starting the truck to make sure it was returning correctly and not stiff. Truck did not miss a beat while being beat on, besides I might have started hearing a wheel bearing noise in addition to the tires and exhaust. Still I love WOT on the highway with OD off even though it is crawling compared the new truck. Need gears. Single cab AC is hard to beat in this heat too, my truck feels cool before you can put it in drive in the early afternoon sun.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 5,221
Likes: 805
Small to no update, but I needed this truck for commutes to work due to a tag issue from 8/2-8/14. I had not gotten to cleaning or checking the throttle body any further. Instead I just moved the gas pedal back and forth a couple times before starting the truck to make sure it was returning correctly and not stiff. Truck did not miss a beat while being beat on, besides I might have started hearing a wheel bearing noise in addition to the tires and exhaust. Still I love WOT on the highway with OD off even though it is crawling compared the new truck. Need gears. Single cab AC is hard to beat in this heat too, my truck feels cool before you can put it in drive in the early afternoon sun.
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 534
Likes: 3
From: Chesapeake
1992 as described in my signature, speed density. Unsure what WAC is. Keeping the overdrive on tends to make my transmission work to hard at 60 mph, it needs to downshift constantly at each overpass. 32" tires with the 3.08 gears does not equal for a fast truck and I found I was to the floor with the OD on in 70 mph zones. If I turn the OD off, the truck does a lot better at a constant of 60 mph and more. On back roads or if I just cruise in the right lane, it is a limit after all, at 55 mph the truck drives pretty well with the OD left on. Never understood what everyone was really crying about needing to change gears to bigger tires when I lived where the max speed limits were 55. 4.56's will decrease my top speed but it will also decrease how hard my transmission is working to drive at higher speeds once I can get them installed with 38" tires. My truck crawls from a dead stop, but would easily go upwards of 85 mph with OD off on the 32's. Just needs the time to build momentum, zero "passing gear" available. If I were to drive at speeds higher than posted, I believe I would feel my truck begin to lean out fuel wise. I think that issue is just the limit of the spectra replacement fuel pumps and not a vacuum leak issue (betting you might suggest a vacuum leak).
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 5,221
Likes: 805
1992 as described in my signature, speed density. Unsure what WAC is. Keeping the overdrive on tends to make my transmission work to hard at 60 mph, it needs to downshift constantly at each overpass. 32" tires with the 3.08 gears does not equal for a fast truck and I found I was to the floor with the OD on in 70 mph zones. If I turn the OD off, the truck does a lot better at a constant of 60 mph and more. On back roads or if I just cruise in the right lane, it is a limit after all, at 55 mph the truck drives pretty well with the OD left on. Never understood what everyone was really crying about needing to change gears to bigger tires when I lived where the max speed limits were 55. 4.56's will decrease my top speed but it will also decrease how hard my transmission is working to drive at higher speeds once I can get them installed with 38" tires. My truck crawls from a dead stop, but would easily go upwards of 85 mph with OD off on the 32's. Just needs the time to build momentum, zero "passing gear" available. If I were to drive at speeds higher than posted, I believe I would feel my truck begin to lean out fuel wise. I think that issue is just the limit of the spectra replacement fuel pumps and not a vacuum leak issue (betting you might suggest a vacuum leak).
but I have MAF,not sure if that allows my eec-v to calculate load better and thus my e4od would not operate the same way.
possibly a tp sensor issue if the plates have a worn enough shaft maybe it can’t see throttle to the floor per se, hm. Full throttle should also mask a vacuum leak the best compared to idle amd part throttle. But I wouldn’t expect the pump the issues in keeping up, it sounds almost like your computer can’t adjust within its design limits to cover your engine needs which has me thinking the trans SHOULD be able to determine high load despite low rpm, and it’s not efficient, and should downshift. Just the pedal being depresssed enough should at least trigger passsing behavior I think?
is your tps good and doesn’t fall off, does it stay constant up and not jump erratically on the wipe
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 534
Likes: 3
From: Chesapeake
Your "load" decreases each time you begin to coast down hill, the psom translates that in to shift up or engage the OD to conserve fuel. Still that is a translation as if the OBDI system can "think". The PSOM somewhat just advises an E4OD about when to shift, if your PSOM fails for example, your transmission will continue to shift but it may not be at the most opportune time, "pressure shifting". The extra torque required by the larger tires (32s, do not sound large but compared to the OE size they are) causes the effective gear ratio to fall below where the transmission stay in OD even up the slightest of hills. If you drive on a flat road, you can leave the OD on on the oversized tires a possibly never notice it engaging or disengaging OD more than it used too. Maybe this is wrong but the truck uses OD to coast more or less like you were coasting on the clutch of a manual, then when it sees a load, OD clutch disengaging feels like an over eager shift in to third. Turn the OD off and it just stays in third, traveling that fast is too far out of the range of second gear.
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