Caution:do not clean throttle body?
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New User
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From: Fairfax,VA
Caution:do not clean throttle body?
Yesterday I cleaned the downstream half of my throttle body with carb cleaner and elbow grease. It had some hard black build-up and a sticky coating as well. After I cleaned it I noticed a yellow sticker that said,"Caution
O NOT CLEAN THE THROTTLE BODY."
What gives? Do I now need a new throttle body? What will happen if I reinstall the body?
Any help would be appreciated. Thanx
Steve
O NOT CLEAN THE THROTTLE BODY."What gives? Do I now need a new throttle body? What will happen if I reinstall the body?
Any help would be appreciated. Thanx
Steve
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Joined: Aug 2004
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From: North of Boston MA
Can you give more information on what type of vehicle, year, engine, etc...also, where is this sticker?
I've been cleaning throttle bodies on all my fuel injected vehicles since I had to have one towed one cold winter day and pay $300 bucks for the Ford dealer to clean the throttle body.
Look closer at the sticker. Does it maybe say "do not clean the throttle body - pay dealer $300 to do it for you"?
I've been cleaning throttle bodies on all my fuel injected vehicles since I had to have one towed one cold winter day and pay $300 bucks for the Ford dealer to clean the throttle body.
Look closer at the sticker. Does it maybe say "do not clean the throttle body - pay dealer $300 to do it for you"?
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From: Fairfax,VA
thanx for responding. Its a F-150/ 1991/ 5.8l/ The yellow sticker is on the side of the upper barrel of the air intake on the throttle body. When I looked into the barrels before removing the throttle body they looked nice and clean. I was amazed at how dirty and gross they were when I took off the body and looked at the other side of the body. I guess there is a pressure change going through there that deposits all that crap on the down stream side.
The sticker reads " Service Procedure(UNDERLINED) Do not clean inside throttle body or adjust throttle set screw in CCW direction: See Servce Manual)
I remember rebuilding a carb on an old chevy truck about 20 years ago. After rebuilding I then read the service manual. It said that if cleaned too aggressively, so that the light gold finish inside was marred, then the carb was now junk and should be replaced.
The sticker reads " Service Procedure(UNDERLINED) Do not clean inside throttle body or adjust throttle set screw in CCW direction: See Servce Manual)
I remember rebuilding a carb on an old chevy truck about 20 years ago. After rebuilding I then read the service manual. It said that if cleaned too aggressively, so that the light gold finish inside was marred, then the carb was now junk and should be replaced.
Originally Posted by Nitramjr
Can you give more information on what type of vehicle, year, engine, etc...also, where is this sticker?
I've been cleaning throttle bodies on all my fuel injected vehicles since I had to have one towed one cold winter day and pay $300 bucks for the Ford dealer to clean the throttle body.
Look closer at the sticker. Does it maybe say "do not clean the throttle body - pay dealer $300 to do it for you"?
I've been cleaning throttle bodies on all my fuel injected vehicles since I had to have one towed one cold winter day and pay $300 bucks for the Ford dealer to clean the throttle body.
Look closer at the sticker. Does it maybe say "do not clean the throttle body - pay dealer $300 to do it for you"?
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There is a protective coating that may come off with some cleaners. We clean a lot of them on a delaership level...never charged 300 bucks though, and havent had any problems. Just dont use something really powerfull.
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Joined: Dec 2001
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From: Louisville,Ky.
Use Throttlebody and intake cleaner if you must clean it. STP makes it.
SJHanlo, see my reply in your other thread.
SJHanlo, see my reply in your other thread.
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New User
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From: Fairfax,VA
Too late (generic carb cleaner)
I used generic carb cleaner,replaced the IAC ($60.00 US),replaced TPS since its on the bottom of throttlebody and I had the throttle body off already($34.00).The truck(f150,1991,5.8L) runs great and idles very nicely. The truck has 122k miles and this is the first time the intake system has been cleaned.
However, since I used carb cleaner and one of those green abrasive pads that people use to wash dishes, I dont know to what degree I have damaged the coating. There were spots close to the were the throttle body goes into the intake manifold that you could see areas of silver showing beneath the golden patina of the coating. Only time will tell if I now have to clean it more often than every 122K.
However, since I used carb cleaner and one of those green abrasive pads that people use to wash dishes, I dont know to what degree I have damaged the coating. There were spots close to the were the throttle body goes into the intake manifold that you could see areas of silver showing beneath the golden patina of the coating. Only time will tell if I now have to clean it more often than every 122K.
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There is the difference, I don't use brillow pads when I clean, either q-tips or a soft lint free rag. I have never heard that the carb cleaner strips the coating, since it is the same coating on the butterflies in carbs.
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From: Louisville,Ky.
I've never seen a coating on carb butterflies. None of the Motorcraft, Holley or Edelbrock carbs that I have worked on have ever had a coating on them. I have only seen the coating on TB's and only on the body part, not the throttle blade.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Northwest, Arkansas
It is not a good thing to use carb cleaner because as said before it can remove the coating. There are some throttle body cleaners available but you can also use electrical contact cleaner. Electrical contact cleaner works on the throttle body, MAF and the rest of the system.