TB cleaning - to do or not to do?
 

I was just wondering what experience people have had with cleaning their TB. Is it usually done as preventative maintainence, or only when problems show up? Do you just take off the intake tube and spray TB cleaner with the engine running, or remove the MAF screen and go at it with a toothbrush and cleaner while the engine is off? What improvements (if any) have you seen by doing this?

Just curious if it's worth doing to a car that's running okay already, and if so, how to best do it.

I say go for it, but you'll get the best results if you have it off the car. just make sure you remove the maf first, cause it can get mucked up by some of the cleaners out there.

Personally, I'd say pull it - you'll be able to clean it all off, and won't be spraying the crap into your engine... but that's just my opinion :)

Here's the problem JMFC. Your improvements will be minimal if at all without removing the TB. Unfortunately there is a coolant tube which runs through the TB. This can get suck.. and it can leak. I had both problems. It actually required me to completely remove my intake before I could remove my throttle body. That's how stuck it was. Now, whether or not that will happen to you, I do not know. However, I would just like to forwarn you.

The leaks, they are only present if you do not get the proper sized orings. Since I didn't really look all too hard, I do not know if you can purchase them w/o the entire intake gasket kit. Autozone does NOT have it, so don't even bother with them. Basically when I bought new intake gaskets, the TB gasket, EGR gasket [both], Three coolant tube orings [only the ones which hook up to the intake], and of course the intake gaskets and seals. Well, only those orings made it seal properly. The ones I had purchased at Lowe's which appeared to be correct made it leak just a few drips before the tstat popped, and then it wouldn't leak at all.

Me? I say go for it. You don't seem like a complete retard, so I am sure you can do it. It's all in getting the right orings and TB gasket. If the TB doesn't want to come off without a big fight, just give up and bolt it back on. It's not worth pulling the entire intake, and purchasing all those gaskets, torquing it down, etc.. although there is a lot of carbon build up in the intake log.. that's where improvements are made my friend.

Thanks for the replies. Not sure yet if it's worth it if I have to buy gaskets and actually remove things. I may have to take off the screen and have a look inside before making a decision. I'll have to go out and take a look at what o-rings and tubes OSG is referring to - the haynes manual is crap for pictures of a "c" throttle body, or any tb other than the old 3.8 for that matter. Some days I really hate haynes.

It's not that hard.. honestly. It may be an afternoon's work for a first timer, but you can do it.

The tubes are located underneath the TB, smack in the center. They have two 10mm [should be] bolts holding on one of the tubes. That outter tube is what comes off. If you can get that off, you are set.

Yes, the Haynes is not so good, but I tell you what, it has saved my ass a few times, even with my FSM.

Yeah, I went out and saw the tubes... doesn't look like rocket science. didn't see bolts holding it on, but then I didn't have the intake hose off either, so I'll take your word for it.

I'm not saying that the haynes is completely worthless, but I often wish that they made at least two seperate books, one for series I, one for series II, and maybe even a seperate one for the old 3.8. Better yet would be if they had just written a seperate procedure for each application instead of writing one generic and quite useless procedure which may or may not apply to all cars. I especially like the procedures for removing the radio, and the gauge cluster, which are pretty much worthless unless you happen to own that specific generation of that specific model. :roll:

I just recently removed the black tube between the air cleaner element and the T.B and sprayed a whole can of Throttle Body cleaner while the engine was running. It ran so much better, but then again you have to understand the KLM's I have on the car. I guess I'm lucky I didn't so any damage to the sensors or anything else. There was alittle bit of black smoke comming out the exhaust but it didn't last long...were talking seconds.

^ truth.

http://www.supload.com/thumbs/default/intake25.JPG

So, if it is stuck, how does it get unstuck? Do you put a screwdriver in the bend in the tube and pry against something? I'm curious just how stuck it was, and what it took to undo it.

very stuck. You gotta pull the intake to get enough leverage on it. Mine didn't work with a big ass screwdriver.. it took a crowbar. You gotta just wedge it between the TB and the intake, and it'll come out slowly.