Throttle body cleaning is an essential part of keeping your engine running smoothly. But like anything else, it can get dirty and rusted over time. If you don’t clean it regularly, the build-up of dirt and grease can cause serious problems with your engine. The good news is that cleaning throttle body without removing it is possible using a few simple tools and techniques. In this blog post, we will teach you how to clean throttle body without risking damage to your engine.
What is Throttle Body?
Throttle body is a component of an engine responsible for controlling the flow of air and fuel to the cylinders. It’s typically located on the right side of the engine, just below the air intake. Over time and with environmental contaminants, throttle body can become clogged and cause reduced performance or even engine failure.
How Throttle Body Affects Your Vehicle
If your car has an automatic transmission, the throttle body is responsible for controlling how much power goes to the wheels. Over time, dirt, oil and other debris can accumulate on the throttle body, which can affect its operation. Here are four ways to clean the throttle body without removing it:
1. Use a pressure washer. A powerful spray of water will remove most of the dirt and grease from the throttle body surface. Make sure to use a synthetic detergent or cleaner to avoid damaging the unit’s surfaces.
2. Use a vacuum cleaner with a hose attachment.Attach the suction hose to the end of the vacuum cleaner hose and connect it to one of the intake ports on the throttle body. Turn on the vacuum cleaner and wait until it starts to pull air through the hose before turning it off. Apply moderate pressure while cleaning in circular motions using a soft cloth or piece of foam rubber.
3. Use a siphon method. Place one end of a flexible plastic tubing over one intake port on the throttle body and place another end into a container filled with gasoline or oil mixed with white vinegar or ammonia (to break down oil). Turn on engine ignition and hold open gas pedal while slowly pumping gasoline or oil mixture through tubing until you reach full discharge (use caution; super-heated fluid can cause severe burns). Discharge remaining fluid from tubing into container and discard mixture into trashcan. Repeat process for second intake port on throttle body.
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How to Clean Throttle Body Without Removing It
If you don’t want to remove your throttle body, there are a few ways to clean it without having to take it apart.
The first way is to use a shop vac and attached hose. Put the vacuum attachment on the intake side of the throttle body and turn it on to full power. The suction will pull all the dirt, dust, and debris out of the throttle body. Be sure to get into all the corners and crevices.
Another option is to use a pressure washer with a nozzle that has a wide spray pattern. Spray the throttle body from several angles until the cleaner has reached all areas. Be careful not to over-clean it or you could damage the internals.
If you still can’t get rid of all the dirt and grime, you can try using an air compressor with a 0-100 psi setting and an appropriate nozzle. Again, spray from several directions until everything is clean.
Conclusion
If you notice that your throttle body is not firing correctly, it can be a bit of an inconvenience to have to remove it in order to clean it. Fortunately, there are ways to clean throttle body without having to remove it. Try using a wire brush followed by a degreaser or soap and water. Be sure to rinse off the area thoroughly before reattaching the throttle body.