Is It Easy Clean Throttle Body by Yourself

The throttle body is a valve located inside the intake manifold in a car engine. As the throttle body is positioned between piping and the air intake filter, you would be forgiven for thinking it needs to be removed when you need to clean it.

To clean the throttle body without removing it, you will need to spray the throttle body cleaner inside the component and use a cloth or toothbrush to wipe the dirt away.

To open the butterfly valve, ask someone to compress the gas pedal so you can easily clean it inside. If you are cleaning the throttle body by yourself, carefully push on the valve to open it, being mindful of your fingers while you are cleaning inside.

In this article, we share the telltale signs of a dirty throttle body and provide an easy-to-follow step-by-step guide, on how to clean the throttle body without removing it from the intake manifold.

What Are the Signs of a Dirty Throttle Body

If you are experiencing issues with your vehicle's performance, it can be difficult to know exactly what part of the engine is to blame. Not all drivers are aware that a dirty throttle body can cause problems for their vehicle.

Are you having issues with acceleration and your car's overall performance? Here are the most common signs of a dirty throttle body, if any of these sound familiar, it may be time to start cleaning!

Stalling.
Uneven or 'jumpy' acceleration.
Poor fuel economy.
Problems with the electronics.
Rough idling.
Check engine light is on.

A car's throttle body can be found inside the engine's air intake system and it plays a key role in controlling the amount of airflow going into the engine.

Air is required for successful fuel combustion inside the engine pistons and when the throttle body is working correctly, the correct amount of air will be delivered and your car will perform as it should.

However, problems can arise when not enough or too much air passes through the throttle body and into the engine.

The throttle body, fuel intake, and acceleration pedal all work together to power the car. When the accelerator is pushed down, the flow of fuel is increased and more air is pulled in by the throttle body to support the fuel combustion.

When all of the components are in full working order, your car will perform at its best and you will have a smooth driving experience.

Now you know the job of the throttle body, it is easy to see why problems arise when it is dirty. If your throttle body is not clean, the correct amount of air can not flow through to the engine and this is when you will start to notice issues with acceleration, stalling, and all of the other symptoms we listed above.

If you notice any of the signs of a dirty throttle body, do not leave them to get worse. A dirty throttle body can cause serious problems for your engine, this is why you need to clean it as soon as you can.

How to Clean Throttle Body Without Removing It – Step-by-Step Guide

Removing the throttle body for cleaning can be difficult if you do not have the required mechanics skills. However, any driver can easily clean the throttle body in their engine without having to remove it.

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If your car is displaying signs of a dirty throttle body, just follow this step-by-step guide and you can clean it without having to remove the component from the intake.

Before we begin, here is a list of essentials you will need to clean the throttle body:

Clean cloth (or old toothbrush)
Throttle body cleaner

Step 1 – Locate the throttle body

Open the hood and locate the air intake housing. Once you have found the air intake, following the tube, you will then find the throttle body attached. The throttle body is a round valve inside the air intake system.

Step 2 – Clean the throttle body

Using the throttle body cleaner, spray inside the throttle body several times. Next, either use the toothbrush or piece of cloth to wipe and clean the throttle body.

If the component is particularly dirty and there is a lot of built-up grime, keep cleaning with the toothbrush and gradually apply more cleaner.

Throttle body cleaners are designed to remove built-up dirt and grime but avoid using excessive amounts as the cleaner is abrasive. Be sure to read the manufacturer's advice for throttle body cleaning as some will recommend leaving the cleaner to evaporate, instead of wiping it with a cloth/toothbrush.

Step 3 – Clean inside the butterfly valve

The next step is to clean inside the butterfly valve of the throttle body. This step can be difficult as the valve is linked to the engine's electrics, so you may find it difficult to open the valve while the car is off.

To make things easier, turn on the ignition but don't fully start the engine. You will need someone to help you with the next part.

Once the ignition is on, ask someone to put their foot down on the gas pedal. While the accelerator is compressed, the butterfly valve will open. You can then use the cloth or toothbrush and a few sprays of the throttle cleaner to remove as much dirt and grime as possible.

In certain car models, the valve will only fully open when the engine is running. If this is the case for you, keep the engine off and push down on the top of the valve to open it. Be careful when manually opening the valve as you don't want to cause any damage.

While pressing on one side of the valve you will be able to get the toothbrush or cloth into the other side to wipe away the dirt. You can also spray the throttle cleaner into the valve to help you clear as much grime as possible.

The valve will not just stay open so be mindful of your fingers while you are cleaning.

Step 4 – Finishing touches

Once you have finished cleaning the throttle body and you have removed as much dirt as possible, keep everything as it is to allow the cleaner to fully evaporate.

When you can see that all the cleaner is gone, you can now reinstall the air filter housing or engine cover (if you needed to remove it at the start of the process). Make sure all of the pipes and engine parts are in the right place before you close the hood.

Finally, get in the car and start the engine. If your cleaning has been successful, your car will be idling smoothly and you won't notice any uneven or 'jumpy' sounds. You should also notice that the engine sounds healthier when you put your foot on the gas and rev the engine.

Are you more of a visual learner? For a full tutorial on how to clean the throttle body without removing it, check out this YouTube video:

How Often Should the Throttle Body Be Cleaned?

Now you know how easy it is to clean the throttle body without removing it, you may be wondering how often you need to clean the throttle body. Cleaning the throttle body is particularly important in vehicles that spend a lot of time in stop-start traffic and have a mileage over 60 to 70,000 miles.

Throttle body cleaning is not a part of regular service maintenance and is something that may need doing between your scheduled annual trips to the mechanic.

However, the jury is still out as to the exact amount of time and miles you should leave before cleaning the throttle body. If you are not noticing any signs of a dirty throttle body, don't rush to get under the hood and clean it.

However, some drivers say cleaning the throttle body once every six months is often enough to stop any grime building up. Other drivers will only clean their throttle body every 70, 000 miles, others say 30, 000 and some drivers don't think to clean it all.

If you can see your car is showing signs of a dirty throttle body, it is always worth checking.

Some manufacturers and mechanics may advise against cleaning the throttle body too often as you may unintentionally damage it during the procedure, use the wrong cleaning products or fail to make sure the air filter system is put back together correctly once you are finished cleaning.

FAQs

Can you clean the throttle body without taking it off?

Yes, it is possible to clean the throttle body without removing it. To clean the throttle body without taking it off and out of the engine, all you need to do is spray a throttle body cleaner on it and wipe it with a clean cloth or toothbrush.

Cleaning inside the valve can be tricky as it will only fully open when the engine is running and the gas pedal is compressed. However, you will be able to push it open, you will need to be careful as you may be met with some resistance.

To make this part of the cleaning process easier, ask someone else to turn the car to the ON position and press the gas pedal. With the gas pedal compressed, you will be able to manually open the valve more easily.

Can I use WD40 to clean my throttle body?

WD40 is not strong enough to effectively clean a car's throttle body. To remove built-up carbon deposits and dirt from the throttle body you will need to use a specifically formulated throttle body cleaning solvent.

Throttle body cleaners are more abrasive than a regular WD40 degreaser and this is why WD40 just isn't the right product for the job. The throttle body can get really dirty and a specifically formulated cleaning solvent will give you the best results.

Can a dirty throttle body cause loss of power?

Yes, one of the symptoms of a dirty throttle body is poor acceleration. If you are noticing your car is losing power and not accelerating as quickly as you are used to, you may need to take a look at the throttle body.

When the throttle body is working correctly, it allows the perfect amount of airflow to be delivered to the engine when the gas pedal is pressed down. If the throttle body valve is full of dirt, air can not pass through it as easily and not enough air will be making it into the engine to aid fuel combustion.

If you are having difficulty accelerating, have a look to see if the throttle body needs a clean.

Does the fuel injector cleaner clean the throttle body?

A fuel injector cleaner is only designed to clean all the pipes, lines, and components inside the fuel system. You will unlikely have much joy if you try to clean the throttle body with a fuel injector cleaner.

However, there are cleaning solvents that have been designed specifically to clean the throttle body and you should always use one of these products when completing the task,

Can a dirty throttle body cause hard starting?

Yes, if you are struggling to start your car it may be down to a dirty throttle body. When the throttle body is dirty, air can not pass as easily through the valve and into the engine.

If there is not enough air reaching the engine, you may notice your car is rough idling or struggling to start at all. Other signs of a dirty throttle body include stalling, poor fuel economy, and the check engine light may turn on.

Conclusion

If your car is stalling, not idling as smoothly as it should, losing power, or struggling to start, it may be because the throttle body is dirty. The throttle body is a valve inside the air filter system that controls the airflow into the engine.

When carbon deposits and grime build up inside the throttle body, your car may begin to experience some issues. You can clean the throttle body by removing it from the engine or leaving it in place. To clean the throttle body without removing it, you will need a throttle body cleaner and a clean cloth or toothbrush.

It is always best to use a specifically formulated throttle body cleaner to perform this task. However, a carbon cleaner will get the job done but you should avoid using any cleaning products that are too harsh and abrasive.

On the other hand, use a general degreaser like WD40 and you will not notice the best results. Cleaning the throttle body isn't a task that needs to be performed very often, however, it is important you check how clean this part is if you notice your car is not performing as it should.

For more related articles, check out these posts:

8 Bad Throttle Body Symptoms: (Causes, Fixes & Replacement Cost)

Electronic Throttle Control Light: What Does It Mean And How To Fix It?

8 Reasons Car Won't Accelerate But RPMs Go Up

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Source: https://vehiclefreak.com/how-to-clean-throttle-body-without-removing-it/