Has anyone cleaned their throttle body? I have read that you should not clean it because there is a coating on it that shouldn't be taken off. I saw some gunk on mine when I recently took off my TBS (I know it doesn't work on our trucks but I didn't know that when I bought it a couple years ago). Is there a way I can clean the gunk off and what should I use? I have noticed that my truck doesn't run quite as smooth as it used to and knowing that there is some stuff on my TB, that could be the reason. My MAF was cleaned maybe a month ago so I'm sure that should still be clean. I did use a bottle of Gumout Regane 2 tanks ago so could that have caused my TB to get gunked up? Thanks in advance.
BTW I have a 08 4.6L

 

Ive cleaned mine. twice. Was dirty both times. That coating if anything collects grime I remember reading once. Port & polish ftw.

 

Remove the TB and clean it with TB cleaner.

 

I want to do a fun project of cleaning my throttle body too just to make it running optimally... Do we have a thread for step by step instructions to completely accomplish this task??

 

Did you check the index of the Articles and How Tos?

https://www.f150online.com/forums/ar...ttle-body.html

 

It doesnt reallly have a step by step guide though... Just before and after pictures :/ .... I guess just unmount my K&N Drop in intake then unbolt all the other throttle body components and unplug wires?.. It should be simple I presume..?

 

Yep.. thats pretty much what I did.. used some TB cleaner, a good rag, cleaned it, made sure not to damage the little wire in there (I believe.. been a while).. and let it dry and put mine back together... mine really wasn't that dirty when I did mine.. but it did run better!

Very easy to do man!

 

sweet alright ill give it a go soon, btw beautiful truck man!!!

 

Fun project?

Thanks for the help guys. As long as I use a rag, I should be fine then, right?
Bluejay: I read that thread before I started this one but I didn't think it said what truck was used. Also it was basically just before and after pictures and not much of a how-to. Is that STP throttle body cleaner what I should use or are you guys using something different or better?

 

been wanting to clean mine but havent got around to it lol

 

Any cleaner you choose to use will be fine, just make sure it's made to clean throttle body's. Don't use carb cleaner!

It's a fairly simple project. Start by removing the air intake tube from the TB, then carefully unplug any electrical connectors. There are 4 bolts you need to remove. The gasket that seals to the intake should be reusable, if it looks bad you will need to replace it. Once you have the TB off, take your cleaner and generously spray the engine side of the throttle valve and body to wash off the carbon. An old toothbrush works great here to scrub off the stubborn stuff. I use one of those disposable aluminum roasting pans to contain everything as I spray. Avoid getting the cleaner into any electrical connections and do not spray over the case for the throttle motor.

The air tube side should be fairly clean, only a light spray should be needed. After letting it sit for awhile to dry, I give a couple squirts of WD40 to the pivot points on either side of the throttle valve to make sure it operates smoothly. Then just reverse the whole process to reinstall.

 

TBird, the throttle body cleaners are not harmful if sprayed into the open part of the engine after the throttle body is removed?

 

It won't hurt the intake but there isn't much benefit to spraying anything in there. Without the engine running the cleaner will just puddle up and could hurt the O2 sensors and/or the converters once the engine is started and the cleaner burns off.

The only cleaners and sealants that should be used on the engine are ones that clearly say they're safe for O2 sensors and catalytic converters.

 

AKA chemtool b-12 which is what i just bought. gonna start this project in a few minutes.. :x

 

I pulled mine and cleaned it probably a year ago, it was pretty dirty, but I drive alot of dirt roads, I go through a air filter every 12,000 or so it seems lol.