Dirty Throttle Body??
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Member
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 36
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From: Londonderry, NH, USA
Dirty Throttle Body??
Hey everyone!
Due to my rough idle ('98 5.4L), I took the stock airflow tube off of the throttle body, twisted the butterfly plate open, and found black, oily crud all over the inside of the throttle body. I also noticed the warning sticker - not to clean the body, and closed it all up.
Q1 - is this normal? What have you found?
Q2 - Why wouldn't this affect my idle?
Q3 - Is this crud affecting my MAF or Idle air control valve?
Q4 - Where is it coming from?
Lastly, do the aftermarket chips help with the crappy idle?
Any thoughts??? Please help -
Thanks!
KK
Due to my rough idle ('98 5.4L), I took the stock airflow tube off of the throttle body, twisted the butterfly plate open, and found black, oily crud all over the inside of the throttle body. I also noticed the warning sticker - not to clean the body, and closed it all up.
Q1 - is this normal? What have you found?
Q2 - Why wouldn't this affect my idle?
Q3 - Is this crud affecting my MAF or Idle air control valve?
Q4 - Where is it coming from?
Lastly, do the aftermarket chips help with the crappy idle?
Any thoughts??? Please help -
Thanks!
KK
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 554
Likes: 0
From: Trixters-Playground
Kearney-
1. Yes, this is normal.
2. Your idle WILL be affected; if not now, it will be.
3. The MAF does not need cleaning, but the IAC will be affected.
4. It comes from areas in the duct which may have very small gaps, around the seal on the air filter, and some of it actually gets through the filter.
Two things to remember. use no HARSH cleaners (carburetor or brake cleaner) and use no brush.
Ford and BG make cleaners for use on these throttle bodies and the IAC (NOT the MAF). They are available at your dealer, and actually contain a lubricant as well.
The only other option is an IAC spacer plate which has adjustment screws. This kit is also available at your dealer.
Chips will not repair a problem. If your system is in proper working order, they can, however, enhance the idle characteristics.
1. Yes, this is normal.
2. Your idle WILL be affected; if not now, it will be.
3. The MAF does not need cleaning, but the IAC will be affected.
4. It comes from areas in the duct which may have very small gaps, around the seal on the air filter, and some of it actually gets through the filter.
Two things to remember. use no HARSH cleaners (carburetor or brake cleaner) and use no brush.
Ford and BG make cleaners for use on these throttle bodies and the IAC (NOT the MAF). They are available at your dealer, and actually contain a lubricant as well.
The only other option is an IAC spacer plate which has adjustment screws. This kit is also available at your dealer.
Chips will not repair a problem. If your system is in proper working order, they can, however, enhance the idle characteristics.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 470
Likes: 0
From: Canada
it is normal due to the pcv system and the fact that fuel is only present in the intake ports close to the heads, thus no fuel present to keep the intake clean.
The same reason why it says not to clean the throttle body, the new tb's have a special coating wich prevents excess build up and poor idle quality - the older mustangs actually had a tsb to install an iac bleeder for low rpm but then if u cleaned the throttle body with that installed then it would create a high idle - lots of updates since then, bascially if u clean the throttle body now then just be prepared to clean it all the time as regular manitance as u will remove the special coating.
the iac is also specially designed for this ,it is genearlly only after the vehicle has over a 100,000k that u have to worry about cleaning the throttle body and by that time the vehicle is off warrenty and then u may aswell go ahead and clean the tb and iac, ford builds the tb's and iac so that they do not need serviceing while still under warrenty, plugs good till 100,000k so when a tune up is done at that milage then clean the tb
The same reason why it says not to clean the throttle body, the new tb's have a special coating wich prevents excess build up and poor idle quality - the older mustangs actually had a tsb to install an iac bleeder for low rpm but then if u cleaned the throttle body with that installed then it would create a high idle - lots of updates since then, bascially if u clean the throttle body now then just be prepared to clean it all the time as regular manitance as u will remove the special coating.
the iac is also specially designed for this ,it is genearlly only after the vehicle has over a 100,000k that u have to worry about cleaning the throttle body and by that time the vehicle is off warrenty and then u may aswell go ahead and clean the tb and iac, ford builds the tb's and iac so that they do not need serviceing while still under warrenty, plugs good till 100,000k so when a tune up is done at that milage then clean the tb
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 5,116
Likes: 3
From: Houston, by way of every major city in America.
I cleaned mine with T/B cleaner....was labeled"does not harm factory coatings"
What I got was better throttle response, a slightly improved idle,and piece of mind. (knowing that it's clean) after I cleaned it(did it while the engine was warm) I left the fipk off for ten to twenty minutes to let the cleaner evaporate. This
was because I had heard some people had trouble with frying their O2 sensors and others. I had no trouble and recieved
the above benefits,,,,happy cleaning,,,98
Oh,forgot...don't do it while the engine is running....helps avoid frying sensors......
One more thing,some are having trouble with a heater,or some other coolant hose,
leaking on one of the coils,could be the cause of your bad idle. Get it checked out.....Also,some 4.6's have a harness resting on the a/c condensor,(don't know if the 5.4's are different)...tieing it back solved my rough idle on my 4.6.....good luck,,,,,98
------------------
98 F-150 4.6 Litre XLT2wd Ext. cab
prarie tan/tan int.
K/N gen.II fipk
custom dual exh/gibson rectangle tips/rear exiting.
color matched snuglid
Superchip!!!
Westin nerfs blk .powdercoat
Clear front corners
Cobra 75WXST cb w/weather alert
Kenwood cd w/Radio Shack speakers,don't laugh it sounds pretty good
Viper 500HF Security system
On the way/wheels,tires,air dam, etc..etc.......
doin the monochromatic boogie
on the front end.Billet grilles on order www.my-f150.com
Fender Guitars,ROCK!!!
[This message has been edited by 98SCREAMER (edited 10-28-2000).]
[This message has been edited by 98SCREAMER (edited 10-28-2000).]
What I got was better throttle response, a slightly improved idle,and piece of mind. (knowing that it's clean) after I cleaned it(did it while the engine was warm) I left the fipk off for ten to twenty minutes to let the cleaner evaporate. This
was because I had heard some people had trouble with frying their O2 sensors and others. I had no trouble and recieved
the above benefits,,,,happy cleaning,,,98
Oh,forgot...don't do it while the engine is running....helps avoid frying sensors......
One more thing,some are having trouble with a heater,or some other coolant hose,
leaking on one of the coils,could be the cause of your bad idle. Get it checked out.....Also,some 4.6's have a harness resting on the a/c condensor,(don't know if the 5.4's are different)...tieing it back solved my rough idle on my 4.6.....good luck,,,,,98
------------------
98 F-150 4.6 Litre XLT2wd Ext. cab
prarie tan/tan int.
K/N gen.II fipk
custom dual exh/gibson rectangle tips/rear exiting.
color matched snuglid
Superchip!!!
Westin nerfs blk .powdercoat
Clear front corners
Cobra 75WXST cb w/weather alert
Kenwood cd w/Radio Shack speakers,don't laugh it sounds pretty good
Viper 500HF Security system
On the way/wheels,tires,air dam, etc..etc.......
doin the monochromatic boogie
on the front end.Billet grilles on order www.my-f150.com
Fender Guitars,ROCK!!!
[This message has been edited by 98SCREAMER (edited 10-28-2000).]
[This message has been edited by 98SCREAMER (edited 10-28-2000).]