Throttle Body Cleaning

[mgroeger]

So it's been one year and 22,000 miles and typically I do a throttle body cleaning once a year. I like to use Sea Foam in the aerosol can as I have had good experience with it for years. Spray it in while at idle, shut off engine, let sit 15 mins, redline the sucker down the road and watch plooms of white spoke fill the air.
That being said the last vehicles were a '05 Highlander and '08 Accord coupe. I always threw check engine lights and sometimes they would go away as I was redlining those cars down the road and sometimes I'd disconnect the battery for a few mins and it would all clear up.
Now we have this beast which is half computer and I'm thinking I don't want to be the first guy to try this, so.... anyone tried this yet? If not what did you use?

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[GreyFox]

Please forgive my ignorance, but what's the purpose of the sea foam?

 

[mgroeger]

Please forgive my ignorance, but what's the purpose of the sea foam?

Google it
In short, when it is sprayed in as an aerosol it clings to everything in the intake. When you let it sits for 15 mins it will soak into any crud in their and loosen it up. When you drive the vehicle like you stole it it blows all that crud out. Mopar also has a spray in throttle body cleaner that supposedly works well.
A throttle body and intake system will crud and carbon up over time so I don't want to go too long without doing this but like I said the freaking thing is a computer with big tires and a winch.

 

[Majestic]

It’s your money, but you can 100% neglect your throttle body and it will stil last forever.

 

[mgroeger]

It’s your money, but you can 100% neglect your throttle body and it will stil last forever.

That is true, however, from first hand experience, I have cleaned throttle bodies like I am describing and I always see an improvement in idle smoothness and over all performance. I'm not talking about gaining HP or any of that crap, I'm talking about having it perform closer to how it was the day it rolled off the line.

I'm one of those guys who does preventive maintenance to have my vehicles running as best they can for any age they may be and this is one of the things that does that.

BTW... what part of NC are you in? On the NC Roll Call thread we share any info about trails or things like that.

 

[Majestic]

That is true, however, from first hand experience, I have cleaned throttle bodies like I am describing and I always see an improvement in idle smoothness and over all performance. I'm not talking about gaining HP or any of that crap, I'm talking about having it perform closer to how it was the day it rolled off the line.

I'm one of those guys who does preventive maintenance to have my vehicles running as best they can for any age they may be and this is one of the things that does that.

BTW... what part of NC are you in? On the NC Roll Call thread we share any info about trails or things like that.

I ordered another 3.6L because I’ve already had 3 others. I know other friends and family who own them as well and they neglect the crap out of them. One thing I like about them is how well they hold up. They act the same at 100k miles as they did at 0 miles. There was a time that I use to take apart things and clean them every month or so if it needed it or not, but honestly that created more problems than it prevented. I’ve learned to resist the temptation to over maintain vehicles.

 

[AlamedaJeep]

This is an old thread, but has anyone done a throttle body cleaning yet?

My 2018 JLU (3.6L) is at 15,000 miles now and the dealer recommended a throttle body cleaning when I was in for an oil change. Not sure if it’s really needed or if he was just trying to get me to do something beyond my free oil change and V41 recall. I don’t see it recommended in the maintenance schedule.

 

[mgroeger]

This is an old thread, but has anyone done a throttle body cleaning yet?

My 2018 JLU (3.6L) is at 15,000 miles now and the dealer recommended a throttle body cleaning when I was in for an oil change. Not sure if it’s really needed or if he was just trying to get me to do something beyond my free oil change and V41 recall. I don’t see it recommended in the maintenance schedule.

I'm still interested as well since we now have 42,000 racked up. Dealers are pricey for stuff like this and I like to do my own but this thing is so computerized I'm worried about throwing a code I can't recover from without a trip to the dealer.

 

[Laststand]

I'm still interested as well since we now have 42,000 racked up. Dealers are pricey for stuff like this and I like to do my own but this thing is so computerized I'm worried about throwing a code I can't recover from without a trip to the dealer.

As Majestic said - throttle body does not usually cause issues unless you abuse it by running cheap gas and not changing air filter (use tier 1 gas and change air filter per schedule). Throttle body/injector cleaning, unless you have a noticeable problem, is just a money maker for the service department.

 

[mgroeger]

As Majestic said - throttle body does not usually cause issues unless you abuse it by running cheap gas and not changing air filter (use tier 1 gas and change air filter per schedule). Throttle body/injector cleaning, unless you have a noticeable problem, is just a money maker for the service department.

I hear you but based on years of personal experience from doing my own throttle body cleaning / sea foam / etc. I have always noticed an improvement in performance after doing one. I'm not talking about increased HP or breaking 1/4 mile records, I'm simply saying a noted improvement.

 

[Litfuse]

I just use throttle body cleaner and a rag. Works well. You do have to be careful on some cars not to move the throttle body plate as it can get out of sync. Not sure if this is the case with the wrangler, but it was on a few of my other cars.

 

[mgroeger]

I just use throttle body cleaner and a rag. Works well. You do have to be careful on some cars not to move the throttle body plate as it can get out of sync. Not sure if this is the case with the wrangler, but it was on a few of my other cars.

I'm talking more like a Sea Foam cleaning where the entire system is cleaned.

 

[wheels082]

I would never pay a dealer for throttle body cleaning. When I periodically add a fuel system cleaner I have had very good results using this one.
https://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-prod...ormance-improver-gasoline-additive/?zo=226468

 

[Jeep 5150 2112]

Did anyone ever clean their throttle body? If so how did it go? Any suggestions? Thanks

 

[VNT]

Just remove air tube, use CRC on a rag to clean the blade and TB bore, good video on it from a chrysler tech, shows on a Hemi but all the same. do every 15K or so

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