How to Clean a Throttle Body

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If your car runs rough when idling, the cause might be a dirty throttle body. The throttle body controls the amount of air the engine takes in, and when it gets dirty, the engine can’t idle smoothly. When an engine shuts down, hot exhaust gases and unburned fuel float to the top of the engine. As the vapors evaporate from the engine’s heat, they form black sooty carbon deposits inside the throttle body.

Before you take the car into the shop, consider taking 15 minutes and cleaning it yourself with a spray can of throttle body cleaner and some shop towels. You just might save a bunch of money with a throttle body cleaning on your own, and there’s a good chance you’ll fix the problem.

Finding the throttle body is as easy as following the plastic duct from the air filter housing to the intake manifold. On some vehicles, the throttle body is simple, others will have vacuum hoses and electrical connections to contend with. Either way, it’s a fairly simple bit of preventative auto maintenance that any DIYer can do.

What Is a Throttle Body and What Does It Do?

The throttle body regulates the airflow into the intake manifold of the car’s engine. It has an internal butterfly valve that rotates upon input from the throttle cable (your right foot).

How to Know if Your Throttle Body Needs Cleaning

A dirty throttle body will directly affect the performance of your engine. Indications that your throttle body might need a good cleaning are:

  • Rough idle
  • Little or no power under 30 mph
  • Sluggish throttle response
  • Poor fuel mileage and stalling

Where Is the Throttle Body on a Car?

You’ll find the throttle body positioned between the air cleaner and associated ductwork and the engine’s intake manifold. It may have electrical, and vacuum lines attached, and will have the throttle cables attached to it as well.

When to Call a Pro

If after you’ve cleaned your throttle body, you’re still getting error codes and your car is showing the same symptoms, it’s time to talk to a professional.

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