Quick simple opinionated question!!? Advice?

[Thorgan112]

I got 106,000 miles on my T4R and have never cleaned the MAF or the throttle body, so I am planning to do it soon! The rig runs great but I still want to do it for preventative/maintenance reasons.


SOOO easy simple questions: Should I remove the throttle body when cleaning it or just clean it on the engine and open it all the way?

I have read both ways one here, and both seem simple enough.

 

[TheDurk]

I got 106,000 miles on my T4R and have never cleaned the MAF or the throttle body, so I am planning to do it soon! The rig runs great but I still want to do it for preventative/maintenance reasons.


SOOO easy simple questions: Should I remove the throttle body when cleaning it or just clean it on the engine and open it all the way?

I have read both ways one here, and both seem simple enough.

And you will find fans of both methods. I've owned my '99 since new, and the TB has never been off the intake. I clean in place when I do my plugs @30k.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

I got 106,000 miles on my T4R and have never cleaned the MAF or the throttle body, so I am planning to do it soon! The rig runs great but I still want to do it for preventative/maintenance reasons.


SOOO easy simple questions: Should I remove the throttle body when cleaning it or just clean it on the engine and open it all the way?

I have read both ways one here, and both seem simple enough.

If you want the TB to be 100% clean, then take it off the engine. However, you can still reach pretty far into it with it on the engine and get it clean enough. I'd say if it doesn't look too terribly caked, then you're probably fine to leave it on the engine.

Cleaning the MAF & TB is one of the easiest maintenance items. You'll be done so quick, you'll be looking for other stuff to work on just to stay out in the garage.

 

[Mynameistommy510]

It's nice to have the throttle body off the engine so you can remove the IAC from the bottom of the TB and deep clean that as well. The build up inside the IAC can cause the valve to stick and seem as if you're having severe problems while at idle.

I'd be lying if I said I clean my IAC every time I clean my TB though.

 

[Thorgan112]

If you want the TB to be 100% clean, then take it off the engine. However, you can still reach pretty far into it with it on the engine and get it clean enough. I'd say if it doesn't look too terribly caked, then you're probably fine to leave it on the engine.

Cleaning the MAF & TB is one of the easiest maintenance items. You'll be done so quick, you'll be looking for other stuff to work on just to stay out in the garage.

It's nice to have the throttle body off the engine so you can remove the IAC from the bottom of the TB and deep clean that as well. The build up inside the IAC can cause the valve to stick and seem as if you're having severe problems while at idle.

I'd be lying if I said I clean my IAC every time I clean my TB though.

so it seems like it doesnt take long to do this so to be honest, I'll probably take it off just to stay busy haha. Whats the IAC? that im not familiar with. But here's my last question now. I read on here, that if you take the throttle body off, you really shouldn't reuse the gaskets that are there. Is that true? or was the member who wrote that wrong. I just wanna make sure I have it ordered before hand if I need it.

 

[gamefreakgc]

so it seems like it doesnt take long to do this so to be honest, I'll probably take it off just to stay busy haha. Whats the IAC? that im not familiar with. But here's my last question now. I read on here, that if you take the throttle body off, you really shouldn't reuse the gaskets that are there. Is that true? or was the member who wrote that wrong. I just wanna make sure I have it ordered before hand if I need it.

Keeping it on is definitely easier, that's for sure. Won't get it 100% clean, but the most important part to clean is the area where the valve contacts the wall of the throttle body, which can be done without taking it off.

If you do take it off there's a coolant line running through it so you have to drain a bit of coolant first. Gaskets are never supposed to be reused. You might get away with it, or you might spring a vacuum leak big enough to affect performance but not enough to throw a code. I think they are like $4 though, so you'd be pretty cheap not to replace it.

PS the IAC has a gasket as well but you can't buy new ones... I sealed up mine with a thin coat of liquid gasket to ensure it didn't leak into the vacuum side.

 

[Mynameistommy510]

IAC = idle air control. It's mounted on the bottom of the TB. It can be removed from the bottom of the TB with four small bolts. It has a magnetic controller on it that opens and closes the valve with a wired connector on it.