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TB Cleaning

This is a procedure for a quick, easy cleaning of the throttle body (TB). The only way to truly way to clean the TB is to remove it from the intake manifold, but I believe this is a "good enough" cleaning, and relatively easy to do. The TB gets dirty over time because of the exhaust gases being injected into the intake from the EGR valve. Blockoff the EGR value and you'll never have to clean the TB again (well, maybe not NEVER). 

For this procedure you'll need: 
10mm/12mm sockets
ratchet & 6" extension bar
screwdriver
duct-tape
carburetor cleaner spray
Procedure 
  1. Remove Battery (10mm bolts)
  2. Remove Upper Intake Hose
  3. Loosen the TB stay (black-iron, shaped like a 'Y' rotated to the left). You'll need to remove the two bolts (12mm) on the intake elbow, but only need to loosen the 12mm nut on the cylinder head side.
  4. Remove small ground plate between TB intake elbow and TB stay.
  5. Remove two 12mm nuts holding the TB intake elbow on (see illustration).
  6. Wiggle the intake elbow loose (if you are careful in removing the elbow's gasket, you can reuse it).
  7. Take a strip of duct-tape and cover the two small slits at the bottom of the TB (you don't want any carb cleaner to get into these)
  8. Using the carb cleaner, spray clean both sides of the TB plate and the hinges. Grab the throttle connection on the TB to rotate the TB plate to clean both sides. You can tell when its clean because the fluid flowing out of the TB will become clean.
  9. When complete, dry up all standing liquid
  10. Remove pieces of duct-tape
  11. Installation is reversal of removal
Note: The car may hesitate on restarting the first time, but it should (SHOULD!) catch after a few tries. Also realize that if you try to start the car before the cleaner has evaporated, you may experience hydro-lock... so WAIT till it's dry.

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Copyright 1999, Brad Bauer