How To Clean A Throttle Body (And How To Know When You Should)

The throttle body is a vital component of a fuel-injected internal combustion engine. It has a pivoting butterfly valve or throttle plate to control the airflow to the intake manifold and combustion chambers. Pressing on the gas pedal opens the butterfly valve to allow more air, and when you release the pedal, a spring closes the throttle plate. The throttle body has a throttle position sensor (TPS) to monitor the accelerator pedal movement. Meanwhile, the mass air flow sensor and TPS send data to the engine control unit (ECU), which pulses power to the fuel injectors as needed. On nearly all modern cars, the throttle body is mounted between the air filter and the intake manifold. It connects to the gas pedal using a cable or mechanical linkage or an electronic by-wire connection.

The butterfly valve mechanism inside the throttle body can get dirty over time since it consistently deals with the incoming air. Preventing dust, dirt, and gunk buildup inside the throttle body is one of the many benefits of periodic air filter changes; you should do this every 15,000 to 30,000 miles. When the throttle body in your car gets dirty, you'll notice symptoms like hard starting, stalling, hesitation when accelerating, mediocre fuel economy, unstable idling, and sometimes an illuminated check engine light. We highly recommend cleaning the throttle body every 30,000 miles — more frequently if you consistently drive in dusty environments. It's also a good idea to clean the throttle body each time you replace the air filter.

You can remove the throttle body from the intake plenum to clean it or leave it in place. Either way, you'll need a spray cleaner like CRC throttle body & air intake cleaner or WD-40 specialist carb/throttle Body cleaner. Removing the throttle body before cleaning is a complex task requiring a handful of tools and sufficient technical knowledge. However, there's an easy way to access the throttle body for cleaning, as automotive YouTuber Scotty Kilmer describes in the video below.

You'll need a socket set and screwdrivers, a can of throttle body cleaner, a few shop towels, and hand and eye protection. The process begins by disconnecting the negative terminal from the battery and removing the air duct attached to the throttle body. Doing so allows easier access to the throttle plate for easier cleaning. Moreover, starting with a cold engine is better to avoid burns and fires from the combustible cleaners. Spray the cleaner liberally on the throttle plate and wipe off the excess using a shop towel or microfiber cloth. You should work the throttle back and forth to distribute the cleaner, and repeat the process until the throttle plate is free of gunk and debris. You can also use a wire or nylon brush to loosen stubborn carbon deposits before wiping them clean. Rinse the throttle body thoroughly with more cleaner, and allow the inside of the throttle body to air dry for at least 10 to 15 minutes before reinstalling the air duct. It's also a good idea to clean the mass airflow sensor while you're at it, but you'll need something like Gumout professional formula mass airflow sensor cleaner to do that job right.