Files:
Rationale: problems with the throttle valve appear even after a short mileage (30-50 thousand km). The damper becomes contaminated with oil and carbon deposits carried through the crankcase ventilation system into the engine intake tract. The throttle valve should not close completely; a certain amount of air clearance is required when the engine is idling. Contaminants partially cover this gap and the system is forced to compensate for the lack of air, but only to a certain extent. If the air flow decreases more than the engine control unit can compensate, an error occurs, which appears as a check engine signal on the dashboard.
Exist two types of technology: with removal of the damper and directly on the car, and cleaning directly on the car is comprehensive. In this case, contamination is removed not only from the damper itself, but also from the entire intake tract, including the intake valves.
Cleaning with removal:
1. Removing the damper: Disconnect the cooling system hoses and the damper position sensor wiring. Unscrew the fasteners and remove the damper body.
2. Cleaning the damper: Place the removed damper in a suitable container. Spray aerosol on the dirt, art. 7578, let it work for a short time. In case of heavy contamination, wipe with a plastic brush and repeat spraying. Pay special attention to cleaning the starting gap and the damper shaft. Blow off any remaining dirt with compressed air or wipe with a rag. The valve in the housing should rotate without delays or jams.
3. Reinstall the damper, restore connections and communications.
Cleaning without removal:
1. Provide access to the throttle valve: with the engine warm and turned off, if necessary, remove the trim, remove the air supply duct. Provide easy access to the throttle valve.
2. Spray the cleaning composition (Liqui Moly Pro-line Drosselklappen-Reiniger or Liqui Moly MTX Vergaser-Reiniger) inside the throttle body, using approximately 100-150 ml of the composition. Let the composition act for 2-3 minutes.
3. Start the engine and maintain a speed of about 2-2.5 thousand min and continue spraying the remaining composition. If you use Liqui Moly Pro-line Drosselklappen-Reiniger with a long probe, it can be used to get as close as possible to the intake valves of each cylinder. The engine will emit white-gray smoke; this is normal and indicates that cleaning is proceeding properly. It is necessary to maintain increased engine speed and ensure that the engine does not stall.
4. Stop the engine. Restore connections, check engine operation and engine control unit errors. If necessary, erase errors.
It is convenient to monitor the effectiveness of the cleaning procedure using a gas analyzer; this is obvious. In our case, the concentration of CO decreased by three times, CH by five times. The check engine signal and jerks in engine operation have been eliminated.
The throttle valve is needed to supply air to the engine intake manifold. The second function is to control the volume of the air mixture. After a certain period of operation, it becomes clogged, which reduces the efficiency of the power unit. To solve this problem you need clean the throttle valve what you can do yourself.
Signs of contamination
The main signs of deposit formation are changes in engine operation. However, this may not always be due to contamination. Sometimes the problem is caused by a sensor malfunction, drive failures, or incorrect settings of the on-board computer parameters. Diagnosis is needed to identify the exact causes. Often, improper throttle operation occurs due to two or more reasons.
Signs of clogging:
- There is no stable operation of the engine at idle speed, it stalls.
- The startup time of the power unit increases.
- At speeds up to 20 km/h, the car jerks when pressing the accelerator pedal.
- Dips in speed, up to a complete stop of work.
You need to visually inspect the damper. If there are no oil stains or coked build-up, the reason for the incorrect functioning is not due to contamination. You need to do a full diagnosis.
Causes of clogging
The formation of a build-up on the surface of the valve is an inevitable process. Its reason is the removal of crankcase gases, which is necessary for the normal operation of the lubrication system. As a result, some of the oil gets onto the throttle valve. Due to high temperatures, the oil layer hardens and gradually thickens.
An additional factor is that gas combustion products settle on the oil layer. A coked build-up forms. It is impossible to reduce their influence; it is recommended to use good quality oil with a minimum content of third-party impurities. You should also observe the frequency of its replacement.
Incorrect operation of the air filter is also one of the causes of clogging. Some dust and other elements enter the system. This leads to accelerated formation of a layer on the throttle valve. The solution is to monitor the condition of the air filter, change it taking into account the manufacturer’s recommendations and actual operating conditions.
Self-cleaning the throttle valve
The valve can be cleaned without taking off it, but only as a preventative measure. This will not help remove all contaminants, since there will not be full access to the unit. After stopping the engine, you need to wait 1-1.5 hours. Then remove the air duct. The throttle valve is in the closed position. A cleaner is applied to its surface. After it has dried, open the valve manually and process the internal elements.
How often to clean, depends on operating conditions. Dirt removal without dismantling is done every 5-7 thousand km. mileage With dismantling - 30-50 thousand km. But these are conditional indicators, the frequency is determined by the owner of the car after a visual inspection and the appearance of signs of contamination.
Removal
Before removing the throttle valve, check that the engine is cool. Otherwise, there is a risk of burns. Carry out work in a well-lit place. This is necessary for convenient disconnection of external components.
Procedure.
- Remove the air duct corrugation.
- Disconnecting the idle circuit wires.
- Disconnect the throttle position sensor.
- Disconnect the hoses. It is advisable to plug their pipes, for example, with spark plugs.
- Removing the unit. To do this, you need to unscrew 2 or 4 bolts. If the thread does not feed well, treat it with lubricant.
You need to remember the dismantling order so that after the work there are no installation difficulties. Fold the individual elements.
Cleaning and installation
It is not recommended to use a container to completely immerse the unit. There are aerosol-type products that can treat the outer and inner surface of the throttle valve. Work is performed on a table or any other flat surface with good lighting. The room is ventilated, the temperature should not be lower than +5°C.
Cleaning stages.
- Treat the outer and inner surfaces.
- Check for dirt and build-up.
- Mechanical treatment only with dry rags.
- If necessary, repeat cleaning, waiting until the surface has completely dried.
Pay attention to the condition of the crankcase ventilation channel and the location of the needle. This is where dirt accumulates the most. Additionally, clean the idle air regulator. If the condition of these elements is unsatisfactory, there is play in the needle movement, the entire unit needs to be replaced.
Before reinstallation, the condition of the gasket is checked. It should not have ruptures or deformations. It is advisable to replace it with a new one. Installation is carried out in the reverse order, checking the reliability of fastening of the connections.
Facilities
Special products are used to remove dirt and build-up. They are aerosol type, sold in cans. Conventionally divided into specialized and universal. The latter can be used to clean carburetors and other car components.
Review of funds, how to clean it throttle valve at home:
- Johnsen 4720. Effectively cleans contaminated surfaces. The advantage is a convenient valve, with which you can perform treatment in hard-to-reach places.
- Hi-Gear. The composition includes anti-corrosion and lubricating components. They do not have a negative effect on the sensitive elements of the unit - oxygen sensor, flexible pipes. However, the manufacturer does not always use a high-quality spray can.
- ZM 08867. Belongs to the category of universal products. One area of application is carburetor cleaning. The advantage is that it contains catalytic converters.
- Mag 1 414. Effectively removes deposits; in addition to this function, it can neutralize organic plaque. Feature: large capacity.
- LIQUI MOLY DrosselKlappen-Reiniger (LM-5111). The manufacturer has developed a composition for cleaning the throttle valve from all types of contaminants.
- Mannol Carburetor Cleaner. Belongs to the category of universal means.
- ABRO Carb&Choke Cleaner (CC-220). Allows you to remove all types of plaque and growths on the surface. The disadvantage is the small capacity of the can (220 ml).
The use of compounds not intended for this work can lead to damage to internal elements. Sometimes the above products are replaced with WD-40, acetone or other solvents. The danger lies in the possible negative impact on sensors and other sensitive components of the unit.
Possible mistakes
The first attempts to clean the throttle valve do not always lead to the desired result. In some cases, they can impair the performance of that machine component. The solution is to order a service from a specialized service or study the entire process in detail and choose the right, effective means.
Possible errors when performing cleaning:
- Processing frequency is not observed. Frequent impacts may disrupt the operation of the damper.
- Using rough rags or brushes will damage the surface.
- Removing the molybdenum layer, which is necessary to reduce air flow resistance. The layer is often confused with an oil coating.
- Throttle valve training is not carried out. This is necessary to set the idle speed.
- After 30-40 thousand km. mileage cleaning is carried out only with dismantling.
To effectively remove dirt and deposits, you need to properly dismantle the unit, select the optimal composition and carry out work with minimal physical impact on the surface. The result of this will be long-lasting operation of the throttle valve and the entire vehicle.
The throttle valve itself is one of the most reliable engine components and replacing it is an extremely rare event. It cannot fail without outside physical intervention, but from time to time it requires the attention of the car owner. If the engine suddenly begins to run unevenly, the idle speed begins to fluctuate, the car responds worse to the gas pedal, this indicates that the throttle valve needs to be cleaned.
During vehicle operation, oil deposits form inside the throttle assembly, including on the damper and the idle air control rod, which over time begin to interfere with the free movement of the damper. It begins to wedge, which is why the unpleasant symptoms described above arise. To eliminate them, the throttle assembly must be removed and washed. How to clean it is written below.
Why does the throttle valve become dirty?
There are a number of reasons why the throttle valve becomes contaminated with all kinds of deposits. Chief among them is oil dust, which penetrates through the crankcase ventilation pipe from under the valve cover. Oil in the throttle valve settles on all internal surfaces and attracts dirt.
It is impossible to prevent or stop this process. The removal of crankcase gases is necessary, because otherwise the oil will very quickly lose its lubricating properties, and extreme pressure will quickly build up in the lubrication system, and the oil will be squeezed out through all the seals (gaskets, oil seals, oil dipstick). In all engines, crankcase gases are discharged not into the environment, but into the air system to improve the environmental friendliness of the engines.
By themselves, crankcase gases could pass through the throttle valve with virtually no damage to the engine (except for some deterioration in the quality of the working mixture), but their constant companion is oil mist.
Oil attracts the dirty component of gases and, settling on the surfaces of the throttle assembly, forms a deposit that needs to be cleaned.
Signs that cleaning is necessary
As dirt accumulates, the engine begins to send signals that the throttle valve needs to be cleaned. Signs of a dirty throttle assembly are as follows:
- the engine starts hesitantly, sometimes not on the first try;
- at idle the engine is unstable, the speed fluctuates;
- when driving at low speed (up to 15 km/h), the car jerks;
- when you press the clutch to change gear while driving, the speed either drops very slowly, or, conversely, too sharply, and the engine may stall;
- a dip appears around 1000 rpm.
Removing and cleaning the throttle valve
The throttle valve is cleaned after its removal. Removal begins with disconnecting the air duct corrugation and disconnecting the wires from the idle air control and throttle position sensor. The removal itself is not difficult. It is only important that the engine is cold, otherwise you risk getting burns.
The next step is to disconnect the hoses connected to the throttle valve. The disconnected hoses can be plugged with spark plugs so that nothing spills out of them (there's probably an old kit in the garage for this purpose). Finally, you need to remove the cable from the mechanical drive.
After the throttle valve is freed from all “tails”, you can begin to dismantle it and subsequently clean it. It is attached to different machines with two or four bolts or nuts. Then you need to remove the throttle position sensor and idle air control from the throttle assembly, after which you can start cleaning.
Flushing
Washing is done using a special aerosol for cleaning carburetors. This composition is very aggressive, so you need to clean it carefully. If possible, you should wear gloves and safety glasses. The aerosol is sprayed onto all surfaces and into all channels.
If the dirt is strong, you will have to clean it more than once. The treatment must be repeated after the entire throttle assembly has dried. After all deposits have been washed off, you need to wipe all parts with a clean rag, and, if necessary, rinse again.
Particular attention should be paid to the channel inside which the IAC needle moves and the crankcase ventilation channel, which can become heavily clogged with deposits. The ventilation duct sometimes has to be cleaned using a steel spoke, after which it needs to be cleaned with an aerosol.
Also, careful cleaning is required for the idle air regulator, the needle of which can become so dirty that it begins to jam. However, before flushing, it is advisable to assess the general condition of the IAC. If the needle has a lot of play or wear, it is better to replace the regulator with a new one. 
Before installing the throttle assembly back, you need to pay attention to the condition of the gasket. If it is not damaged, it can be reused, but if it is badly damaged or torn, it needs to be replaced. Installation of the throttle assembly is carried out in the reverse order. After assembly, you may need to adjust the throttle valve, or rather, adjust the tension of the cable, which may have weakened or stretched.
When cleaning doesn't help
It often happens that after cleaning the throttle assembly, the engine still runs unevenly, the idle speed fluctuates from 600 to 1500 rpm. This clearly indicates that there is a problem with the node. The cause may be a malfunction of the throttle position sensor or IAC.
The following symptoms indicate a failure of the position sensor:
- difficulty starting the engine;
- increased or floating idle speed;
- increased fuel consumption;
- power failures during acceleration.
Repairing a faulty throttle position sensor is impractical; replacing it is preferable. You can check the serviceability of the position sensor either using a multimeter, or remove it and replace it with a known working one.
Symptoms indicating a malfunction of the idle speed control are as follows:
- increased fuel consumption;
- When you release the gas pedal in neutral, the speed drops very slowly, sometimes with a delay of up to ten seconds or more, or the drop occurs too sharply, until the engine stops.
You can try to remove and wash the rcx again, but if cleaning does not help, then the malfunction has become fatal and replacement is required.
Cleaning the throttle body is a necessary maintenance procedure for any modern car. The purpose of the throttle valve is very large, it is to regulate the amount of air that enters the intake manifold to mix with fuel and form an air-fuel mixture, and if it is dirty and not maintained, then its operation is disrupted, and as a result, the operation of the entire car is disrupted.
Why does the engine need air?
The entire operation of internal combustion engines is based on combustion. As you know, for fuel combustion, a gas is required, which will act as an oxidizer. In our case, this gas will be oxygen, which is contained in the air. When this gas is mixed with fuel, the result is a mixture that can easily ignite in the engine cylinders. In gasoline engines, ignition is facilitated by a spark plug, and in diesel engines, the formation of high pressure when this mixture is compressed in the cylinder due to the stroke of the piston.
Types of throttle valves
Flaps that open the air flow to the engine are present in any injection systems. Unlike a carburetor in which the damper is built-in, the damper on the injector is made more technologically and is a separate unit, it is called a throttle valve.
There are two types of dampers:
- Mechanical
- Electric
The throttle valve opens when you press the gas pedal. In the mechanical version of the throttle, the gas pedal is connected to the damper using a cable or rod. When you press the pedal the cable moves the throttle pawl and the valve opens.
On modern cars, you can often see the abbreviation EGAZ. This means that an electronic gas pedal and an electronic throttle are used.
The principle of operation of such a damper differs from a mechanical one in that the damper is moved not by a cable or rod, but by an electric motor that receives data from the car’s ECU. Data comes to the ECU from the electronic gas pedal.
It is believed that the EGAZ system allows you to save fuel, but in practice this is practically not noticeable, but the responsiveness of the gas pedal is much worse.
Why clean the throttle body
Cleaning the throttle valve is necessary so that the car engine can receive clean air without any obstacles that form in the form of deposits on the walls. The formation of these deposits is promoted by:
- Polluted air. Of course, all cars have an air filter. Throughout its entire service life, it filters the air intake from the engine. But unfortunately, it filters only large dust particles in the form of an abrasive, while the smallest ones manage to pass through it, some of it burns out in the engine, and some settles on the throttle valve and its components.
- Crankcase gases. On modern cars, crankcase gases are cleaned from oil in a special unit - an oil separator. Subsequently, they enter back into the engine through the intake, namely the throttle valve.
- Exhaust gases. Every year, environmental standards become more stringent. And manufacturers are forced to introduce more and more new systems to ensure it in car engines. One such system is the USR valve, the essence of which is to return a small amount of exhaust gases back to the engine through the throttle valve.
And now we conclude that the oil particles that are in the crankcase gases are mixed with combustion products from the exhaust gases, with dust and fine abrasives from the external air, and all this settles in the throttle valve. After thousands of kilometers, a solid layer of this substance forms inside it, which disrupts the proper operation of the throttle valve.
When is it time to clean your throttle body?
If you notice the signs described below on your car, then you need to visit a service station soon and clean the throttle.
- The idle speed began to float, the engine runs unevenly
- It's hard to start the car (especially when it's hot)
- Noticeable increase in fuel consumption
- Deterioration in dynamics (it feels like someone is holding the car from behind when accelerating)
- Jerking at the beginning of movement at low speeds
You can see the condition of the damper yourself; to do this, you need to remove the air filter pipe and look into the throttle. If you see carbon deposits on the walls, and the flap tongue is black and not golden, then there is only one conclusion that needs to be cleaned.
Why is it better to clean the throttle valve at a service station?
Cleaning the electronic throttle body yourself is not a good idea. Some throttle valves will not function properly after cleaning and require adaptation, which requires special, expensive equipment. Usually the average car enthusiast does not have such equipment, and he will not be able to make the adaptation himself.
There is nothing complicated in the cleaning process itself, but since cars are now high-tech, they themselves regulate the idle speed. When carbon deposits form on the throttle walls over time, the car's ECU takes this into account and opens the throttle to the desired position, taking this carbon deposit into account. And when the layer of this carbon deposits is washed off, malfunctions occur and the idle speed begins to float, since the ECU has already adapted to the valve on which carbon deposits are present.
In order to correct the situation, you need to reset the damper adaptation. This is done using special diagnostic equipment, which is available only in service centers or at a specialized technical station for the brand of your car.
How to clean the throttle valve
Various manufacturers of automotive chemicals offer a number of products for cleaning the throttle body and its components. You can, of course, use the products you have on hand, such as alcohol or acetone. But in some cases they will not be effective and may even harm the device, so experts advise using specialized cleaners.
We have provided a table that, in our opinion, contains the most popular products among service stations and auto mechanics.
* Prices are presented for the Moscow region for 2017; in the regions the price may be different.
How to clean the throttle body yourself
If you decide that you can clean the throttle valve yourself, then here are brief instructions on how to properly clean the throttle valve
Cleaning algorithm:
- Remove the air filter, disconnect the wires leading to the damper, and unscrew the damper from the intake manifold. Dismantle the damper.
- In order to clean, you need to stock up on soft rags and cleaning agent.
- Fill all contaminated areas of the damper with cleaning agent and let stand for 5-10 minutes until the deposits are soaked.
- Carefully remove dirt inside and outside, without using additional force or pressing the flap tongue.
- Rinse and clean everything well again
- Reassemble everything in reverse order and make adaptations if required.
Attempts to clean the throttle valve yourself can lead to its incorrect operation in the future and failure. Before cleaning the throttle body, read the relevant documentation for the vehicle, as well as any possible consequences if it is not cleaned correctly.
If a special anti-friction coating is applied to the damper walls of your car, then you should be especially careful and very gentle when cleaning the damper valve and the damper walls, since damage to this coating can lead to improper operation and the inability to adapt.
How long does it take to clean the throttle valve?
There is no regulation as to when to clean the throttle valve, so you should monitor this yourself and check the state of contamination if the slightest symptoms appear.
Result:
It is worth noting that after cleaning the throttle, you will feel that the car drives as it should. Jerks will disappear, the engine will run smoother, and the car's dynamics will increase. Driving such a car will be a pleasure.
The serviceability of the throttle assembly is an important component of the correct operation of the ignition system of a gasoline internal combustion engine. In domestic use, cleaning the throttle body is an essential part of car care.
Purpose
It is through the throttle assembly that the air supply to the intake manifold is regulated. The desire to increase engine efficiency leads to the fact that modern cars are “stuffed” with electronics. Even the mechanically driven system (the throttle is connected to a cable coming from the accelerator pedal) is a monoblock with a built-in idle speed control, as well as a throttle position sensor.
What can we say about an electrically driven system, where the damper moves at the command of signals coming from pedal position sensors.
Additionally, the monoblock includes: coolant circulation pipes, crankcase ventilation systems, as well as pipes for the gasoline vapor recovery system.
Since all sensor signals are processed by the ECU and directly affect the correct operation of the internal combustion engine, the state of the unit must correspond to the calculated parameters. Cleaning the throttle body helps remove deposits that inevitably accumulate on the walls of the channels.
Impact of sediments
There are only a few factors to blame for soot on the walls:
- crankcase ventilation used to reduce the toxicity of exhaust gases. During operation, a mixture of oxidized motor oil with combustion product residues inevitably enters the ventilation system, which settles on the walls;
- dust that the air filter did not retain (the situation is especially aggravated by, frankly, dirty filter elements). These particles settle on the layer of settled crankcase gases, forming a dense soot.
It is necessary to clean the throttle valve from this type of contamination. Otherwise, deposits not only impede the air supply, causing turbulence, but also clog the IAC. There is also incomplete closure of the damper, which leads to the entry of “excess” air.
Symptoms of a dirty throttle body
The problem under discussion is convenient in that the engine itself will “tell” the time when the throttle valve needs to be cleaned. The main symptoms include:
- poor engine starting;
- The internal combustion engine does not idle;
- the car jerks at low speed (up to 15-20 km/h and light pressure on the pedal).
How to dismantle
Obviously, before cleaning the throttle valve, the assembly must be dismantled.
It is worth noting that the option of removing contaminants without removal also exists. This method can only be used in urgent cases, since it will not be possible to properly remove carbon deposits in this way.
The incoming air distribution unit is located between the intake manifold and the air filter. For all cars, the removal process will be approximately the same and consists of the following operations:
Cleaning process
You can clean the throttle body using aerosols known as "carb cleaners" or carburetor cleaners. They are inexpensive, but thanks to the mixture of solvents they do an excellent job of removing stuck carbon deposits. It is recommended to first remove the rubber seals in order to protect them from exposure to chemical reagents.
Cleaning occurs in several stages:
- We abundantly water the internal cavity, as well as the channels for the supply of additional air;
- wait 5 minutes, and then repeat the procedure until the carbon deposits are completely removed.
The same method can be used to remove carbon deposits from the IAC. It is strongly recommended not to use lint brushes or rough cloth. The internal cavity of the damper is often coated with a layer of molybdenum, which makes the surface smooth, providing better airflow. 
Setting up the IAC and the damper itself
After installing a new gasket and installing the equipment in the reverse order of removal, the engine may continue to run rough.
Mechanical system
Cleaning a mechanically controlled throttle valve requires adjusting the IAC:
- remove the battery terminal for 15 minutes;
- connect the battery, start the car and let the internal combustion engine idle without turning on additional consumers (10 minutes);
- turn off the engine for 10 seconds, and then start it again and warm up to operating temperature;
- even if the instability of the twentieth century remains, in the next 100-150 km everything should return to normal.
Electrical system
- after warming up the car to operating temperature, turn off the engine for 10 seconds;
- leave the ignition on for 3 s;
- after this, press the gas pedal 5 times within 5 seconds;
- after 7 seconds, press the gas pedal all the way, waiting until the “check engine” indicator starts to light constantly;
- after 3 seconds of constant lighting of the indicator, release the gas pedal;
- we start the engine.
Intervals of manipulations must be strictly maintained.
