Throttle body cleaning E36

biko

Quick write up for first-timers.
Throttle body is what is attached to the accelerator inside the car. When you press the pedal the TB opens up and lets air in to the cylinders and thus you speed up. It gets dirty from the engine gas recirculation - there is a small hose that sends post combustion gases into the intake hose, just before the TB, I think for emission reasons. Anyway it occasionally need a good clean to increase engine performance. It's an easy enough job for the driveway mechanic.

You'll need: screwdriver for the hose clamp screw, carburettor cleaner in spray can, old toothbrush, kitchen paper towels, gloves. About 15 minutes work. Don't do this with engine running.

Locate throttle body, it's seated on the intake manifold.


Throttle body before clean



It's a good idea to put kitchen paper towels underneath to catch runoff from the spray as it's quite corrosive if it hits plastic/rubber hoses.


Spray into the throttle body and then scrub with the toothbrush. On the side of the TB you have the wire from the accelerator to the valve, twist this to open valve so you can clean further in. Spray, scrub, spray, scrub until it's clean.


Replace hose to TB, done. Take car for a spin to air out the system.

Toothbrush after

shamwari

Has that cured the other problems you thought were MAF-related?

biko

No but I did the MAF later the same day and that seems to have sorted it.
The MAF was in good nick anyway

voxpop

Looked pretty clean to begin with - still probably worth a go just for peace of mind. Might give my own a look this weekend, need to chase down a coolant leak anyway

Fishtits

What engine is that?

unkel

voxpop wrote: »

Looked pretty clean to begin with

+1

No problem there, but thanks for the tutorial, OP

biko

Fishtits wrote: »

What engine is that?

M50B20 with Vanos M50TUB20