throttle body cleaning writeup and pictures!

shootmymime · Jun 5, 2008

ok i will give you great write-up on tools and process it will take to clean your throttle body on a 4th Gen 4Runner i am using a 2003 V8 with a K&N CAI.....

the basic tools are:
Flathead screwdriver, socket wrench with a 3-inch extension, and a 10mm socket and a 12mm socket, also some pliers or vice grips.

steps:

1. using the 10mm socket remove the TWO black nuts holding the cover on. then remove the cover and screw nuts back on so not to loose them.

2. remove the throttle control sensor clip.

3. now using your 12mm socket remove the 2 nuts and 2 bolts, (the nuts are on top and bolts are on bottom. also may have to remove intake tube to get to a bolt) thats where my flathead came in handy.

4. using your vice grips pull back a few of your ring clamps that you can get to (but do not pull the hoses off) .

Muffin-Man · Jun 5, 2008

Nice write up with pics!
Couple of questions though:
How many miles did you have when you did this?
Was your throttle body very dirty?
How about the inside of your engine where the throttle body attaches to, was that dirty?
Does the dealer or maintenance book say you should do this?

Thank you

nc211 · Jun 5, 2008

AWESOME! I have been wondering how this was done on these engines! This is one of the simple tricks used to bring back any Lexus LS400 engine to it's famous smooth/quiet/and punchy feeling. They get super dirty in those 4.0 V8's after about 90k. I've been wanting to do this on my 4runner since I bought it with 52k on the clock, now at 60k.

Couple of questions: Was there not a gasket between the butterfly valve removed and the throttle body on the engine? It looks like from your picture, a small black seal is there?

Same questions as Muffin-Man....how many miles on yours, how dirty was it?

One thing I did with my 95 LS when I did this was to use my dremel tool's 18 inch flex hose with a wire brush bit and get inside the housing and clean all the black gunk. YOu'd be amazed how easy that tool and brush makes the process. When I was done, it was shiney metal, no carbon build up left. The car's idle was amazingly quiet and smooth afterwards, and the punch was restored.

Interestingly enough, I cleaned the throttle body setup AFTER a seafoam treatment, and it was still dirty as all hell!

shootmymime · Jun 5, 2008

thanks for the comments guys, this is prettymuch my 1st one so its a lil rough...

yeah im pretty good at working on cars, i did this on my 2003 4runner, and my 1996 4runner, also a 1994 nissan 240 sx, a 1984 mazda RX7 that was carbed, and my 1971 mach 1 mustang.... so i wanted to do it on all my cars as an super easy engine cleaning!

Nice write up with pics!
Couple of questions though:
How many miles did you have when you did this?

Was your throttle body very dirty?

i had 148,000 miles, yes it was very dirty but i have not drive it yet, dont think it mad that much of an improvment..... but i did my 1996 at over 205,000 miles and man that runs alot better!

How about the inside of your engine where the throttle body attaches to, was that dirty?

i did clean a little bit of the intake manifold but it was about 11 o'clock and i still had some more things to put back together for my mom to driving it in the morning so i didnt spend much more time on it.

Does the dealer or maintenance book say you should do this?

never looked at the dealer book

Couple of questions: Was there not a gasket between the butterfly valve removed and the throttle body on the engine? It looks like from your picture, a small black seal is there?

yes there is a gasket but i didnt take it off to clean it, partly because i was in a hurry.... you can see the blue\ black thing in piture 7

liquidvw · Jun 16, 2008

nice job, but I would use throttle body cleaner.

s-one · Jun 16, 2008

Awesome write-up! Thanks much!

jeremysoca · Jun 16, 2008

Great writeup! Thank You

jmorabito25 · Aug 9, 2009

Throttle Body Pics Needed

Hello - can someone upload the pics of how to clean the throttle body? There was a thread on this site, however the pictures were removed.

Thanks!
John

throttle body cleaning writeup and pictures!

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