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Cleaning throttle body worth it?

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Old 10-12-2007, 10:20 AM
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Cleaning throttle body worth it?

Im just wondering if is really worth it to clean my throttle body down by hand. I've got 135K and im taking off my intake tubing to change my IAT sensorr, just curious if its worth picking up some throttle body cleaner?
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Old 10-12-2007, 11:41 AM
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Yea, can't hurt. Takes like 2 secs. Should help smooth out your idle as well
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Old 10-12-2007, 01:56 PM
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Just finished doing it, i think i'll be doing this with my regular oil changes. It was so easy and it definatley had alot in there. Drove it afterwards and boy was smooth. Idles at a perfect 600.
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Old 10-12-2007, 02:07 PM
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600 is not spec, and every oil change is too often, i cleaned mine in the spring, and recently had it all taken apart and it was still like brand new...
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Old 10-12-2007, 02:15 PM
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Heres the teasers, hope i did a good enough job.





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Old 10-12-2007, 03:11 PM
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Did you clean behind it too?
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Old 10-12-2007, 04:17 PM
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Ye, entire thing. The tooth brush was a big help. Im noticing a better low end now, take off at low throttle are much better, idle is hugely better, and the car starts really strong(it used to start very weak, like 300rpms then raise to 500). Next up is plugs, wires, battery, fuel filter, injectors, then the turbo.
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Old 10-12-2007, 04:34 PM
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Woah...big step there. :\
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Old 10-12-2007, 05:07 PM
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Originally Posted by andrei3333
600 is not spec, and every oil change is too often, i cleaned mine in the spring, and recently had it all taken apart and it was still like brand new...
600 is spec....his sig says 3 pedals. that means 5speed. 700+ is the perfect idle for auto trans.
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Old 10-12-2007, 09:45 PM
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Yep, see im not a total newb.
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Old 10-12-2007, 09:49 PM
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Originally Posted by 97maximaman
Next up is plugs, wires, battery, fuel filter, injectors, then the turbo.
Yes, definitely change the spark plug wires before putting a turbo on it...

Last edited by MaximaSpd85; 10-12-2007 at 09:58 PM.
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Old 10-13-2007, 08:21 AM
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Originally Posted by MaximaSpd85
Yes, definitely change the spark plug wires before putting a turbo on it...
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Old 10-13-2007, 08:39 AM
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Originally Posted by mansurxk
600 is spec....his sig says 3 pedals. that means 5speed. 700+ is the perfect idle for auto trans.
good investigative skills you got there

OP: you should have taken it off the IM to clean behind the plate better (if you do then replace the paper gasket) -- Let me know if you want to see pics of my dirty tb and how i took it off

ALSO: dont use carb cleaner on the TB, use specific Throttle body Cleaner - the TB has a Teflon coating on it, TB cleaner doesnt disrupt it, while other cleaners MAY !!!

Last edited by andrei3333; 10-13-2007 at 08:41 AM.
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Old 10-15-2007, 12:57 PM
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+1 for replacing the gasket. I have duct tape in mine now cuz I didn't know about it in advance...

I'll tackle the IAC soon and see about a replacement gasket.

No CEL though so it appears true that duct tape still rules!
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Old 10-15-2007, 01:35 PM
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Originally Posted by 97maximaman
Ye, entire thing. The tooth brush was a big help. Im noticing a better low end now, take off at low throttle are much better, idle is hugely better, and the car starts really strong(it used to start very weak, like 300rpms then raise to 500). Next up is plugs, wires, battery, fuel filter, injectors, then the turbo.
hahaha you're kidding right? Have you looked at your engine at all lately? Have you realized that there havn't been plug wires in the engine since 3rd gen maximas?
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Old 10-16-2007, 02:38 AM
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Better Do it

Yes its worth the trouble Carb Clean works fine
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Old 10-16-2007, 04:17 AM
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plugs? i hope your kidding if you didnt know maximas use ignition coils
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Old 10-16-2007, 07:32 AM
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Originally Posted by 96max_manSE
plugs? i hope your kidding if you didnt know maximas use ignition coils
i hope you're kidding if you didn't know that the ignition coils plug into the spark plugs...
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Old 10-16-2007, 07:37 AM
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Originally Posted by 96max_manSE
plugs? i hope your kidding if you didnt know maximas use ignition coils
HAHAHA nice work how would a gas powered vehicle run with out a spark?
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Old 10-16-2007, 08:07 AM
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I got 288,400 on the clock and its totally fine for me to spray carb cleaner in there and scrub as much of it as I can while it is still on the car. Try not to rip me a new one I am just making sure.
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Old 10-16-2007, 09:36 AM
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Originally Posted by HiMi5SPD
I got 288,400 on the clock and its totally fine for me to spray carb cleaner in there and scrub as much of it as I can while it is still on the car. Try not to rip me a new one I am just making sure.
no take it off. If you sit and spray it in there it will most likely ruin your spark plugs. Do it right.
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Old 10-16-2007, 09:46 AM
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so how far off do you take it? i was planning on doing this on saturday. motorvate.ca only shows how to do it with the TB still attached to the intake. does the next step involve removing the manifold? that seems like a lot more work for someone who has never done it before. anyone got pictures (better pictures than on motorvate)?
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Old 10-16-2007, 09:49 AM
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also on motorvate it says to hold the throttle wide open while spraying in there? is that correcT?

how would this destroy your plugs?
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Old 10-16-2007, 09:56 AM
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I held the butterfly open while i sprayed it. Let it sit for like 30 sec, then took a knife wrapped around a rag and got back in there as far as i could.
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Old 10-16-2007, 09:57 AM
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Originally Posted by ROCKART
also on motorvate it says to hold the throttle wide open while spraying in there? is that correcT?

how would this destroy your plugs?
it basically soaks the plugs in cleaner. It turns the black. What are you talking about how far off? Take it off and clean it...This isn't brain surgery. You undo 4 bolts that attach the tb to the manifold and disconnect the TPS plugs. Go clean it.
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Old 10-16-2007, 12:49 PM
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Ye um about the plug wires, lol, i know we dont have any, obviously i have changed plugs before. I was in a fog with like ten things happening all at once while i was typing. Funny thing is the guy at autozone asked me if i wanted new wires the other day when i baught new plugs, so i told him there arent any, and he started arguing with me saying all cars have plug wires and i should just spend the extra $40 for the piece of mind, lol. So i told him if he could locate my plug wires i'd buy it but if not i wanted a free bottle of Mothers Polish, well needless to say i walked out with a free bottle of polish worth about 7-8 dollars.
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Old 10-16-2007, 01:14 PM
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once you take it off though you have to replace the gasket right?

is there a walkthrough for disconnecting the tps plugs or the throttle period.

theres no way the throttle cable could retract into the stem is therE?
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Old 10-16-2007, 01:44 PM
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Originally Posted by ROCKART
once you take it off though you have to replace the gasket right?

is there a walkthrough for disconnecting the tps plugs or the throttle period.

theres no way the throttle cable could retract into the stem is therE?
you need a write-up how to take off the plugs? you push on the tabs and pull them off. No the cables will not retract. You do need to replace the gasket yes. An don't be like other newbs and say no I don't want to pay for a new gasket so I'll just shot TB cleaner into the IM. Then they report issues with firing and wonder why.
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Old 10-16-2007, 01:47 PM
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i just want to make sure there no mistakes. i have $11.18 to my name until this friday. a 400$ mistake would be catastrophic for me.
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Old 10-16-2007, 01:54 PM
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Originally Posted by ROCKART
i just want to make sure there no mistakes. i have $11.18 to my name until this friday. a 400$ mistake would be catastrophic for me.
ok then take off the tb. Otherwise sparying a lot of cleaner in your engine could be a $400 mistake.
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Old 10-16-2007, 02:33 PM
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You dont need to take off the tb, and you dont need alot of cleaner. Just spritz some in and scrub clean. Repeat like 4-5 times and put it all back together. Theres no need to go through all the work you guys state, tons of people do it this way with no problems and as stated above, even motorvate states it this way.
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Old 10-16-2007, 02:38 PM
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Originally Posted by 97maximaman
You dont need to take off the tb, and you dont need alot of cleaner. Just spritz some in and scrub clean. Repeat like 4-5 times and put it all back together. Theres no need to go through all the work you guys state, tons of people do it this way with no problems and as stated above, even motorvate states it this way.
what are you talking about? How can you not take it off yet put it back together? Your post doesn't make sense. You do it anyway you want. Do listen to people that have seen it and dealt with people having problems with it after. Yeah tons of people do it your way and it doesn't do much. You can only clean two surfaces well if you don't take of the TB. You guys are lazy if you can't take off 4 bolts to clean it right. Don't work on your car if you want to take shortcuts. It's bound to cost you $$. But whatever, don't take advice from me.
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Old 10-16-2007, 03:15 PM
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Definitely worth it. It only took me about 15 minutes to do. I had a low idle problem (dropping as low as 500rpm), and now I'm idling 650-700 instead.
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Old 10-16-2007, 03:30 PM
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of course its worth it. quick a nd easy
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Old 10-16-2007, 06:30 PM
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i never had to do it and it always looked good but with the factory airbox and stufff.. once u put a cai yeah u should check it out once every three to four months
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Old 10-16-2007, 07:50 PM
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do the 4 bolts on the TB have to be torqued??? whats the spec?
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Old 10-16-2007, 07:51 PM
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Originally Posted by WildMax87
do the 4 bolts on the TB have to be torqued??? whats the spec?
No I never torqued them. As long as you don't hear an air leak they are fine.
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Old 10-16-2007, 07:57 PM
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so the 4 bolts, and the 2 sensor plug things(haha excuse my lack of knowledge) and it comes off????also for the gasket i go into autozone and ask for......
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Old 10-16-2007, 07:59 PM
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Originally Posted by WildMax87
so the 4 bolts, and the 2 sensor plug things(haha excuse my lack of knowledge) and it comes off????also for the gasket i go into autozone and ask for......
you go into autozone and buy TB cleaner. The go to nissan and ask for a TB gasket.
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Old 10-16-2007, 08:05 PM
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Thanks dude
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