The adventures of a throttle body cleaning

[AmuletOfNight]

I woke up this morning, bright and early, with a mission: To clean the throttle body on my 1994 MGM, in an attempt to get the throttle to stop sticking when opening from closed throttle. So, thats exactly what I did.

So get up, take a shower, ya-da ya-da, get to the parts store and pick up a soft brush and a can of CRC Throttle Body & Intake cleaner. Come home, pop the hood, and begin the fun.

Step 1: Attempt to remove the vacuum hoses connected to the airbox, succeed, but never fail to slice yourself three ways to Sunday on sharp metal objects when the vacuum hoses suddenly come flying off.

Step 2: While trying to remove the mounting screw for the airbox that holds the airbox in place on the throttle body, drop your 1/2" extension onto the engine block, and say goodbye to it forever (yes, this happened, and I still haven't found it)

Step 3: Curse wildly at the motor because it stole your 1/2" extension

Step 4: Search aimlessly for at least 10 minutes to try to find another extension

Step 5: FINALLY find an extension

Step 6: Remove the mounting bolt for the airbox

Step 7: Remove airbox, watch as rubber holder and hose clamp come flying off the throttle body and falls under the car

Step 8: Retrieve rubber holder and hose clamp from underneath car

Step 9: Look into throttle body, cringe at the sight of pure blackness inside of the throttle body (the back of the throttle plate was PURE black, as well as behind it and in front of it too

Step 10: Spray cleaner into throttle body, choke on the fumes of said cleaner

Step 11: Take brush and brush out ugliness of throttle body

Step 12: Watch as black liquid comes out of throttle body

Step 13: Have your father fly out the door telling you to move the car out of the way of the garage (not going to happen)

Step 14: Attempt to start the car without the airbox, nope nope nope

Step 15: Throw everything back together after finishing cleaning

Step 16: Try relentlessly to get the engine started after flooding it with cleaner

Step 17: Engine is all stumbly and junk

Step 18: Engine smooths out

Step 19: Take it for a test drive, and marvel at the fact that the throttle plate is not sticking

Step 20: Rejoice.

So, mission accomplished, with only a couple cuts, and now I don't have a sticking throttle plate. Sounds good to me!

[GoodSamaritan]

I have a theory.
There is something about internal combustion engines, that forms small tears in the fabric of space time. Sometimes when you drop a tool, it passes through one of these into another dimension. It's a very similar process to the better known "socks in the dryer" phenomena.

[SVT98t]

Fyi, you probably should have removed the tb.
Use a magnet through the front of the motor under the alternator to try and snag your extension.

Just curious.

-ryan s.

[Kodachrome Wolf]

I have a theory.
There is something about internal combustion engines, that forms small tears in the fabric of space time. Sometimes when you drop a tool, it passes through one of these into another dimension. It's a very similar process to the better known "socks in the dryer" phenomena.

Video NSFW, BTW:

I have a feeling it might be in the valley underneath your intake manifold. Just do what SVT98t, you'll probably find it.

[DerekTheGreat]

LoL, now this was funny. It never ceases to amaze me as tools and parts go missing into the realm of oblivion or when your hand goes flying straight for a strategically placed sharp object so you can make a sacrifice to the blood gods.

[slack]

LoL, now this was funny. It never ceases to amaze me as tools and parts go missing into the realm of oblivion or when your hand goes flying straight for a strategically placed sharp object so you can make a sacrifice to the blood gods.

I think someone's dropped tool reappeared in the engine bay of my '97 TC when I owned it. I was changing the spark plugs one day and found a set of pliers tucked away out of plain sight.

[miamibob]

I think someone's dropped tool reappeared in the engine bay of my '97 TC when I owned it. I was changing the spark plugs one day and found a set of pliers tucked away out of plain sight.

Depending upon how unlucky/incompetent a mechanic was, one can build up an entire tool chest this way!! LOL

[DerekTheGreat]

I think someone's dropped tool reappeared in the engine bay of my '97 TC when I owned it. I was changing the spark plugs one day and found a set of pliers tucked away out of plain sight.

Depending upon how unlucky/incompetent a mechanic was, one can build up an entire tool chest this way!! LOL

I've found tools in my ranger when I bought it- the nasty wire cutters used to hack up the wiring harness for a trailer hitch and then a spark plug socket in the air box. I often find tools at the junkyard too, it helps to have a keen eye lol.

[gadget73]

For vise-grips, look in 70s-80s Ford pickups. That was a common aftermarket window crank repair. You might find them on 90s Chevy pickups too, but on the seat tilt levers. They made them from aluminum and the handles broke the shafts off pretty frequently.

[knucklehead0202]

Lol, I just had this conversation a few weeks ago about fox-bodied fords. While looking at a potential buy I was BS'ing with the guy and told him that all Foxes now weigh probably 5-10lbs more than when they came from the factory because of all the sockets lost in the k-member. I literally found sockets years later that no amount of looking, clawing wildly and magnets would unearth. Maybe Ford owned a tool company at some point and was trying to stir up more business...

[Mainemantom]

Depending upon how unlucky/incompetent a mechanic was, one can build up an entire tool chest this way!! LOL

If that is the indicator, I should expect to see a entire snap on roll away under the hood. It will take just one "repair".

[DerekTheGreat]

http://imgur.com/g4I0L8U

[sly]

http://imgur.com/g4I0L8U