Throttle Body cleaning - ZC

[EuroDude]

Hi guys - need a little guidance with my first throttle body clean :wave:

I'm currently cleaning out the throttle body. After searching and reading guides with contradicting information and different TB designs, I have a few questions.


So far I have rigged the butterfly open, and sprayed alot of carby cleaner everywhere you can see here:

http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/9468/dscf11471ht.th.jpg (http://img357.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf11471ht.jpg)

Alot of black residue washed away, but most of it went down into the intake piping (Manifold I think). I dont have a snake cleaner thing, just a toothbrush and a rag I jammed in there.

(1) Will this clog the cylinders and make the car hard to start? What should I expect when I turn the car on? Alot of smoke?

(2) A guide I read on another site said that as soon as you spray carby cleaner in there, you should turn the car on as soon as possible (while the carby is still wet) and let it idle for a few minutes - is this a good idea?

(3) Any other tips I need to know when cleaning out a Honda throttle body?




cheers. :honda:



Engine D16A8 ZC
Civic 93 Si Sedan Manual

[EuroDude]

[EDIT] no worries its all good.


I started the car a minute after spraying, lol the car wouldnt start for about 20 turns, jumping all over the place, then finally it started up with a huge amount of white smoke.

20 minutes later it was back to normal.

The car runs smoother now and the upper DOHC-happy revs are more powerful probably due to better air flow.

[taiman]

i was told that u spose to do it with ur engine on...

hmmm....

:confused:

[EuroDude]

Yes that would be ideal, but there is a risk of contaminents in the air entering the engine and causing damage (due to no air filter). 'Bennjamin' on these forums mentioned this, which sounds logical to me which is why I didnt do that.

[Dxs]

it would be reving off its **** too with the throttle body wide open..
doesnt seem like a wise idea

[egads]

sounds like a good diy. so open her up, lock the butterfly open, spray a heap of carby cleaner, scrub with toothbrush, wipe with rag, replace everything and start her up?

[joyride]

what i would have done is spray a little in the TB to begin with and then kick over the motor with the engine revving and spray a shite load of the carby cleaner in the TB. works everytime...

[iamhappy46]

It would be a much better idea to remove the spark plugs, disconnect the ignition coil wire/plug and prevent the motor from 'hydraulic locking' when flooding the motor with carby/throttle body cleaner. Doing it this way will also clean sludge off your piston crowns.
Your can turn the starter motor over(it won't fire) while spraying the TB out as well.

[SlobberGoat]

I've always used the TB cleaner when the engine running...
It bogs down a bit when your spraying, but after a few minutes she's ok again.

[MrJDMCivic]

spray carby cleaner and use a tooth brush,

[EuroDude]

It would be a much better idea to remove the spark plugs, disconnect the ignition coil wire/plug and prevent the motor from 'hydraulic locking' when flooding the motor with carby/throttle body cleaner. Doing it this way will also clean sludge off your piston crowns.
Your can turn the starter motor over(it won't fire) while spraying the TB out as well.

Now thats an idea :) I was thinking I should have done something like this when my engine was turning and choking to death on Carby cleaner, thinking that maybe the sparks would ignite the flamable carby cleaner or something.
Oh well, i'll try that next time. :thumbsup:

[Weq]

what i would have done is spray a little in the TB to begin with and then kick over the motor with the engine revving and spray a shite load of the carby cleaner in the TB. works everytime...

exactly right. the car will stutter for a minute until everything clears from the system, but thats normal. carby cleaner is good because it avaporates so quickly. just tie the TB open for like 5minutes if ur parenoid and let it evap off.