Cleaning throttle plate, intake tubing, sensors

Apu · Postby **Apu** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 11:13 am

There's quite a bit of info on this, and some of it conflicting, so I am looking for info from our technically knowledgeable and those who've tried it...please don't repeat stuff that you've hear third-hand.

I'm about to complete the install of the oil catch can (should call it oil-vapour catch can really, isn't it?) and before I complete the install, I want to clean the oily layer from the intake pipe, throttle body, etc...and I haven't looked yet, but is there a sensor that sits behind the throttle body?

So the question is, what cleaners are safe for each part?

I've heard of carby cleaners being used with no problems, but also heard of the sensor behind the throttle body being killed by various cleaners.

Many thanks!

deanb90 · Postby **deanb90** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 2:20 pm

I did this the other day on the NC, it was filthy. Use throttle body cleaner on the intake pipe and throttle body, don't spray it on the MAF. There are not any sensors you need to worry about unless you unscrew the butterfly from the body.

Apu · Postby **Apu** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 2:50 pm

Thank you! Out of curiousity, just how many KMs have you run on your NC?

I'm guessing the sensor behind the throttle body would also be coated in the oily grime, which is why I do want to clean it.

manga_blue · Postby **manga_blue** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 3:10 pm

MAFs can be cleaned regularly with an electronics components cleaner. I take it out every year or two and use an isopropyl alcohol circuit board sprayer. It does seem to restore tune. Don't ever touch the MAF sensor wires. I haven't heard of any sensors behind the TB, except for cars with aftermarket MAP sensors.

The butterfly in the throttle bodies has some sort of latex-like bead around its edges to improve sealing and/or wear characteristics (not sure which). Many cleaners damage or remove this, forcing a re-adjustment of the stop positions and maybe they never work as well again, depends on who you believe. The bead on mine was already crumbly, so I removed the lot, readjusted the stops and TPS and it's been fine since

I've never heard of valid claims of performance improvements from cleaning out normal levels of oily deposits from behind the TB and into the intake manifold. I regard it as just unnecessary (and potentially damaging) housekeeping. If the inlet manifold is really choked with oil and crap then obviously you've got some other major problem which you'd be better off fixing rather than just whisking away the by-products.

Apu · Postby **Apu** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 3:31 pm

Thanks for that manga_blue. So are you saying that it's OK to spritz the MAF sensor wires with isopropyl alcohol, but don't physically touch them? I do expect that tune will improve - after all a cleaner sensor will read better, etc etc.

I don't expect that cleaning out the intake pipes will help, but with the throttle body, at least it gets less gunky and part of that process is looking at how much oil vapour has coated the intake tract in the past decade of use!

Once I've got it clean, I'll connect up the catch can and see how much oil vapour gets trapped and how much makes it through to the intake manifold. I'm expecting that the way I will hook up the catch can, I'll have a car that will run better with a cleaner MAF sensor and no oil vapour mixing with my air/fuel.

manga_blue · Postby **manga_blue** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 3:57 pm

Apu wrote:Thanks for that manga_blue. So are you saying that it's OK to spritz the MAF sensor wires with isopropyl alcohol, but don't physically touch them? I do expect that tune will improve - after all a cleaner sensor will read better, etc etc.

That's all I do, either IPA or a board cleaning product. Just re-checked and this is what I used last time: http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=NA1008 . Worked pretty well. And yes, don't physically touch them.