Throttle Body grate?

[Pat M.]

Hey guys. I'm just toying with my car, trying to do some simple stuff as I'm trying to learn. Anyway I figured cleaning the throttle body would be low impact and semi-foolproof until I popped off this...


http://img343.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1002351rf1.jpg

http://img197.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1002353hb1.jpg

http://img343.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1002354wk7.jpg


Obviously there is liquid oil in there, I wanna get that sucker open and clean it. Am I on the right track, that is the TB right? The MAFS looked pretty sparkly clean, I have a feeling when I took the car in for a warrentied EGR cleaning they might have taken care of it.


Thanks for the help.


Edit - Oh yea, it's a 1994 Buick Century Sp w/ the 3100 V6.

 

[Inliner]

That grate is on the mass air flow sensor (I wouldn't call it "sparkling" clean either). Leave that alone. The throttle body should be farther downstream from that.

 

[Pat M.]

Well what do you know, I thought the mass air flow sensor was the one in the air duct...alas. I googled MAFS and found a pic that looked like mine. Does this mean I cant clean the TB w/o removing it (aka, i'm not gunna clean it )

 

[schwartr88]

Im about to rip out my first throttle body tomorrow and I found this link very helpful.

How to clean the throttle body

His is slightly different from mine, which is different from yours, but it gave me a very good idea on what all I have to do.

If your going to clean out the TB you'll need a can of this:
TB cleaner

 

[Clyde65]

That inlet screen is on the throttle body itself. There is a snap ring holding it in place at the outer rim. I can see it in your picture only because I already know where it's at. You can remove it with a right angle dental pick. You don't need to reinstall it after cleaning the throttle body. It is there to prevent large bugs from flying in if you have no air filter.

 

[moribundman]

A MAF screen's primary function is not to keep debris from hitting the sensor. The MAF is generally installed after the air filter. The screen makes for proper turbulent/laminar airflow without which the MAF may not function properly. The screen can be removed, but the sensor opening may have to be calibrated and/or a velocity stack may have to be installed in the airbox outlet -- depending on the setup. If you don't want to have to fiddle around to avoid a CEL and/or poor idle issues, better leave the screen in there.

I removed the MAF screen because it was a large restriction and because my engine's throttle body could make use of improved flow. I did install a velocity stack in the airbox outlet to get the airflow right.

 

[Dave H]

From those pictures, I'd guess your PCV system is attached between your filter and the throttle body. I say this because of all the black gunk in your air intake hose. If this is the case, a PCV catch can may be worthwhile for your vehicle so you aren't recirculating the nasty gases through the throttle body (and over your MAFS).
The only thing that should be going through that screen is filtered air (presumably clean) and PCV gases. If you eliminate the PCV gases, the rest will stay much cleaner.
I installed a homemade PCV catch can on my '97 Maxima. It is simply a water seperator for an air compressor. It catches approx 1/3 oz (10 ml) every 400 miles. Prior to an AutoRx treatment, it captured 1/3 oz every 300 miles. I can't attribute it only to AutoRx, though, because I have gone back to GC since the treatment.
You can find many ways to make a PCV catch can online. There are even kits specifically for it, but they seem to me to be ridiculously expensive. I even plumbed mine with 3/8" stainless line a buddy gave me so it looks factory.

Dave

 

[Matt_S]

Mori knows what he's talking about. Listen to him. I know of several people that removed them and none reported any real difference in performance or gas mileage given no other modifications were made to the engine. If anything, people reported that the car developed a rough idle without the screen. Most replaced it after some time.

If you're into powertrain modifications, it can make sense to remove the screen for better airflow for the sake of enabling bigger modifications, such as camshafts, headers, exhaust systems and the like. To properly take advantage of the MAF screen removal, you need to make other modifications as Mori mentioned to ensure that the MAF sensor gets a nice, straight, even flow of air. If your engine is stock, there will be plenty of airflow and the engine will run better with the screen in place.

That being said, if you remove that ring, the screen will come off easily so you can clean the throttle body. Be careful of the MAF sensor, which is integrated into the TB on these engines, and use a cleaner that is TB safe (it will say on the can).

 

[Clyde65]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dave H:
From those pictures, I'd guess your PCV system is attached between your filter and the throttle body.

Dave

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No it's not. It's on the other end of the upper intake manifold on the passenger side.

I've taken the throttle body screen off of my Buick just so I could peek inside the throttle body. I never bothered puting it back on. The engine runs the same without it and the ECU did not throw a code.

 

[Pat M.]

Thanks for all the advise guys.


Clyde is right, the PCV isn't around there, it's actually comes right out of the crankcase, I replaced it ~400 miles ago but it was really, really junked up when I did.


I'm not looking to boost "performance" persay, i just figure cleaning out the TB can't hurt (especially if i use TB specific) so i wont be perm removing the grate. I'll try the tooth pick method tomorrow prob and see how it looks. Since I got my cd player installed the engine is nosier so i'm looking to free up any horses I can (w/o deviating from stock) to help quiet her down. Thanks for all the help again.

 

[Clyde65]

General Tools Mfg Co calls them probes. I always called them picks, but oh well. Anyway, the one on the far right is the one I used. There is a hole at the very end of the snap ring. Insert the "probe" in the hole and pull the ring straight out.

 

[Pat M.]

quote:

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Originally posted by Clyde65:
General Tools Mfg Co calls them probes. I always called them picks, but oh well. Anyway, the one on the far right is the one I used. There is a hole at the very end of the snap ring. Insert the "probe" in the hole and pull the ring straight out.

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Muchas Gracies.