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throttle-body-alternatives

Throttle Body Cleaner Alternative – IMPORTANT!

Cleaning your car’s throttle body is amongst the routine maintenance works. So, you go into the store to get the necessary equipment, such as a throttle body cleaner. But there are so many options, and the branded items are so pricey. You’re not alone.

Throttle Body Cleaner Alternative

That’s why most car enthusiasts look for throttle body cleaner alternatives. Some tend to lean towards using carb cleaners as an alternative as they can get two jobs done. But if you’re looking for some homemade options, you can use petrol to do the job, provided you follow some necessary precautions.

Keep in mind that throttle body cleaners are the most efficient and yield the best result in this particular field. But, if you’re in a pinch, it doesn’t hurt to know some of your options.

How to Use Carb Cleaner on Throttle Body

There’s a common misconception that there’s not much difference between carb cleaners and throttle body cleaners. They think that carb cleaners are just throttle body cleaners with extra oil. However, that’s not the case at all.

Both throttle body cleaners and carbon cleaners hold around twenty to thirty percent acetone. So, both of them are all-around cleaner for any type of hydrocarbon.

However, throttle body cleaners are slow-acting as they tend to use comparatively less-aggressive xylene. They use this solvent to break apart heavy oil particles and soot. That’s why it’s the perfect cleaner for throttle bodies as they get dirtied with heavier contaminants.

On the other hand, carb cleaners are more aggressive as they rely upon fast-acting toluene to dissolve thin resin layers.

So, while you can use carb cleaners to clean throttle bodies, you won’t have the most efficient results. It’s basically the same process, but you’ll have to use more of it and go through the process a few times to get the desired results.

The Cleaning Process

The cleaning process should be familiar to you if you know how to use throttle body and air intake cleaner. And if you’re new to this, there’s nothing to worry about. It’s a straightforward process.

Step 01: Disconnect the Air Duct

First, you’ll need to unlink the air duct from your car’s throttle body. Make sure to mark down any lines you remove.

Step 02: Use the Spray

Spray on the carb cleaner and let it sit for a few minutes. Be careful not to leave it for too long, or it can damage the body’s inner shell.

Step 03: Wipe It Off

Wipe off the residue along with the solvent. Rinse and repeat till you get the desired result.

How to Clean Chevy Throttle Body With Alternatives

Before getting to the cleaning process, let’s take a look at our options. Our best alternatives at cleaning a throttle body are carb cleaners and petrol. As we’ve already gone through the earlier option above, let’s consider the latter.

As with carb cleaners, don’t expect the best result when cleaning your chevy’s throttle body with petrol. The process is pretty straightforward.

First, you’ll need to take out the throttle body and remove all the O rings and rubber seals before going in. Now, you’ll need a small brush and petrol. Use the small brush to remove any soots and other residues. The petrol will act as the solvent.

This is a lengthy and tedious process that you’ll need to process a few times.

When to Clean Your Throttle Body

Ideally, you should put your throttle body through the cleaning process every 75000 miles. However, some other circumstances also permit a cleaning apart from the routine.

Rough Idling

In its lifetime, your car will go through thousands of hours of stalling. So, you should already be quite familiar with how your car sounds and feels when idling.

If you feel that there’s something different or rougher about your car’s idling, chances are something is clogging up your throttle body.

Decreased Fuel Economy

Your vehicle’s fuel economy depends on your car parts’ condition. That means the better the shape your car is in, the more money you’ll save on fuel.

As the throttle body receives and passes the filtered air to the intake manifold, it can get clogged up with carbon residue. As a result, its efficiency will go down. In turn, the throttle body will deliver less and less air, reducing your fuel economy.

If t your fuel economy is getting worse, the culprit is probably a clogged throttle body.

Sticky Gas Pedal

As the carbon residue builds up inside the throttle body, it’ll lose its efficiency. As a result, you’ll see a decrease in the throttle response.

So, if you’re feeling that it takes forever for your car to accelerate after pressing on the gas pedal, check for black soot on your throttle body.

Throttle Body Cleaning Cost

The entire cost of cleaning your throttle body depends on the type of your car. It also depends on your preferred mechanic shop.

The parts don’t cost that much. Their prices range from 15 to 25 dollars. It’s the labor cost that will take a toll on your wallet. For example, the average labor cost of cleaning the throttle body of a 2011 Volvo XC80 should be around 150 USD.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I use WD40 to clean the throttle body?

While WD40 can get the job done, it won’t be as effective as throttle body cleaners. While throttle body cleaners are designed to break apart soot particles and carbon deposits, that’s not WD40’s specialty.

Why is my throttle body dirty?

As you turn off the engine, the unburnt fuel floats to the top of the machine. And the engine’s leftover heat bakes the carbon residues to form soot particles inside the throttle body. That’s why your throttle body keeps getting dirty.

Can I clean my throttle body without cleaner?

While throttle body cleaners are the best for cleaning throttle bodies, you can do it without the cleaner. However, don’t expect the same practical result.

Final Words

Throttle body cleaner alternatives are fun to experiment with. But if you need serious results, it’s better to go with throttle body cleaners. So, just remember to keep these alternatives handy for emergencies and not for regular use. Cleaning your car’s throttle body is amongst the routine maintenance works. So, you go into the store to get the necessary equipment, such as a throttle body cleaner. But there are so many options, and the branded items are so pricey. You’re not alone. Anyway, if we're also having many queries about throttle response controllers. we've just published an amazing article on it, you might be interested. 


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