Is it necessary to clean the fuel system and throttle body?
4 Answers
It is necessary to clean the fuel system and throttle body. Prolonged neglect can lead to a noticeable decrease in engine power and excessive gear shift impact. Below are the relevant introductions about cleaning: Cleaning the throttle body: Removes carbon deposits and gum deposits from the throttle body, ensuring smooth operation, improving fuel economy, making the engine run stronger and more stable, and enhancing driving control. Cleaning the fuel system: Removes deposits in the fuel system, restores normal fuel injection, and eliminates issues such as unstable idling, poor acceleration, hesitation, and knocking. Benefits of cleaning: Reduces fuel consumption, restores the air-fuel ratio, and lowers exhaust emissions.
I think cleaning the fuel system and throttle body is very necessary. As a long-term driver, I always pay attention to this during every maintenance. Driving in the city with frequent starts and stops can easily cause carbon buildup. If the fuel system is not cleaned, the fuel injectors may become clogged, preventing the fuel from atomizing completely, which can lead to increased fuel consumption and reduced power. A dirty throttle body can cause unstable idling, especially noticeable during cold starts. After cleaning, the engine runs smoother with stronger acceleration, and fuel consumption can decrease by about 0.5 liters per 100 kilometers. I recommend cleaning every 20,000 kilometers or adjusting based on fuel quality and driving habits. Once I neglected cleaning, and after driving 50,000 kilometers, my car started shaking. After cleaning the throttle body, it improved significantly. The cleaning process is not expensive—just a few hundred yuan at a regular repair shop—and preventive maintenance can save you from costly repairs. The key is to have the technician check the carbon buildup with diagnostic tools during maintenance before making a decision, and avoid tampering with it yourself.
As a homemaker who frequently uses the car, I believe cleaning the fuel system and throttle body is necessary, but not too often. Driving short distances frequently, such as picking up and dropping off kids at school, can easily lead to carbon buildup. If not cleaned, fuel consumption will quietly increase, costing hundreds more in fuel expenses annually, and may cause slower engine starts or unstable idling. After cleaning, the car runs quieter and accelerates faster. However, don’t be fooled by repair shops into cleaning it every month; under normal circumstances, cleaning every 30,000 kilometers is sufficient. If the fuel quality is poor or the weather is cold, cleaning when symptoms appear is also fine, saving unnecessary expenses. Once, my car’s fuel consumption suddenly increased, and the technician said the throttle body was dirty—cleaning it restored normal performance. The cleaning cost is not high, just a few hundred yuan, which is more cost-effective than repairing a damaged engine. Overall, regular maintenance is worthwhile to keep the vehicle reliable and worry-free.
As a novice driver with only one year of experience, I once wondered whether cleaning the fuel system and throttle body was necessary. Later, when my car reached 40,000 kilometers and experienced sluggish acceleration, I had the throttle body and fuel system cleaned, which noticeably improved the power. Not cleaning them can lead to oil residue buildup, affecting the engine's combustion efficiency, resulting in increased fuel consumption and worse emissions. However, not every car urgently needs cleaning; new cars or those with low mileage may not require it immediately. After cleaning, the idle speed becomes more stable, and the drive feels smoother. It's recommended to decide based on the vehicle's performance.
