Is it necessary to clean the throttle body?
2 Answers
Throttle body requires regular cleaning for the following reasons: After prolonged use, carbon deposits will accumulate near the air flow valve plate, causing slight sticking and poor rotation of the air flow valve plate. This blocks the reserved idle air intake, leading to sluggish throttle response and unstable idle speed or stalling issues. The benefits of regular throttle body cleaning include: 1. Effectively removing deposits and carbon buildup from the fuel injectors, maintaining fuel system cleanliness; 2. Cleaning the exhaust gas recirculation system, reducing emissions and saving fuel, thereby effectively protecting the oxygen sensor and catalytic converter; 3. Preventing symptoms such as knocking, unstable idle speed, and poor acceleration caused by deposits and carbon buildup.
I've been driving old cars for over a decade. When encountering unstable idling or starting difficulties, I often clean the throttle body. This is because the throttle body controls the air intake into the engine, and in urban areas with heavy traffic, carbon buildup is particularly common, which can block the air intake and make the engine 'struggle to breathe.' When there's too much carbon buildup, the car shakes noticeably at idle, and fuel consumption rises sharply. From my experience, if you feel a lack of power when accelerating after driving for three to five years, it's best to visit a repair shop to check and clean the throttle body. It doesn't cost much—around a hundred yuan. After cleaning, the idle immediately becomes smooth, and the throttle response becomes much more agile. However, there's no need to clean it frequently—if there are no symptoms, don't waste the money. It also depends on your driving habits; people who drive more on highways accumulate less carbon, so the cleaning interval can be longer. In short, this is like a regular health check-up—detecting minor issues early can prevent major repairs, but don't over-maintain.
