Sticky Accelerator Pedal - How to clean throttle body
Asked by Stephena Oct 31, 2007 at 10:29 AM about the Chevrolet Astro
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
I have a Sticky Accelerator Pedal due to a sludged up throttle body. I can tell because it only sticks in the idle position (when in air intake valve is closed). I purchased some Valvoline throttle Body cleaner, but man, that assembly is way under the hood and hard to reach. I don't want to take it off unless I have to. Also, I don't want the sludge to go down into the engine, if I clean it while in place... Has anybody done this before? It happens on the 4.3L & other throttle body engines a lot, due to the PCV valve routing gases into the air intake, and results in the pedal sticking, making the van lurch forward when it finally unsticks under pressure.
7 Answers
littlehorn answered 17 years ago
Have a dealership do the "Wynn's Fuel Induction Cleaning Service," or similar. It's pretty neat in that they use a special machine to actually run your vehicle off the throttle body cleaner for about an hour or so. The Dodge dealer where I worked offered it and it did a huge difference on vehicles like you are talking about for around $120. Much better than any throttle body cleaner you will spray in yourself. Alternately you can use GM Top End Engine cleaner mixed in with the next few gas tanks and it should clean it up a bit.
Sounds good littlehorn, thanks. To save $, I'm leaning toward removal and wondering if I will have to replace the gasket...
unhook hose on t-body and use a can of carb cleaner have it running and spray while throtleing.
Well, I finally broke down and took off the throttle body (TB)- actually, it was really easy (there is a plastic wingnut at the back of the air cleaner hosing intake on top of the TB; its one of three bolts holding the TB on to the manifold and takes a 7/32 socket). Boy am I glad I took it off! There is absolutely no way I could have given it the cleaning it needed, otherwise. It took quite a lot of tooth brushing with a whole can Valvoline TB Cleaner to remove all the caked on gunk, but afterwards, not only did the accelerator not stick, I gained a lot in MPG & smoothness! I just added a can of B&G'S 44K injector cleaner, and it's a brand new van. J recommend removal & full cleaning -it's a snap!
That sounds like a good idea! I have the same symptoms,
I an now having the same thing... THere is a GM bulitin about it. It gets the code P0121. I have a 2007 Tahoe and this is a regular thing I guess.
