intake..dirty?
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 157
Likes: 2
From: Fayetteville Ga
Yes, the throttle body and intake system gets black like that after a few years, if not cleaned annually. The EGR puts exhaust gases through there, and that can soot it up fast. Might want to check your EGR system while the intake is off.
Use only throttle body cleaner for the throttle body. Get a disposable deep dish or bowl and spray it with about 2 cans of aerosol TB cleaner. Then let it soak in the liquid that's collected in the dish.
Get some assorted diameter pipe cleaners, or bristle brushes to get into the runners, and intake.
Someone correct me on this if needed, but you can soak the plenum, runners, and intake in carb cleaner. Then use a pressure washer or high power garden hose to blast away the grime. After they dry thoroughly, prep the gasket mating surfaces and put the new gaskets in place and bolt-em back up.
Use only throttle body cleaner for the throttle body. Get a disposable deep dish or bowl and spray it with about 2 cans of aerosol TB cleaner. Then let it soak in the liquid that's collected in the dish.
Get some assorted diameter pipe cleaners, or bristle brushes to get into the runners, and intake.
Someone correct me on this if needed, but you can soak the plenum, runners, and intake in carb cleaner. Then use a pressure washer or high power garden hose to blast away the grime. After they dry thoroughly, prep the gasket mating surfaces and put the new gaskets in place and bolt-em back up.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 922
Likes: 1
From: Brisbane Queensland, Australia
Originally Posted by Flyingboy
...Someone correct me on this if needed, but you can soak the plenum, runners, and intake in carb cleaner. Then use a pressure washer or high power garden hose to blast away the grime. After they dry thoroughly, prep the gasket mating surfaces and put the new gaskets in place and bolt-em back up.
*Tip; If you are careful, you can get BULK black crud out of runners, plenum and intake by using a spray on 'oven cleaner', letting it soak for a few minutes, then hosing it out THOROUGHLY. I have before/after pics if anyone needs to see the results. Oven cleaner normally suggests that you apply this to a 'warm oven' so with plenum and runners I put them in the oven for about 2 minutes ONLY on the LOWEST setting, removed them to a safe place (Back yard) then sprayed on the cleaner as above.
You DONT want to over heat anything due to the risk of warpage. If you chicken out then just spray them cold...I repeated this operation twice and it was quite amazing how clean it came! Would take HOURS and hours with conventional carb cleaner to even get close to this...
Having said ALL this; it's more of an academic issue to have them THAT clean...It's a good thing mentally but doubtful it'll gain you more than 0.00000001% Horsepower
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 20,170
Likes: 672
From: Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
St. Jude '03 thru '24
Originally Posted by smacko
Oven cleaner normally suggests that you apply this to a 'warm oven' so with plenum and runners I put them in the oven
I'll bet wifey was happy about that smell!!!Almost as good as the time I cleaned a carburator in the auto dishwasher !!
That cost me alot of trips to take her clothes shopping
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 922
Likes: 1
From: Brisbane Queensland, Australia
Originally Posted by cuisinartvette
Is oven cleaner flammable? I'm thinking gas flames/cleaner 
I suppose a disclaimer is also needed now you've mentioned it's flammability; 'DO NOT SET FIRE TO YOUR PLENUM, RUNNERS OR INTAKE';
THERE - I now feel indemnified ;-)
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 922
Likes: 1
From: Brisbane Queensland, Australia
Originally Posted by JrRifleCoach
I'll bet wifey was happy about that smell!!!Almost as good as the time I cleaned a carburator in the auto dishwasher !!
That cost me alot of trips to take her clothes shopping
Wifey didnt know ;-P
As I said or implied; AFTER you 'oven' it; take it OUTSIDE THEN apply the spray!
As for the dishwasher; yes; I too have been known to do that...Once did it with a Honda 750 cyl head at in the dishwasher at work!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,107
Likes: 0
From: RI
well, I only have a few more days left of driving this year so I decided to just clean the throttle body. Ended up getting throttle body cleaner and some stainless steel brushes and went to town. Bolted it back up and I thought it idled better and started up wamr better. I will take everything off and thoroughly clean in a couple weeks when it comes off the road...
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!
Joe Kucinski
10 Things C8 Corvette Owners Hate (But Won't Tell You)
Joe Kucinski
10 Best Corvettes Coming to Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2026!
Brett Foote
Every Corvette Grand Sport Explained! (C2, C4, C6, C7, & C8)
Joe Kucinski
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 922
Likes: 1
From: Brisbane Queensland, Australia
Originally Posted by sonomacrew01
well, I only have a few more days left of driving this year so I decided to just clean the throttle body...
PS: I HOPE you put a new TB gasket on?
Yes; cleaning TB usually results in at least a better idle - so long as spindle bushes are not too worn out
