Cleaning The GM Electronic Throttle Body (4.8L, 5.3L, 6.0L)

Cleaning The Throttle Body (Step-By-Step)

You don't need to remove the throttle body to clean it. Now, having said that, the BEST and most thorough cleaning is done with the throttle body removed. But again, you don't have to.

The following instructions assume that you're cleaning the electronic throttle body with it installed on the engine.

OK, this is what you'll need to do:

1. Remove the MAF sensor and air intake hose assembly as one unit.
2. The throttle bore and throttle plate are now exposed.
   • IMPORTANT: The Key must be in the OFF position or completely removed.
   • If the Key is in the ON position, the throttle plate could suddenly move and cause physical injury to a finger or hands (when doing the actual cleaning).
3. Spray solvent on the throttle plate and throttle bore.
4. If the deposit build up is not that bad, you can use a shop towel soaked in the appropriate solvent to clean the throttle body bore and plate.
   • If deposits are too stubborn, you can use a toothbrush to scrub the deposits on the bore and plate.
5. Once you're done, install the MAF sensor and air duct assembly and reconnect all electrical connectors.
6. Start the engine and let it idle for about 5 minutes.
   • Your pickup or SUV will blow some smoke out the tail-pipe for about 30 seconds, then clear up.

And you're done.

Frequently Asked Questions

Some of the most commonly asked questions are:

1. If I don't remove the TB, is is possible to spray too much and will this cause problems?
   • It won't cause any problems, since most of the solvent will evaporate by the time you get done. What doesn't evaporate will not cause any harm. Your engine may be a little hard to start and will smoke a bit till it all gets burned out.
2. I cleaned the throttle body and I noticed no changes. What else can I check/do?
   • Cleaning the throttle body only makes a difference if there's a lot of gummy deposits built up on the throttle plate or throttle bore. These deposits usually only affect idle quality and nothing more.
   • If you do have a problem and/or a specific Throttle Actuator Control (TAC) diagnostic trouble code, you may want to check out this article: GM Electronic Throttle Body Circuit Descriptions And Testing Tips.