Things Your Mechanic Doesn't Tell You About Throttle Body

It is a part of the intake system in fuel injected engines which is controlled by the driver with the accelerator. Although the accelerator is called the “gas pedal,” let us not get confused as it does not control the delivery of fuel to the car engine. But in reality, it controls the flow of the air. For the fuel-injected engines, it would control the angle of a butterfly valve that is inside of a throttle body. There is a throttle position sensor inside the throttle body that would report the angle of this valve to the engine control unit (ECU). This information is then used in a lot of calculations.

There are three types of throttle bodies:

• Electronically controlled
• Electronically/mechanically controlled
• Mechanically controlled

Here is the working of the car throttle body:

• The throttle bodies work in a manner in which they would provide the driver of the vehicle a way to control the amount of air that is flowing through the intake system at any specific time. The accelerator pedal is also known as the gas pedal, but in reality, it controls the flow of air into the engine.
• Whenever you press the accelerator pedal, then the mechanical linkage between the pedal and the throttle body will open up the throttle plate. Vehicles that have electronic throttle control (ETC) have a similar process. In this case, an electric motor opens the throttle instead of the mechanical linkage. When this happens, an increased amount of air is passed into the intake manifold of the car engine. Then this information is communicated by the mass airflow sensor to the engine control unit which makes the ECU aware of the throttle plate position.
• When it comes to the fuel-injected engines, then it is the engine control unit that controls the amount of fuel that is provided to the combustion chambers and the frequency which is provided.

Some frequent problems with throttle body are as follows:

1. Your check engine light is on - When talking about the ETC system, then the performance of the throttle body is constantly inspected by the control module. Now if an issue is detected by the throttle body, then it gives rise to the illumination of the check engine light.
2. You notice a lack of power or poor engine performance - There is a requirement of air and fuel to the car engine so that it can produce power. If enough air is not supplied by the throttle body to the car engine, then there might be a lack of acceleration power and poor engine performance.
3. Your car idles poorly - The amount of air that enters the car engine affects the speed and the condition of the idle. The defective one can give rise to the rough idle, and can cause the car engine to race at idle. Because of this, the car can start stalling.
4. Your car is stuck in “limp-home mode” - If there are issues with the throttle body, then it will cause the car’s computer putting the vehicle into the “limp-home mode.” There will be limited throttle operation and the power of the car will also be reduced. A warning of the “Reduced Power” will start appearing on the dashboard.

If there are some faults in the throttle body, then the automobile will usually display any of the following warning signs to alert the driver of a potential problem.

1. Grime Build-up - There can be a build-up of dirt and grime inside the housing. This is called coking and it would interrupt in air-fuel flow. This delicate mixture would be interrupted by a harsh surface which would result in an imbalance in the flow as it results from not having an ordinarily smooth surface for the fuel and air to flow through. Just like dirt and grime, an uneven surface can be formed inside the walls of the throttle body by the carbon deposits. This can then disrupt the atomization of the air-fuel mixture.

2. Electrical Problems - Issues with the electrical connection can give rise to the wrong and intermittent information to be relayed to the computer of the car. Just like with any electrical connection, a great variety of unpredictable signals can be transmitted because of some problems in the connectivity. Now when it comes to the throttle body and the associated sensor, then when this happens, it leads to incorrect information to be relayed to the car’s computer. This leads to defective corrections to the air-fuel mixture. You might start noticing a switch that is into the “limp-home” mode, where the power to the automobile’s engine power will be decreased and then there will be limited throttle operation.

3. Airflow Disruptions from Vacuum Leaks or Throttle Stop - Some leakages in the vacuum can disturb the air-fuel flow because the airflow might not be balanced. This can lead to a lot of throttle body pressure-related issues. This problem can also be in a wrongly adjusted throttle stop. This is a part that acts as a gatekeeper and a minimum or maximum position is established for a throttle body plate to be opened or closed.

4. Poor or High Idle - An improper functioning of the throttle body leads to some noticeable characteristics like poor or very low idle. This might include stalling when coming to a stop or very low idle once it has started, or sometimes even stalling if the throttle is pressed very quickly. This then results in the opening and closing of the throttle body plate rapidly.

5. Check engine light - If there is an illumination of the check engine light, it means that there are a lot of issues in the car including a defective throttle body. There are a lot of latest cars, where the throttle body performance is constantly monitored by the electronic throttle control (ETC). If any issue is detected with it, then the check engine light starts flashing.

It is said that a workman is only as good as his tools, and it is definitely true for car bodywork. It is vital to have the right tools to repair your Throttle Body or else a straightforward job would turn into constant headaches. So that’s why we have listed out some invaluable tools below which you will need while repairing your Throttle Body.

• 8mm Socket (Throttle Cable Assembly)
• 10mm Socket (Negative Battery Cable)
• 13mm Socket (TB hold-down bolts)
• #25 Torx driver (TB sensors)
• 3/16” Allen wrench (New TB hold-down bolts)

Most people have a nature to avoid risk and seek safety. That is the reason they would go with a familiar auto parts brand rather than a new one. It would prove safe, and they know what to expect. Have a look at our top brands for Throttle Body which would offer safety and decrease the risk of disappointment.

• Fel-Pro Throttle Body And Hardware
• Jet Performance Throttle Body And Hardware
• BBK Performance Parts Throttle Body And Hardware
• Blue Streak (Hygrade Motor) Throttle Body And Hardware
• Holley Throttle Body And Hardware
• Airaid Throttle Body And Hardware
• Techsmart Throttle Body And Hardware
• Edelbrock Throttle Body And Hardware
• Spectra Premium Industries Throttle Body And Hardware

The brighter you are, the more you have to learn! That’s why we are here to provide you with more knowledge about the related parts of the car’s Throttle Body. They are mentioned below:

• Throttle Body Base Gasket
• Throttle Body Spacer
• Throttle Body Injector
• Throttle Body Injector Gasket Kits
• Throttle Body Injector Gasket

We bet that you’re thinking how much does a Throttle Body replacement cost. Just keep in mind that it is not as easy as putting a hard and fast number on it. This is because the replacement/repair cost would be different for every Throttle Body and it also varies depending on how in-depth the repair needs to be. If you are thinking about the exact cost, then you might take the help of an expert mechanic. If you want to substitute your throttle body, then it would generally range between $572 and $684. Talking about the work expenses, they would range between $91 and $115 and the parts would be valued somewhere in the range of $481 and $569.

Keen to know about the procedure of changing the Throttle Body? Well, we have simplified the entire procedure for you:

Step 1

The first step is to open the car hood and then the engine's throttle body should be located.

Step 2

The air intake duct at the throttle body should then be removed.

Step 3

The throttle body ports should be inspected for carbon build-up. The wear in the throttle body is generally common with time and then you can always replace the throttle body assemblies if worn.

Step 4

The throttle cable from the throttle body control lever should then be removed.

Step 5

If there are any air or vacuum hoses from the throttle body, then they should be disconnected.

Step 6

Then it is important to carefully remove the throttle position sensor from the throttle body.

Step 7

After that, the throttle body mounting screws and throttle body assembly should be removed. The old gasket should be discarded and a new gasket should be installed between the throttle body and manifold during installation.

Step 8

The new throttle body should then be matched with the old throttle body to make sure that the sensors, hoses, and cables are all rooted in the right manner to the new throttle body and that it would mount correctly to the intake manifold.

Step 9

It should then be installed in the reverse procedure and then the manufacturer torque specifications should be followed during installation.

Step 10

Begin your car engine and then pay attention to the idle of the engine to confirm the repair.