[Guide] How to clean throttle body (2.0 petrol)

[StatusRed]

I recently cleaned out the throttle body on my 2009 2.0 petrol S40 and thought I'd write up a guide for anyone else interested in doing it. I assume this would be very similar for the 1.8 petrol engine but I'm not sure about the others. Access was very easy for my engine.

Before:




After:



Tools required:

• 7mm spanner or socket
• 8mm spanner or socket
• Flathead screw driver
• (OPTIONAL) Torx screw drivers (torx 15 or 20 IIRC)
• Throttle body cleaner
• Rag
• Toothbrush

Steps:

1. Open up the bonnet and take off the engine cover, the throttle body is at the front of the engine bay, made of aluminium and connected to the airbox by a wide flexible rubber hose
   
2. Use either the 7mm spanner or flat head screwdriver to undo the two jubilee clips either end of the flexible hose from the airbox to the throttle body
3. One loosened wiggle the flexible hose at either end and remove it entirely from the engine bay (this can take a bit of force to slide it free but it will come free)
4. Slide the rag underneath the gap between the throttle body and airbox (hopefully this will catch any screws if they fall out when unscrewing the throttle body)
5. Use the flathead screw driver to unclip the electrical connector on the throttle body
6. Undo the 4x 8mm bolts on the throttle body, a bracket will come away at the bottom (don't lose this and memorise the way it fit onto the throttle body)
7. Take the throttle body out and it should expose the intake into the engine, I placed some clingfilm over this and the airbox (probably an over the top precaution but I was paranoid about something getting inside it)
   
8. (OPTIONAL) Remove the plastic enclosed electrical unit held onto the side of the throttle body with torx (torx 15, or 20 I think) screws (I didn't have the correct torx bit at the time, so didn't do this step which is meant to be precautionary so the throttle body cleaner doesn't damage electrical parts)
9. Spray throttle body cleaner onto both sides of the throttle body and over the flap, agitate it with the toothbrush and wipe with the rag (it took a long time to get the crud shifted on my throttle body, it was really baked on but be persistent and eventually it will clean)
10. Once clean, wipe the rubber seal too to ensure its clean
11. Allow to dry
12. (OPTIONAL) Reconnect the electrical plastic enclosed unit with the torx screws
13. Refit into the car, ensuring the bracket at the bottom is in the right position, tightening up to the same as before (this isn't ridiculously tight)
14. Reconnect the flexible air hose and tighten the jubilee clips (there are groves in certain positions that line up with the airbox and throttle body so it should be obvious how it fits)
15. Reconnect the electrical connector to the throttle body
16. Start the engine with the bonnet still up to listen for any air leaks, check the engine revs correctly and as expected with accelerator input

Extra notes:

• I applied silicone grease to where the flexible hose connects to the airbox and throttle body to make it easier to remove in future (probably totally unnecessary)

[T5R92011]

Thanks for this StatusRed,

Will be doing the same for my partners 2.0 C30.

It has a little bit of idle vibration (not sure if it's idling lower than it should) so want to clean throttle etc to make sure there's no gunk build up restricting idle airflow.

[scout70]

Did you ever get round to this T5R?
How similar was it to Reds experience above on a C30?

[PaddyB]

I recently did this on the T5. It's similar with some notable differences:
* There's very little room in the engine bay so the snorkel has to come off. I also moved the air filter box but this probably isn't required if you're just doing this job.
* The intake to the throttle body is a big pipe connecting from intercooler. I recommend removing this pipe entirely for space reasons. It's held onto the throttle body with a jubilee clip.
* The throttle body is mounted directly on the intake plenum with 4 torx screws - the top 2 are easy to get at, the bottom ones are not.

Refitting is the reverse but be patient with the bottom 2 torx screws - one is a particular #%&@##! It was at this point I removed the pipe from the intercooler so I could get both hands in there.

[scout70]

Is there a torque setting for the 8mm bolts on re-fitting?

[StatusRed]

Originally Posted by scout70

Is there a torque setting for the 8mm bolts on re-fitting?

Probably, I could look at my VIDA laptop when I'm back in Glasgow and try and find out for you but at the time I don't think I torqued it, it's been almost a year now and it hasn't come off yet though.

[Paul78]

I am wanting to clean the throttle body on my 1.8 petrol V50. However it seems it is not a normal jubilee clip holding it on (ie it doesn’t have a screw to loosen the clip).

Any ideas how to remove this?

Tried to upload a pic but forum gives an upload error.

[FracturedButWhole]

Originally Posted by Paul78

I am wanting to clean the throttle body on my 1.8 petrol V50. However it seems it is not a normal jubilee clip holding it on (ie it doesn’t have a screw to loosen the clip).

Any ideas how to remove this?

Tried to upload a pic but forum gives an upload error.

Hi, slide flat screwdriver end and twist it to release clip. In order to lock it again, use pliers and squeeze two ridges together, until they click in place. I hope you know, what I mean

Cheers

[Paul78]

Originally Posted by FracturedButWhole

Hi, slide flat screwdriver end and twist it to release clip. In order to lock it again, use pliers and squeeze two ridges together, until they click in place. I hope you know, what I mean

Cheers

I do indeed know what you mean - many thanks for the speedy response!