The throttle in a truck plays the role of controlling the air intake into the engine. When your throttle body is clean, your engine will run smoothly. Cleaning the throttle is one of the ways of keeping it clean. Cleaning your truck’s throttle is easy and will take 10 to 15 minutes, and you will do it without bothering your mechanic. Keep reading this guide on how to clean your truck’s throttle at home. 

Park Your Truck in an Open area and Open the Hood to Locate the Throttle

You require much air when operating the throttle. You must park your truck in an open space to achieve this. Open the hood to locate the throttle. It’s usually made of aluminum and situated between the intake manifold and the air cleaner.

If you do not know what a throttle looks like, have a helper press the gas pedal, and you will see the throttle shaking because it is connected to the accelerator.

Remove the Ground Terminal

For safety measures, when handling your throttle, ensure your truck engine is off, locate the negative terminal from your battery, and then disconnect it. There is a nut on the negative terminal. Use a wrench to loosen it.

Label All Hoses

The throttle has various hoses, which might confuse you. To avoid confusion, mark these hoses using masking tape and create unique tags, which will help you identify the hoses. You can as well use a specially designed masking tape on each duct.

Pull the Air Duct from the Throttle Body

First, you have to detach the air duct from your throttle body. The air duct remains in its place, thanks to a horse clamp. Pull and twist this horse clamp until you can detach the air duct safely. When doing this, be keen not to disconnect any electrical wire. 

Spray the Throttle Body

After the throttle body has been exposed, spray it with a throttle body cleaner and use a brush to scrub it to remove all the dirt on it gently. After scrubbing, use paper to wipe all the residues. Continue spraying and scrubbing the inside of your throttle until it becomes sparkling clean.

Apply a Drop of General-Purpose Oil to the Throttle Shaft

Locate where the throttle shaft is entering the body and use a cotton swab to apply oil to this area. Oiling will make the blades of your throttle rotate smoothly. Never apply too much oil to the throttle shaft.

Clean the Throttle of Your Truck Every 75,000 Miles

There is no universal rule about the cleaning of your throttle. To keep it clean, consider cleaning it after covering 75,000 miles. It is believed that after covering this mileage, it becomes dirty and may start to malfunction.

You will know that your throttle needs cleaning when your truck starts shaky idling, and when the engine check light appears.

Conclusion

Cleaning your throttle increases your engine’s lifespan as more air will freely flow into your engine. If it is clogged, your engine will be deprived of air and reduce the performance of your engine.