Started to clean TB with it still on the truck. Surprised how bad it was so I decided to take it off.......I apologize if this is the wrong section. Just wanted to post this since it was so dirty. Only 91k miles!

Difficult to clean so I removed it to clean more thoroughly.

Inside the intake

After cleaning

After...... Very difficult to get all the carbon off. I was scrubbing with a soft toothbrush and using paper towels. Used throttle body cleaner.

Top left inside the intake. Does this vent somewhere?


Put everything back together with a new gasket from Napa, fel pro. The truck started up fine afterwards. I did not have any problems with it before cleaning. In fact, I just passed emissions two days ago in Phoenix, AZ.

Funny thing, I had a CEL which I reset by disconnecting the battery. It came back on about two miles after passing emissions. Code 71 for EGR. I found out afterwards that the vacuum lines were not connected and plugged up from the PO.
Not sure how it passed with EGR disconnected but I'm happy.

 

Very cool.
what did you find to be the best cleaner for this purpose?
Not all carb/throttle body cleaners are created equal. I have gotten outstanding results from some brands that are no longer available here in Massachusetts.

 

I’ve always used CRC throttle body cleaner so I can’t really compare to other types. It has worked well for me in the past but I’ve never had one this dirty before. I was working on this for a few hours!

 

I’ve always used CRC throttle body cleaner so I can’t really compare to other types. It has worked well for me in the past but I’ve never had one this dirty before. I was working on this for a few hours!

 

Mystery post!

If you play with the color (and often when you just cut-and-paste from somewhere else), the post color can turn out to be black-on-black.

Easy to fix. "Edit" the post, select (highlight) all the text, then change the color to Automatic. Don't use any other color (not white, not black), unless you want to experiment.

 

Pretty sure that port in the intake is where the EGR gasses enter the manifold. Il
I cleaned my whole upper manifold when I had it off a few years ago because the inside was nasty. I know it's not the best thing for aluminum but I used oven cleaner and carb cleaner. I didnt remove the lower section but I used a toothbrush and small wire brush and scrubbed it out as best I could then used a shopvac to suck out anything left from scrubbing. It made a noticeable difference in engine response.

 

Maybe one day I'll clean that intake out. I do have a small leak in my head gasket (I think). Coming from the front, just above the water pump. Maybe the oil pan has a leak too.

I don't know the history of this truck. Seems like it is mostly untouched and original. Even the spark plug wire set is original from 1994. YAZAKI 1994. Runs great. Still has the engine splash shields.

Doesn't seem like the timing chain is making any noise but I plan on pulling the oil pan to see if there is any broken guide pieces in there.

I love this little truck. Had the same truck for my first vehicle but it was a 1992. Awesome little thing and I went everywhere in it. Actually paid less for my first one 19 years ago. And it had the same amount of miles back then....about 90k. NOSTALGIA!