Guidance needed on removing throttle body for cleaning

[Josh B.]

So I've been putting it off for a while, and finally have the time to do it. Major question being, I keep seeing tutorials saying to drain coolant from the radiator, but based on the gasket, this thing doesn't even *have* coolant passages. (Does it?) Why would I need to do that? Am I in for more of a headache than I thought? I was under the assumption I could just disconnect throttle linkage, sensors and unbolt it from the intake.

Slightly afraid to screw with it now, and thinking about trying to clean it while attached lol

 

Any help is appreciated.

[2seater]

The coolant passages are on the bottom and flow through individual small pipes, not through the actual throttle body mounting flange. Those pipes are a PITA in my opinion and I always remove them and plug the holes in the manifold for my summer only use, so I do not know how much success is had reinstalling them without leaks. I would remove the MAF body and the throttle is pretty well exposed so a reasonable job can be done without actual removal. If you do remove the tubes, the one closest to the drivers side gets removed first. It is attached to the intake manifold with a gasket and flange retained by nuts on two studs. The other end is inserted into a passage on the bottom of the throttle body which is a friction/press fit. There is a second tube connected to the opposite end of the throttle body passage and the TB should just pull off the friction/press fit tube. Tubes are black approx. 3/8" diameter.

[DAVES89]

I do it a bit differently. I take off the black air cleaner tube, then remove the snap ring holding the honeycomb screen in place. Remove the screen. Then remove the MAF sensor on top of the throttle body. Take some carb cleaner and an old tooth brush and hold the butterfly open and spray carb cleaner in the throttle body and scrub it out.

 Clean the MAF filter with a MAF cleaner spray. Also a good time to clean the idle air control as well as the chamber it's mounted in. As a caution the screws are stainless steel and not magnetic so lay a rag under where they may drop. The are the same size screws that hold the MAF sensor in place.

 These cars are 30 years older and I try not to be too "invasive" as it applies to removing parts such as the entire throttle body.

 

[DS_Porter 89 Burgandy]

Its all about CLEAN

If the throttle body is clean, if the Idle Air Control (AIC) is clean and the injectors have been cleaned and balanced by a pro like Doctor Injector then it will run and idle so smooth that you might need to check the tach

[Josh B.]

Hmm, well, weather permitting this next weekend I may give it a go without actually removing it. Kind of annoying since I already bought a new gasket, but at least it was only a couple of bucks I guess.

 

Thanks for the input, guys.