Does anyone have a DIY link for cleaning the throttle body?
energizedmortal
I have some advice for you.
Do not, I repeat, DO NOT! Manually move the throttle plate with your hands. Because it is a drive-by-wire, any movement you induce can permanently damage the throttle body. Ask me how I know.
uch:
Do not, I repeat, DO NOT! Manually move the throttle plate with your hands. Because it is a drive-by-wire, any movement you induce can permanently damage the throttle body. Ask me how I know.
uch:
heh i almost rather let it strand me now i have not problems YET but was told to look out for the throttle body getting too dirty , but seriously i may just have reputable bmw mechanics look at it and hold them responsible if anything thanks for the advice
I just replaced my Throttle Body due to a mysterious stalling issue. Codes were indicating Throttle Body problems. The replacement VDO Siemens unit was $245 for my 2003, 530.
My car had about 48K miles and the original throttle body was squeaky clean. I did however remove and clean my Idle Control Valve (ICV) with throttle body spray cleaner as preventative maintenance. ICV carbon build up was very minimal.
I think if you were determined to clean the Throttle Body, the safest bet would be to physically remove it from the intake manifold first. As PO540 stated, do not move the throttle plate manually.
It's a bit of a fussy job gaining access to these components (TB and ICV) on a 2003, so I wouldn't go poking around in there unless there was a specific issue to address. Just sayin'.
My car had about 48K miles and the original throttle body was squeaky clean. I did however remove and clean my Idle Control Valve (ICV) with throttle body spray cleaner as preventative maintenance. ICV carbon build up was very minimal.
I think if you were determined to clean the Throttle Body, the safest bet would be to physically remove it from the intake manifold first. As PO540 stated, do not move the throttle plate manually.
It's a bit of a fussy job gaining access to these components (TB and ICV) on a 2003, so I wouldn't go poking around in there unless there was a specific issue to address. Just sayin'.
Attachments
I just replaced mine as well. At 188,xxx miles it was due.
After researching and getting a new one from getbmwparts.com ($430) I learned from various I-net sources that mechanics don't even want to breath on these things if they've been in there b/c even partial drive by wire ('99 and '00) as well as true drive by wire ('01+) throttle bodies are prone to failing if you mess with it. (think: replacing your CCV and hoses and removing to clean ICV)
That said: I was getting monthly codes for the TB for a while (cleared and off we go) before mine totally crapped out.
Can DIY if you have ediabas / INPA to reset adaptions for new TB.
After researching and getting a new one from getbmwparts.com ($430) I learned from various I-net sources that mechanics don't even want to breath on these things if they've been in there b/c even partial drive by wire ('99 and '00) as well as true drive by wire ('01+) throttle bodies are prone to failing if you mess with it. (think: replacing your CCV and hoses and removing to clean ICV)
That said: I was getting monthly codes for the TB for a while (cleared and off we go) before mine totally crapped out.
Can DIY if you have ediabas / INPA to reset adaptions for new TB.
I need to check my throttle body for vacuum leaks (pending P1085, P1083, P0171, & P0174), especially since my I6 died thrice going down a miles-long steep (thousands of feet) hill on the edge of Silicon Valley.
Bobdmac kindly suggested I check my throttle body for leaks; so I'm looking for a DIY that shows 'where' the throttle body is located.
Realoem shows a 'throttle housing assembly' but no locational information.
Is the throttle body just below the DISA (which is what this picture) intimates?
![Image]()
Bobdmac kindly suggested I check my throttle body for leaks; so I'm looking for a DIY that shows 'where' the throttle body is located.
Realoem shows a 'throttle housing assembly' but no locational information.
Is the throttle body just below the DISA (which is what this picture) intimates?
The arm's thumb is on the throttle body.... stuff deleted ...
Is the throttle body just below the DISA (which is what this picture) intimates?
![Image]()
See Fundman's DIY for an M54 CCV replacment for tips on removal.
Regards
RDL
Ah, perfect. I wasn't sure if what was in the picture 'was' the throttle body (because the picture came from google images with no writeup), or, if the throttle body was removed and that was something else he was pointing to.
Interestingly, I found the Fudman CCV DIY instantly using the /fudman(F3) in the bestlinks - and it was the very first hit - took about 1 second!
- Fudman CCV (aka PCV CVV) M54 replacement DIY
Reading that 8-hour job, I see how the removal steps work their way to the throttle body, so I can follow the arrows to the throttle body itself; but he has no pictures of the throttle body in situ. Looking at the car, I can see why. It's buried deeply in there! (No wonder we use the spray-can flamethrower-like accuracy method!)
Taking aim with the Brakleen & with carbeurator cleaner, I fired away. Again and again and again. Like a kid with a new double-barreled Nerf gun, I fired at everything I could with the two fluids. Maybe it was a hallucination but once or twice I 'thought' I heard an almost imperceptible change in engine speed firing at the vicinity of the throttle body, but only with the Brakleen (not with the California carb cleaner). If there was an engine speed change, it certainly was not dramatic.
Thinking ahead, I had cleared the codes before firing; lo and behold, the same four codes were pending for me, when I completed the half-hour test. Hmmmm.
Note: One thing we need is a picture of all the "aim" points, instead of this random firing at anything that moves trick.
BTW, additionally, I did the suction-of-the-oil cap trick, and it certainly had plenty of suction and dramatically changed the engine speed when I removed the oil filler cap. I forgot to test the dip stick suction (will do that later & report back).
Attachments
For the record, I opened a separate thread on the CCV today:
- How to test the BMW E39 pressure-controlled crankcase ventilation system (CCV)?
And, while researching the throttle body, I found another nice set of pics:
- Cold start issues and failed inspection
Here is a pic of the throttle body for a 2000 BMW 528i Sedan:
![Image]()
- How to test the BMW E39 pressure-controlled crankcase ventilation system (CCV)?
And, while researching the throttle body, I found another nice set of pics:
- Cold start issues and failed inspection
Here is a pic of the throttle body for a 2000 BMW 528i Sedan:
My 2003 car that I bought new, now has 230,000 miles on her. I have cleaned the throttlebody by removing the part and cleaning with throttlebody cleaner every 40k miles since she was new--along with the ICV. Now concerning moving the plate in the throttlebody--I have opened it all the way open and held it there very time I cleaned the part--have never had a problem with doing this--thats the way I have done the procedure and it's worked well for me--
Two things still confuse me about the throttle body cleaning and opening the plate.
1. Mine seemed clean as a whistle when I looked at the large and small opening. There was just a tiny amount of brown 'stuff'. I cleaned it with MAF cleaner in situ - but it really looked spiffy the way it was. I wonder why people need to clean it if all of them are this clean?
2. I moved slightly the plate (unknowingly) while the throttle body was attached to the engine and with the battery in place. I wonder if it makes a difference that you cleaned yours out of the car, where there were no energized electrical connections to worry about?
May , be just the fact tha I do unplug the part before cleaning it--but when cleaning with the part still on the car you only see the front side of the tb--there are carbon build up behind the throttleplate that need to be removed as well as the build up in front--thatswas a nice run on sentence wasn't it.
Throttle body is just a barrel of metal and only air passes through it and may be some gas vapors sucked from the T connection on top of air intake. I do not think it can get very dirty. The cleaning will not achieve anything.
Having said that I cleaned it after 127 K mile. It was fine, did not need any cleaning at all.
Regards,
Having said that I cleaned it after 127 K mile. It was fine, did not need any cleaning at all.
Regards,
Jim--Noticed that you took the cover off of yours --did you do that to clean the workings? If so, do you use white grease or something like it before closing it back up? I bought a spare back years ago for 20bucks that came off a car with 15k miles--car was totaled and thought it would be a good thing to have a spare someday--Thanks
Thanks for the responce--never had the cover off of the one thats on the car--but did remove the cover on the spare--pandora's box thing I guess--I have heard that if you use another TB that you need to have the car reprogramed to accept the new TB--do you know if that is so or not? May only need to disconnect the bat and touch the ends of the cables to make the car relearn and program the tb again--don't know, but if I need to use the other tb would be good info before starting down the path--Thanks
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