How Much Does It Cost To Clean a Throttle Body

If you're reading this, we presume you are holding your phone in a mechanic shop waiting area with the “zoot zoot” of an air wrench in the background. Your mechanic just suggested that you add a throttle body cleaning to your routine maintenance, and you don’t know which way to go or what a fair price would be to do the work. We can help.

If your car is running well, you can skip the throttle body cleanout

The first thing to know is that if your vehicle is running normally and there is no “check engine light” or other warning being sent your way, you don't need to do the throttle body cleanout. Now, be honest with yourself here. If the car is less than perfect, has a rough idle, hesitates, or does any other weird things, this is not a scam, and you should say, “Yes, please.”

How much does a throttle body cleanout cost?

Cleaning a throttle body requires no parts other than some solvent-cleaning spray and a shop brush. It typically is done in under 15 minutes. Unless the throttle body is in some way damaged or stuck, a routine cleaning is simple and requires that a couple clamps be loosened to get access to the throttle body. Trustworthy local shops charge around $75 for this service, but prices can range from as low as $50 to as high as multiple hundreds. The only thing that makes the job expensive is accessing the throttle body if it happens to be in a poorly designed location. Most are right on top of the engine.

What is a throttle body and why is mine dirty?

The throttle body houses the throttle of your car’s engine air intake. It is a butterfly-style valve that opens and closes to control the amount of air the engine gets. In modern vehicles, the valve is usually electronically actuated and takes its cue from your operation of the gas pedal and a signal from the car’s computer. The throttle body is located after the air filter in the engine.

Although the air that passes through your throttle body is filtered, it is still not entirely free of contaminants. These can build up and hinder the smooth operation of the throttle. Or they may never do that. Many vehicle owners drive for 100,000 miles or more and never have this assembly cleaned without any problems. Other vehicle owners have the service performed on a 30,000-mile basis or some other regular schedule.

Why is my shop recommending a throttle body service (cleaning)?

Many trustworthy shops suggest to all customers that they regularly have the throttle body assembly cleaned. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, is the general idea. Why wait until the throttle is gummed up and acting goofy before cleaning it? We can’t call these folks anything less than honest.

Then there are cases reported by vehicle owners who have their vehicle in for an oil change, and the place they went suggests the throttle body service “Just because…” This is simply an upsell. If the shop does not know the history of your throttle body’s prior cleanings, they have no reason to believe it should be cleaned. One cannot glance at a throttle body and see it needs cleaning. The parts that get cleaned are inside, not outside, and they must be disassembled to be accessed. If the vehicle is running properly, politely decline this invitation for an upsell.

Signs you need a throttle body cleaned

Many of the symptoms of a gummed-up throttle body are similar to those related to other problems. This list is just a suggestion of what you may experience if the throttle body needs a cleaning:

• Rough idle
• Uneven engine operation
• Hesitation when lightly accelerating
• A check engine light
• Sudden onset of poor fuel economy

How is a throttle body cleaned? Can I do it myself?

A throttle body is a mostly metallic assembly with a moving part. It’s about the diameter of a beer can. It is plumbed into the air intake assembly, and usually, there is a black tube or hose attached to its front (mouth, if you will). That tube needs to be loosened and pulled back so the inside of the throttle body is visible and can be accessed. Once it is revealed, throttle body cleaning solvent is sprayed inside. A mechanic may also use a brush (like a toothbrush) to clean some parts of it gently. The assembly is then dried out and replumbed. There are approximately a billion YouTube videos on how to do this yourself. The spray solvent is sold online and in every car parts shop.

Our suggestions if you do this yourself

• Only use throttle body cleaner. Not some other solvent you have on the shop shelf.
• Read the instructions.
• Wear safety glasses and nitrile gloves.
• Be sure not to flood the area with solvent. That’s bad for many reasons.
• Never work with solvents on a hot car engine.
• Be outside.
• Have a friend around to call for help if you end up on fire.

Kidding aside, why not let your mechanic handle this job? She knows how to do it safely and quickly.

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