How to Clean a Honda Throttle Body

The throttle body on a Honda, or any other vehicle, accumulates carbon build-up, dirt and gasoline gum over many miles of driving. This can cause a rough idle, stalling and slow acceleration. To correct these problems, learn how to clean a Honda throttle body and get your car running smooth again. Mechanic shops can clean your Honda throttle body, but you can do it yourself for far less money.

Things You'll Need

  • Rubber gloves
  • Throttle body cleaner (Do NOT use carburetor cleaner)
  • Small brush (toothbrush or similar)
  • Eye protection
  • Screw drivers (Phillips head and flat head)
  • Socket set and ratchet
  • 5mm hex driver
  • Masking tape
  • Marker
  • New throttle body gasket
  • Park your Honda outside so that the fumes from the throttle body cleaner can't build up indoors. Open the hood, disconnect the negative battery cable and locate the throttle body. The throttle body is in plain sight on top of and behind the engine. It is connected to the air intake manifold and is made of aluminum.

  • Remove and label all hoses from the throttle body. Use masking tape to label each hose and connection so that they are all put back in the proper places during reassembly.

  • Unscrew the air intake hose clamp and pull the intake hose away from the throttle body. Note the position it was in so that you can replace it the same way. Pick the throttle body up and off of the air intake manifold. Be careful with the throttle cable as it stays attached to the throttle body. Weave it through the wires and hoses of the intake manifold to get it out.

  • Spray the throttle body cleaner onto the brush and clean the throttle body, using firm pressure until the build-up is gone. Make sure to clean around all of the edges and the throttle plate, which is the 'flap' that moves open and closed. Remove the old gasket and replace it with a new one once the throttle body had dried.

  • Put the throttle body back together on the intake manifold in the exact way it was taken off. Match the masking tape labels to the correct hose or connection and tighten all bolts and hose clamps.