Honda throttle body cleaning and relearn

How to Clean a Honda Electronic Throttle Body and Perform a Honda Throttle Body Relearn Procedure

The throttle body in your Honda is a crucial component of the fuel injection system, controlling the amount of air entering the engine. Over time, it can accumulate carbon deposits and grime, which can affect engine performance, fuel efficiency, and idle stability. Cleaning the throttle body and performing a throttle body reset can restore optimal performance. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to clean your Honda’s electronic throttle body and perform the necessary reset.

Symptoms of throttle body carbon buildup

When the vehicle computer commands a certain

Remove carbon buildup from the bottom of the throttle plate

throttle plate opening, it expects a certain amount of air to flow between the throttle plate and throttle bore. But as carbon builds up and reduces that space, the engine becomes air-starved. The computer can detect the lower airflow based on inputs from the mass airflow sensor and commands an even larger throttle plate opening. But at a certain point of carbon buildup, the computer can no longer compensate.

The result is a rough idle, stumble on acceleration or a dying engine. That’s when the carbon must be removed.

Honda throttle body cleaning

Due to the sensitive electronics in the electronic throttle body housing, all carmakers, including Honda, recommend removing the throttle body from the engine before cleaning. Once off the engine, set the throttle body on a clean shop rag with the electronics facing up.

Slowly open the throttle plate and begin cleaning by spraying the aerosol cleaner on a clean, soft rag and wiping the solvent onto the throttle plate and throttle bore. NEVER spray the solvent directly onto the throttle plate. Also, never use abrasive scrubbing pads or brushes to remove the carbon buildup.

Never spray throttle body cleaner into an electronic throttle body while it’s still on the engine

How to Perform a Honda throttle body relearn

Reinstall the Honda throttle body using a new gasket and torque to specifications. Now that the carbon buildup is gone, you must “teach” the computer where the fully closed position is. This is called a Honda throttle body relearn or a Honda throttle body reset.

Shops perform a Honda throttle body reset with a scan tool, but you can perform it manually by following this procedure:

1) Turn the ignition key to the RUN position for 2 seconds. Do not start the engine.
2) Start the engine and run it at 3,000 RPM until the radiator fans come on.
3) Then let the ending idle for five minutes with no loads (lights, heated seats, rear defogger, blower motor, radio, etc OFF)
4) After five minutes, shut off the engine.

©, 2017 Rick Muscoplat

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