I had rather impressive results on the Civic, cleaning out the thottle body (or gizzard if one is over-alliterative!). The result was not only the elimination of a sticky, jerky throttle, but the whole engine seemed to run much smoother and better generally.

I thought "what's good for a B16A is probably good for an F20C," so I squirted the rest of the can of carb cleaner down the gizzard of the S2K. I wiped up much of the gunk with tissue paper, holding the butterfly open with the throttle cable. Did the return spring too.

Sure enough, the car spluttered and smoked into life afterwards, but again, the difference is palpable. Like new, almost.

Maybe it's de-gunking the backs of the valves, or the MAP tube, I cannot say.

But I would really recommend it for all you cleaning fetishists and the rest!

 

.. And I thought you were going to make reference to Kenny Everett...

 

The image just popped into my head as I was typing.

Nothing to stop it, really...........

 

What a legend he was (all in the best possible taste, of course)

 

Nick, for the less technical amongst us (i.e. me ) some pics of whow you do it would be good - does it require tools or taking anything apart?

And where does all the gunk go???

 

Loosen the jubilee clip on the rubber intake pipe completely, pull it off the TB.

You might have to squeeze the recirc pipe spring clip and pull that out of the rubber hose too.

Hold butterfly open, squirt aplenty, mop butterfly and the lip in which it seals. Horrible black Gizzard Puke will run out, so bundle an old T shirt atop the alternator. Don't leave any paper in the plenum chamber!

Refitting the rubber requires a thin screwdriver and much swearing, as it is a tight fit back on. Re-position all pipes and connectors, if disturbed. (Them, not you!)

Pinch up screw on jubilee clip.

Crank engine until it splutters back into life and let it warm up a bit.

Ignore strange blue smoke - it's oil residue you've washed out.

 

Can only be the cleaning effect on the MAP surely, or the shaft of the butterly being cleaned so it can open smoother?

Doubt you would get much restriction in there from a bit of gunk?

MB

 

"Where are you going?" ... "Vauxhall"

"What have you got in that bag?" .... "F**k all"

 

The Civic used to start a bit 'softly' before.

I wondered if it was the effect of de-gunking the idle correction valve (probably) or possibly the backs of the valve stems?

Remember those POS Vuckshall engines (hereinafter referred to as the KE-series ) that had starting problems due to valve shaft gunk in the 90's?

I thought it might be that, as much as the EMS.

Whatever, it starts a bit sharper, has the same 'smoother, crisper' feeling one gets after an oil change.

Same with the S2000 too.

 

Nick -I did that last year but without the gunk spray. I just cleaned out as much as I could with some alcohol wipes - cleaning the butterfly is a must as it can build up quite a bit of residue.