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Photo DIY- Complete Fuel System Cleaning

25K views 14 replies 9 participants last post by  Chicky  
#1 ·
Greets.

As a Preface- I am NOT Advocating this procedure since it is basically contradicting M-B's Manual "Fuel Additives are Neither NEEDED nor Recommended"

The reason "I" am doing this is because TWO of my Trusted MB Lead-Tech's/Master Mechanics (one of which is also on the regional Racing circuit) SWEAR that this is NOT a "Voodoo Chicken"... and one of the Techs states "Their Dealership ROUTINELY does this procedure on ALL Major Services".

Since I was working-up a "rough idle" problem on the W140, I was at the "Clean Throttle Body" part of the Mental Diagnostic Flow-Chart. "I might as well service all my cars while I'm at it.." Because I have read a bunch of times the suggestion to "Clean the Throttle Body"... I have YET to run across any PHOTOS of "How To", so I opted to take some pics.

I also know several folks recommend MAS cleanings periodically, as well, so I cleaned those while I had them out.

The Throttle Body "Flap" is not very accessible to "Open and Close" during the Throttle Body Cleaning Procedure , so I ended up just with the "Standard" Atomized Cleaning, Misting the material into the body neck.

Since it is recommended to do the cleaning with the engine WARM, what I did was disassemble as much as possible with the engine COOL, just to make life easier.

This Procedure will take care of MAS, FUEL INJECTORS, THROTTLE BODY, and FUEL TANK/LINES
 

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#3 ·
Good stuff as always

TB looks pretty normal and clean.

Another vehicle i had i had to clean it every few days due to what i can only imagine was an egr issue. It would cake up with grime fast and idle would just fail. After a few months of this I sold it but 2 things i've never done that always freaked me out and have seen cause faults:

1. clean the maf, touchless or not
2. spray the cleaner into the intake esp with engine on.

Now i feel the urge to go dig in my engine and clean my tb but i'll resist that urge.

for reference, here is what a dirty TB looks like.
 

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#5 ·
Gyrate,

Thanks for the pic... at least my curiosity is "itched"...

Since this was the first time digging around the throttle body, I wasn't sure if the "slight crust" around the edges of the flap was a "Dirty" Throttle Body.... but NOW I know what dirty is, Ha Ha!
 
#7 ·
Another great post! How did this help with your idle issue?

Kevin
 
#8 ·
Unfortunately, NO.

BUT!! Today I just finished replacing out ALL the Vacuum lines.

Although I had previously Checked all the lines, and they DID hold a 25 inch vacuum without Leak... for whatever reason, after replacing the lines... PROBLEM SOLVED!

This whole thing has been a real hemorrhoid! WEEKS of Fuel System testing, Replacing Spark Plugs, Rotating a New Coil Pack across 8 cylinders, systematically shutting off the Fuel Injectors one at a time, STAR testing after STAR testing with NO faults, even on HHT "Rough Engine Detection" sub-section....

Thank goodness I'm done...

G
 
#9 ·
The knowledge on this board is freaking ridiculous. I could only hope to have 10% of what these guys know and can do.

Outstanding. Hats off.
 
#11 ·