GAS PEDAL STICKING? HERE'S HELP NOW!

Help is here! I had the same sticking trouble. Try this before starting any legal action against Nissan. The problem lies within the throttle casing. The butterfly inside is gummed up with varnish and black gook from crankcase recirculation. First, buy a spray can of throttle casing cleaner. All auto products places have it. Disconnect the positive cable from the battery. Now, on my 98'pathfinder I had to remove the 2 small hoses from the side of the air intake duct to the throttle, disconnected the top on the air filter housing, removed the large hose clamp which couples the intake duct to the throttle, and pulled the duct off. Unbolt the throttle casing from the aluminum air intake plenum to get to the other side of the casing. Lay an old cloth under the casing to absorb any of the cleaner. Spray the inside of the casing and make especially sure you clean the butterfly thoroughly around its edge. Just make sure you get as much black off as you can. Now just work backwards to get everything back together. There you have it. The difference in the pedal is amazing and you'll notice how much better the vehicle starts.

Reply to
PathfinderHero
Loading thread data ...

WOW , Who ever would have imagined that cleaning the throttle body would do such a thing. In all my years as a technician (16 with Nissan ,25 total) I would have never guessed nor ever figured it out !!

You ARE the Pathpuppie Hero.

Rolling my eyes

Reply to
NissTech

You are too kind! Thank you for that. I must go now! A brokenhearted trail blazer owner needs my sympathies.

Reply to
PathfinderHero

You are KIDDING, aren't you? LOL :-@ :-P

Reply to
Jeremiah

Probably more from using cheap gas.

BAD advice. I would NEVER recomend spraying cleaner into a throttle housing. You'll wash all that goop you can see into the bushings, it will get into any rubber seals in the housing (that stuff ATTACKS rubber!), possible ruin the throttle switch etc.

If you don't wait till it's so bad the throttle sticks, you can just spray some cleaner on a rag and wipe out the housing with it still on the engine. It doesn't need to be spotless, just clean in the area the throttle blade seals. This is part of a tune-up/service that any good shop will do on a regular basis.

Reply to
Steve T

Your comments are interesting and invite debate. I'll clarify for you!

  1. I do most of my vehicle maintenance in my little garage. If I'm going to be using flammable substances under the hood, I make certain the battery is disconnected. It's a good policy to adopt.

  1. I've taken the time to remove the air duct, etc, so I figure, the only thing now standing in the way of what might be the difference between a mediocre job and an opportunity to do a great cleaning are four small bolts securing the throttle housing.

  2. Ever notice how fast thottle cleaner evaporates. You would have to get your cloth pretty wet with the stuff and then you'd be fighting to get your finger in and around back edge of the open butterfly while trying to jockey it using the spring mechanism at the side. Now your cloth is dry again.

  1. I'll wager that very little spray, if any, gets a chance to reach the seals. Besides, complete evaporation takes place almost immediately and there are lubricants in the cleaner to protect these delicate components.

  2. You say 'It doesnt have to be spotless'. If someone has this attitude about his or her own workmanship, then how can he honestly believe there are really that many 'good shops' around? Don't be fooled!

My recommendations are perfectly fine and are aimed at those who like to tinker and perhaps can't afford to spend a lot of money on their vehicle in a 'good shop'.

Reply to
PathfinderHero

Brokenhearted? Please tell me you're kidding. Or are you posting from a mental institution that recently got an internet connection?

Reply to
Meat-->Plow

And your comments are hilarious and invite much laughter.

Reply to
Meat-->Plow

Perhaps, but did you have a mental lapse when drafting your advice? I quote:

From what I learned as a "Driver, Wheeled Artillery Equipment", one should disconnect the *ground* side of the battery first, as any short to ground will fry the diodes in the alternator (and make little weld marks where you don't want them). Pathfinders have a negative ground. The advice given in a Haynes manual for a fuel pump change in a Pathfinder is, "13. Disconnect the negative cable at the battery.", this before any work involving the wiring is done.

-- Andrew Chaplin SIT MIHI GLADIUS SICUT SANCTO MARTINO (If you're going to e-mail me, you'll have to get "yourfinger." out.)

Reply to
Andrew Chaplin

I just performed the suggested surgery on my '04 Frontier S/C which has plagued me with a sticking throttle for a couple of months. I used a rag but I did not disconnect either battery terminal. Good as new. My wife's neck will thank me.

When she gets home I'll need to do her Xterra as well.

Thanks for the description.

Glenn

Reply to
Glenn Woodell

Thank you so much for that info about disconnecting the negative terminal. I'll post my procedure again with the change and risk being inundated with rude comments... especially from our good friend 'Meat Plow'. Poor fella!

We all feel sorry for him. Well, I must get back to my room. It's medication time.

Reply to
PathfinderHero

You talk like I've never done this...

What about all the garbage you wash down into those places you can't see?

A "good shop" realizes that spraying them until it's spotless does more damage than it does good. It's like people "cleaning carburators" spraying cleaner down the barrels, all you're doing is washing harmless deposits down into places where it will cause problems, yet "tinkerers" like yourself believe they are doing something good.

Reply to
Steve T

Those places are already covered in garbage. Harmful garbage. The spray will flush it out and evaporate if it ever reaches that far in.

You're fighting an endless war if you want to continue to argue the so-called evil's of DIY in this forum.

Reply to
Anonymous

How do the throttle shaft bushings/bearings get covered in this garbage? And when you wash this junk through them, where is it going to go or eveaoprate to? What -good- purpose does spraying the housing serve other than keeping your fingers clean?

You're right, I should be happy that the DIY'ers don't want to listen as I make lots of money fixing other peoples screw-ups.

Keep spraying those throttle housimngs!

Reply to
Steve T

Yes, but please disconnect the negative pole first. ;^)

-- Andrew Chaplin SIT MIHI GLADIUS SICUT SANCTO MARTINO (If you're going to e-mail me, you'll have to get "yourfinger." out.)

Reply to
Andrew Chaplin

And don't forget to remove the housing to clean it and reinstall it using the old gasket. :-)

Reply to
Steve T

I tried this and it worked like a charm however it's not even a week later and it's sticking a little again. Anyone else experience this? The fix is not difficult but it is if I have to do it once a week. Other experiences?

Glenn

Reply to
Glenn Woodell

If you sprayed out the housing, you've probably washed the goop down into the throttle shaft bushings/bearings.

Reply to
Steve T

Noooooo! Not this again. I wiped it. I did not spray it. I wiped it. I wiped it. I wiped it. :)

Glenn

Reply to
Glenn Woodell

Well that is strange. Usually is lasts for many thousands of miles (like 30 at least). If it is all nasty again, there must be something else going on, like maybe an air filter that isn't doing it's job or the PCV valve isn't flowing enough (or there is too much engine blowby) so too many crankcase fumes are being pumped through the housing?

Reply to
Steve T

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.