Instantly improve throttle response, performance & efficiency. Your truck will thank you.
A dirty throttle body can cause a variety of issues in your Chevrolet Silverado, Tahoe, Suburban or Avalanche, ranging from reduced throttle response and a loss of power to a reduction of fuel efficiency. Fortunately, forum administrator “In2pro” put together a detailed D.I.Y. thread explaining how to remove and clean the throttle body in these popular Chevrolet models. Best of all, while this particular thread applies specifically to the GMT900 trucks and SUVs, the information in this DIY applies to many modern fuel injected vehicles.
The OP did not include any images, so we dug up a couple pictures of the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 High Country and a picture of the engine, along with a generic picture of a GM throttle body that we found here on the forum.
Removing and Cleaning
Cleaning the throttle body of your GMT900 vehicle is really as simple as removing the engine air intake system, disconnecting any wires running to the throttle body, removing the bolts that hold the unit to the intake manifold and removing both the throttle body and the gasket from the intake plenum.
As the DIY explains, you will want to throw out the old gasket and replace it with a new one before reinstalling the throttle body in your Silverado, Tahoe, Suburban or Avalanche. Also, with the throttle body off of the engine, you want to open the throttle blade and clean out the air passage with GM Top Engine Cleaner or something like that. This helps to break up any deposits that reduce the performance of the throttle body and you want to have it off of the engine to do this because you don’t want to flush that gunk down into your engine.
Once the throttle body of your GMT900 vehicle has been thoroughly cleaned and the new gasket is in place on the intake plenum, you simply bolt the throttle body back to the intake, plug in the wires going to the unit and reinstall the factory engine air intake system and you are done!
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
