So with grandma's car, and the throttle body clean and no accelerator stickiness, the mpg is junk. like 18 in mixed driving in a 96 ex coupe. Before the throttle body cleaning, the throttle got sticky after about 50% so it was never WOT with her driving it (surprise )

So I was advised to do two things. First, to open the intake boot and spray some clean water mist over it so the vacuum sucks in water and it would clean carbon buildup in the top of the engine. This sounds scary to me, since the block is made of iron, and iron+water=bad... But maybe I'm just afraid of the unknown?

The second was an "Italian Tune-Up", and instead of keeping it in 2nd and redlining it for 20 minutes around the highway, I was advised to start the car and use my hand to open the throttle to like 4-5 rpm with some 93 in the tank...

Has anyone *ever* done either of these, and if so, are they real, or is this snake oil?

I do believe there is carbon buildup in my motor, as I had a similar problem with a volvo that required premium fuel and I used 87 (go me) and it's a similar sound (sounds like a truck motor) and throttle response, so I think it's the same problem.

Can I do anything other than take the head off and clean the gunk out by hand polishing? (I really don't want to do that...)

Thanks in advance!

 

seafoam

 

I second Seafoam....

 

is Seafoam a fuel additive, or what? Can I get it at like advanced auto parts or whatever?

 

It's a fuel additive/carbon cleaner. You add some to the gas, and then you add it to the vacuum lines (Like the water thing, but with a solvent) and let it sit. Then you start it up and rev it, your car spits out white smoke (you find unpleasant things sometimes too. Like cracked manifolds/exhaust leaks). You can get it anywhere that sells auto parts.

 

you want the car running when u seafoam the vacuum lines or else it will be a pain to get started again....but seafoam will work in gettin carbon build up outta there

 

sweet - would this be good for my volvo as well? and do you use it for a full tank, or is it better if it's concentrated? (i.e. use it when tank gets low?)

 

Look into an alignment. It's possible for an alignment and tire pressure to have a big impact on mpg's

 

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