Originally posted by tonybox:
thank you both!!
Big Jim... I hate to admit it but i'm not too mechanically inclined. Could you please explain the procedure for cleaning the ISC and Throttle body as well as the locations of both of them. I tried doing a search but I didn't have any luck. Does anyone have any pics. Thanks again.



Wow, as many times as I have posted this and it still can't be found. Well, here it is again.

Throttle body clean.

Needed materials. Old toothbrush, spray can of throttle body cleaner, screwdriver to remove air intake tube for access.

Find throttle body. It is where air enters the engine after the air filter. Follow large black tube to throttle body. It is also where the throttle cable attaches to the engine.

Warm up engine.

Shut off engine.

Remove air intake tube from throttle body. Use screwdriver to loosen large hose clamp. Ignore label that says not to clean the throttle body. Do be a bit gentle in cleaning it so not to destroy the teflon coating that does help diminish the the deposits (but doesn't eliminate them). Hold throttle wide open (you may want to have an assistant inside the car hold the gas pedal down). Spray the inside of the throttle body, both the throttle bore and the throttle plate, with throttle body cleaner spray. Gently scrub with old toothbrush. Pay special attention to the black carbon ring in the bore just inside of the throttle plate. Gently scrub both sides of the throttle plate as well the top and bottom of the bore. Close throttle and check to see how well the front of the throttle plate is cleaned and continue cleaning if needed.

Reassemble the air intake tube. Start engine. You may need to hold the throttle open slightly while cranking to help clear the cleaner out of the cylinders. Expect the engine to run rough for a few moments until the cleaner is burned out of the cylinders.

This may be a good time to clean the PCV valve as well as the IAC. On the V6 the PCV valve is located below and slightly to the right of the throttle body. I've never found mine sludged up but I ocassionally spray some cleaner into it anyway. The IAC on the V6 is located on the top of the intake manifold at the back sort of near the throttle body. It is a mostly silver colored cylinder. It has a rubber tube attached to it that is about 1" in diameter. I have had success cleaning the valve by spraying cleaner into the tube with the engine running. You may need to hold the engine speed up so it doesn't stall. Many have found it better to actually remove the IAC to clean it. You may not notice anything particularly wrong with the IAC but it may still respond to cleaning. Sometimes it will not respond to cleaning if it has been sticking badly and will need to be replaced.

After you are finished with the cleaning and the engine is running normal and is warmed up, it may be helpful to clear the adaptive strategy from the PCM and start it toward good new habits. Disconnect the battery or pull fuses 4 & 11 for at least 5 minutes. Start the engine with the A/C off and hold the engine speed at about 2000 RPM for about 30 seconds, allow normal idle for about 30 seconds, turn on A/C and hold idle at about 2000 RPM for about 30 seconds, allow normal idle for about 30 seconds then drive mildly for about 5 minutes.

Jim Johnson 98 SVT 03 Escape Limited