This relates to a 2002 Buick LeSabre with a 3.8L engine, but I’m guessing the same general principles would apply to most cars with the same problem.
Occasionally the throttle would briefly resist moving when pressed. Then when enough pressure was applied it would release and work normally. This seemed to be happening more frequently and the pressure required to release it became greater.
Time to look at it!
The first step was to remove the plastic cover that covers the engine. This can be easily done by unscrewing the oil filler spout (the 3-inch extension that the oil filler cap fits into) by unscrewing it a half turn and lifting it up. This exposed the fuel injector body and mechanism.
Manually activating the sector pulley that activated the accelerator, I came to the conclusion that the throttle was stuck in the closed position. But how to get to him was the problem!
I removed the rubber boot between the air box and the fuel injector body. But this revealed a “screen” that completely covered the entrance!
That “screen” was supported by a “C” ring which I removed next. But the “screen” did not come off easily. It’s not a flat screen; it is a piece of honeycomb about 1/4 inch thick. It worked best to work it out a bit around the circumference and go around several times. I used a knife blade to get it out, but next time I’d use a wire with a hook on the end to go in and pull it out from the inside.
Once it was removed, I was able to see the butterfly and was able to confirm that that was the problem. I cleaned it around the circumference but it still got stuck. Then I sprayed some AMSOIL MP (something like WD-40) on the throttle shaft bushings.
That worked! No more sticking!
How long it will stay like this remains to be seen!
If it fails again, I’ll remove the throttle position sensor on the front of the injector body. That should expose one end of the throttle shaft, and that was the end that gave the most trouble this time. (This requires a Torx key to remove).
What was the cause? I really don’t know. It acted like there was “old grease” in there that stuck, but I doubt it was lubricated with grease. Maybe “sticky stuff” in the gas for 60k+ miles?
Copyright 2007 by Keith A. Williams
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