Thank you for making this video, it made the process easy and worry free. Our 2014 Forester with 160,000 miles was idling rough, and was stumbling when accelerating gently from a stop. After cleaning the mass airflow sensor and the throttle body, it is running smooth again.
You are very welcome. Thank you for checking it out. I am glad it helped you. Another easy fix is to replace your PCV Valve & Hose. Not an expensive fix but worth it.
I sprayed out my 2009 Forester MAF sensor thinking it was a waste of time and I was wrong. Car idles smoother, doesnt hunt around for an idle at cold start and has better throttle response. So, while I'm thinking this is a waste of time, I'll be cleaning this too. Thanks for the video.
We've notice a smoother running car. I just figured it started out clean and would operate better clean. I need to spray our MAF sensor too, that's a good idea. Thanks for watching and the suggestion/idea.
Thank you! I try to show the repairs so the average backyard person can understand what's going on. Makes it easier when they do their own repairs. Thanks for watching.
Followed all your steps on swapping out front lower control arms, and it went like a charm. Found out (too late for you) that you only have to remove 1 screw and 1 christmas tree clip from that driver's side plastic shroud, btw. Now I'm back for this, and we shall see how it goes. Thanks! Mine's only got 54K on the clock.
I'm glad that worked out for you. Sometimes I do take off more than I need to. This throttle body cleaning is a good maintenance item once every year or two. Thanks for watching.
@@Mini-Driver turned out my air intake had been kinda mangled all these years, so I took pains to clamp 'er straight this time. Might explain some hesitation off the line.
Thanks for the video, did this fix the rough idle? My outback has been idling rough and seems like it’s about to stall sometimes. I did the pcv, cleaned the MAF and I plan to do this next. Thanks!
It did fix our rough idle and made the car run smoother. That could be me just wanting to feel that, but Sharon said she felt it smoother too. It may be the combo of all the things combined though. Sounds like you're on the right track. Thanks for watching.
Just be careful not to drop anything in the intake while the throttle body is removed. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching & good luck with your project.
If you watch Mr. Subaru show cleaning throttle body he explained the side you are cleaning that was all black isn’t a problem. It is only the edge of the flap and the wall that keeps air from going thru that needs attention. Also be careful not to open the flap too far that could cause a problem.
Thanks for the tip, I will pay better attention on how far I move the flap. I watch Mr Subaru as well. I wanted to take this Forester to him for a timing chain change, I'm not comfortable with that repair and I don't have the special tools. I found a shop here in my area that I will look into. Thanks for watching.
If one can be had at a reasonable cost and have the room for storage. There are a few things I plan to keep as spares once I clean out my storage/work shed. I appreciate you.
Quick heads up I have the same make and model was burning oil too needed about a quart between oil changes turns out I had oil leaking past the coil on to the spark plugs you might want to check that out I also had to replace the pvc valve and cleaning the egr as well might help!
Thanks for that info. I did change the PCV valve & hose. The last time I changed spark plugs, the coils were dry, but it is time to do it again. I am not looking forward to that job at all. Maybe I will wait until summer when Sharon can drive a different car for a while. We do have a small leak around the front cover that needs to be taken care of as well. (Maybe in conjunction with a timing chain job, maybe all together). Thank you for watching and your comment.
@@mikehample698 my terminology will probably be way off but I believe it’s called a rocker plate you pull that off and replace the o rings that seal around where you slide in your coils and the gasket around the rocker plate as well. It’s a messy job I ended up taking it to a shop which I’m starting to believe was a mistake since I have only had one problem after the other since than they bent my fuel rail causing a leak and incomplete fuel burn cause it screwed up one of the injectors causing my egr valve and pcv to gunk up with unburnt fuel and carbon it’s been an absolute disaster. I would drain off the oil and do it yourself make sure everything is really clean before reinstalling the rocker plate with new o-rings and gasket. You will need to replace any saturated coils and spark plugs as well unless you like missfires when the oil warms up enough to become a conductor albeit a crappy conductor. If oil gets hot enough and has enough pollutants like dust it can lose its ability to insulate and pull voltage away from the coil which can be enough to cause a misfire especially on a hot day. Hope that helps!
@@jacobparkin745 Yes that helped me a bunch. I think i have to jack up motor to get to everything. But anyway i have a bad miss at idle and it stalls at every red light. I have done everything but fixing the oil leak.
Thanks for this video! Going to try this myself tomorrow and see how it goes, this video made it extremely easy to understand. Are the hose clamp pliers required or just an easier tool to use? Thanks again for your hard work!
I think the hose clamp pliers are just easier, but you can use regular pliers or even bent needle nose works. Thanks for watching and I hope it helps you.
Did the throttle plate end up closing all the way after you cleaned it? I got a 08 outback that i just replaced the head gaskets on. I decided to clean the throttle body while the intake manifold was still off. I'm don't recall if it was slightly open when I cleaned it. But it is still slightly open after I cleaned it. I did push it open when I was cleaning it. I can push it closed smoothly but it will open back up. It is the drive by wire type like yours and not a drive by cable type
I think they have a slight opening when they are shut. Don't quote me on that though. I will have to notice it the next time and try to remember to comment on that. Thank you for the question and watching.
Thanks for the question & for watching. Not really, I change our oil every 5000 miles and between changes, she uses 1 quart. I usually have to add the quart around 3,500 miles, It doesn't matter if we drive city or highway. I keep a quart in the back by the spare tire.
Great video! Glad to hear you raise bees ( I'm a former commercial beekeeper). I'll be looking to do some maintenance on my 2020 Subaru Forester and cleaning the throttle body will be one thing that I plan to do at 60K. Question..do you have to do an idle relearn once you clean your throttle body? Thought I saw that or heard that before. Keep up the great content and holler if you need and bee suggestions.
Thanks for watching. I didn't do a throttle re-learn but the car ran a little weird the first few times we drove it. It finally settled down after a few days and has been normal ever since. Having a newer car, it may be a good idea. I'd have to get a better scan tool in order to do it.
@@brianzimmer5532 Thank you very much. I don't attend many car events but I am a beekeeper and go to some of those events. I have met quite a few people who watch my Bee Videos. Thank you for watching too.
Yes there is a gasket with a built-in cage like thing. I didn't replace ours, it still looked pliable. I don't know the part number but I would get a genuine part from the dealer (vehicle specific) or Subaru parts online. I don't usually do the part number thing because some cars are early build and some parts change for the same year. Thanks for watching.
one way that it works (flywheel) is called "keyed" or "poka yoke" which is a Japanese term for mistake proofing. Meaning, you can't install it wrong because the hardware will not let you install it improperly.
Knock-on-Wood, No we have never had that. Yes on one or two of our MINI's but, not the Subaru. I would start with checking wires, plugs and coils. Hope that helps, thanks for watching.
you clean these that often (I'd image when you're at work) that you feel its worth while to keep a clean one in stock ? Interesting. I'd agree with you if you said an alternator. I bought my 04 Outback wirh 174,000. I now have 353,000 and just popped P0506 idle low. But.. ...I AM on my 4th alternator and my 3rd 5MT. I do trannies and alternators more than I do spark plugs.
I had never cleaned the throttle body on this car. I figured it was time I did so. I've done it a few times on the MINI's & once on the 2nd EGR valve in the Sprinter. The first EGR was replaced under warranty.
If you pinch the lines, it's usually not an issue. If you lose too much coolant, just keep an eye on your tank. After the test drive, I squeezed the top radiator hose just in case.
I will probably clean it once a year. I decided not to get a spare for the time being. I do have a spare throttle for the MINI's, but we have 4 of them and I got it off of the parts car we used to have.
@@Mini-Driver I used to work for MINI as a tech from 2002 to 2005. Then in 2005 BMW / MINI decided that MINI needed to have their own techs and BMW has their own techs. In the beginning, when MINI made their come back in 2002, we all worked on BMW and MINI. the new hires started out on the MINIs and after 6 months on the MINI's, we were permitted to work on BMW and MINI. But, in 2005, I had to choose to train only non MINI or BMW. So I went with BMW. The first gen MINI's had the WEIRDEST problems. The rear hatch hinge rusting out and binding, roof leaks leading to the body harness turning green and needing a whole new body harness, sunroof cassette issues, the infamous high resistance in the side airbag circuit that MINI had us replacing the yellow connector under the seat a million times. The brake rotor bolt that you need 300 foot pounds to get out. lololol the power steering pump fan that seizes up with sand then pops the fuse for the radiator fan and the dumb customers melt the expansion tank, intake manifold and valve covers to the ground. ... water leaks into the rear hatch battery tray on Cooper S. Junk window regulators, junk radios. Junk seatbelt pre-tensioners (high resistance), Junk upper windshield trim falls off, Junk transmission bearings, Junk CVT, junk clutches, Junk upper wheel arch mouldings that just fall off. I use to install a ton of bonnet stripes, drill the roof rack mounts, and tons of driving lights and rear fog lights.
@@Mr_BUSINESS_24_7 A lot of that applies to me, but not the CVT. lol In my area I don't have the rust issue some others have, well, the one I rescued from Minnesota did. Had it repaired though.
Thank you for making this video, it made the process easy and worry free. Our 2014 Forester with 160,000 miles was idling rough, and was stumbling when accelerating gently from a stop. After cleaning the mass airflow sensor and the throttle body, it is running smooth again.
You are very welcome. Thank you for checking it out. I am glad it helped you. Another easy fix is to replace your PCV Valve & Hose. Not an expensive fix but worth it.
Yes, you helped somebody. Thank you. I had a rough idle on a 2013 forester that needed this done. Your video was very helpful.
Thank you so much for watching. I am so glad I am able to help others. Also, check your PCV Valve & replace it if you haven't done so in a while.
I sprayed out my 2009 Forester MAF sensor thinking it was a waste of time and I was wrong. Car idles smoother, doesnt hunt around for an idle at cold start and has better throttle response. So, while I'm thinking this is a waste of time, I'll be cleaning this too. Thanks for the video.
We've notice a smoother running car. I just figured it started out clean and would operate better clean. I need to spray our MAF sensor too, that's a good idea. Thanks for watching and the suggestion/idea.
Great video, very helpful. That side angle for the re-assembly was a great view of the process.
Thank you! I try to show the repairs so the average backyard person can understand what's going on. Makes it easier when they do their own repairs. Thanks for watching.
Well made video, will definitely do this on our 2010 Forester soon. Thanks for sharing
Glad it could help. Thanks for looking in on my videos.
Followed all your steps on swapping out front lower control arms, and it went like a charm. Found out (too late for you) that you only have to remove 1 screw and 1 christmas tree clip from that driver's side plastic shroud, btw. Now I'm back for this, and we shall see how it goes. Thanks! Mine's only got 54K on the clock.
I'm glad that worked out for you. Sometimes I do take off more than I need to. This throttle body cleaning is a good maintenance item once every year or two. Thanks for watching.
@@Mini-Driver turned out my air intake had been kinda mangled all these years, so I took pains to clamp 'er straight this time. Might explain some hesitation off the line.
@@VideoNOLA Some technicians are in such a rush sometimes. I found a few missing push-pins around the car. Thanks for watching.
Loved the video, very helpful. So nice to watch a normal video 😂
Thank you for watching and I hope it helped you. I just like doing the mechanical work and video things to help others.
Thanks for the video, did this fix the rough idle? My outback has been idling rough and seems like it’s about to stall sometimes. I did the pcv, cleaned the MAF and I plan to do this next. Thanks!
It did fix our rough idle and made the car run smoother. That could be me just wanting to feel that, but Sharon said she felt it smoother too. It may be the combo of all the things combined though. Sounds like you're on the right track. Thanks for watching.
Great work - thanks, Cap'n.
Thank you, it is an easy and quick job to do. Thanks for the comment and for watching.
Thanks for the video, you take the mystery out of it and made it look easy!
Just be careful not to drop anything in the intake while the throttle body is removed. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching & good luck with your project.
Thank you. 2015 outback original owner here.
You are welcome and thanks for watching. I hope the Subaru videos help.
If you watch Mr. Subaru show cleaning throttle body he explained the side you are cleaning that was all black isn’t a problem. It is only the edge of the flap and the wall that keeps air from going thru that needs attention. Also be careful not to open the flap too far that could cause a problem.
Thanks for the tip, I will pay better attention on how far I move the flap. I watch Mr Subaru as well. I wanted to take this Forester to him for a timing chain change, I'm not comfortable with that repair and I don't have the special tools. I found a shop here in my area that I will look into. Thanks for watching.
Luv the spare idea
If one can be had at a reasonable cost and have the room for storage. There are a few things I plan to keep as spares once I clean out my storage/work shed. I appreciate you.
Jimmy nice job!
Thank you. I'll do it once a year.
Thank you Jimmy!!
You are welcome and thank you for finding me and watching.
I like you best at double speed bro
I speed it up during the routine parts. It's also a chance to match music with the action. Thanks for watching.
Quick heads up I have the same make and model was burning oil too needed about a quart between oil changes turns out I had oil leaking past the coil on to the spark plugs you might want to check that out I also had to replace the pvc valve and cleaning the egr as well might help!
Thanks for that info. I did change the PCV valve & hose. The last time I changed spark plugs, the coils were dry, but it is time to do it again. I am not looking forward to that job at all. Maybe I will wait until summer when Sharon can drive a different car for a while. We do have a small leak around the front cover that needs to be taken care of as well. (Maybe in conjunction with a timing chain job, maybe all together). Thank you for watching and your comment.
How did you get the oil to stop leaking on the plugs?
@@mikehample698 my terminology will probably be way off but I believe it’s called a rocker plate you pull that off and replace the o rings that seal around where you slide in your coils and the gasket around the rocker plate as well. It’s a messy job I ended up taking it to a shop which I’m starting to believe was a mistake since I have only had one problem after the other since than they bent my fuel rail causing a leak and incomplete fuel burn cause it screwed up one of the injectors causing my egr valve and pcv to gunk up with unburnt fuel and carbon it’s been an absolute disaster. I would drain off the oil and do it yourself make sure everything is really clean before reinstalling the rocker plate with new o-rings and gasket. You will need to replace any saturated coils and spark plugs as well unless you like missfires when the oil warms up enough to become a conductor albeit a crappy conductor. If oil gets hot enough and has enough pollutants like dust it can lose its ability to insulate and pull voltage away from the coil which can be enough to cause a misfire especially on a hot day. Hope that helps!
@@jacobparkin745 Yes that helped me a bunch. I think i have to jack up motor to get to everything. But anyway i have a bad miss at idle and it stalls at every red light. I have done everything but fixing the oil leak.
@@mikehample698glad too help!
Spraying with carb cleaner is truly the best way. It works much better and takes 0 elbow grease
Mine was so bad, my carb cleaner spray needed some help. I will definitely clean it more often, so it shouldn't be as bad next time.
Use some oven cleaner it works great
Thanks, made it looks easy
Thank you. It was an easy job but I would also clean the MAF/MAP sensor and maybe change the gasket (it has a built-in cage with it)
thank you sir.
Thank you for watching. It's an easy job and helps the car run smoother.
Thanks for this video! Going to try this myself tomorrow and see how it goes, this video made it extremely easy to understand. Are the hose clamp pliers required or just an easier tool to use? Thanks again for your hard work!
I think the hose clamp pliers are just easier, but you can use regular pliers or even bent needle nose works. Thanks for watching and I hope it helps you.
@@Mini-Driver Did it today and it fixed the problem! Thanks again very much for sharing your skills.
Did the throttle plate end up closing all the way after you cleaned it? I got a 08 outback that i just replaced the head gaskets on. I decided to clean the throttle body while the intake manifold was still off. I'm don't recall if it was slightly open when I cleaned it. But it is still slightly open after I cleaned it. I did push it open when I was cleaning it. I can push it closed smoothly but it will open back up. It is the drive by wire type like yours and not a drive by cable type
I think they have a slight opening when they are shut. Don't quote me on that though. I will have to notice it the next time and try to remember to comment on that. Thank you for the question and watching.
Thanks dad
You are welcome. I have to ask about the "Dad" part though.
With that high mileage, did you find your Forester burn lots of oil. From owner of 2013 forester
Thanks for the question & for watching. Not really, I change our oil every 5000 miles and between changes, she uses 1 quart. I usually have to add the quart around 3,500 miles, It doesn't matter if we drive city or highway. I keep a quart in the back by the spare tire.
Great video! Glad to hear you raise bees ( I'm a former commercial beekeeper). I'll be looking to do some maintenance on my 2020 Subaru Forester and cleaning the throttle body will be one thing that I plan to do at 60K. Question..do you have to do an idle relearn once you clean your throttle body? Thought I saw that or heard that before.
Keep up the great content and holler if you need and bee suggestions.
Thanks for watching. I didn't do a throttle re-learn but the car ran a little weird the first few times we drove it. It finally settled down after a few days and has been normal ever since. Having a newer car, it may be a good idea. I'd have to get a better scan tool in order to do it.
Hey , have you done throttle body clean on your forester 2020? If yes how did u mange to do the idle relearn ? Thanks in advance
Hello jimmy question why did you have the car on a ramp?
I think I was doing some other things at the same time. I work on a gravel driveway so I can't use a creeper. Thanks for the question and watching.
Thank you Jimmy! Looking at doing this on my 2015 Forester coming up to 90K!
It's really not a bad job to do. Our car has been running smoother since I did it. Thanks for watching. Good Luck.
@@Mini-Driver thank you! You look like you would be a genuinely nice person to meet as well!
@@brianzimmer5532 Thank you very much. I don't attend many car events but I am a beekeeper and go to some of those events. I have met quite a few people who watch my Bee Videos. Thank you for watching too.
Hi, Thank you for your video.
Is there a gasket between throttle and engine body?
If yes, do I need to replace it?
What's the part number?
Yes there is a gasket with a built-in cage like thing. I didn't replace ours, it still looked pliable. I don't know the part number but I would get a genuine part from the dealer (vehicle specific) or Subaru parts online. I don't usually do the part number thing because some cars are early build and some parts change for the same year. Thanks for watching.
thank you, this was helpful.
You are very welcome. I always hope my videos help someone else with their projects. Thanks for watching.
Awesome❤
What symptoms prompted you to want to do this ? Did you clean the MAF or MAP sensor in conjunction with this cleaning ?
Hi, thanks for watching. The car just seemed to have a jerky throttle on occasion. I did spray some cleaner on the MAF sensor.
one way that it works (flywheel) is called "keyed" or "poka yoke" which is a Japanese term for mistake proofing. Meaning, you can't install it wrong because the hardware will not let you install it improperly.
I'm sure the engineers had a reason for doing it that way. It works for me, but if someone didn't know, they mat think they got the wrong part.
Doesn't it need any programming afterwards? Just clean? Thank you
No, I didn't program anything after, just the cleaning and reinstallation. Thanks for watching.
Question..You ever have a misfire on the suberu? I have a 2011 forester with that going on now
Knock-on-Wood, No we have never had that. Yes on one or two of our MINI's but, not the Subaru. I would start with checking wires, plugs and coils. Hope that helps, thanks for watching.
Jimmy why one ramp?
you clean these that often (I'd image when you're at work) that you feel its worth while to keep a clean one in stock ? Interesting. I'd agree with you if you said an alternator. I bought my 04 Outback wirh 174,000. I now have 353,000 and just popped P0506 idle low. But.. ...I AM on my 4th alternator and my 3rd 5MT. I do trannies and alternators more than I do spark plugs.
I had never cleaned the throttle body on this car. I figured it was time I did so. I've done it a few times on the MINI's & once on the 2nd EGR valve in the Sprinter. The first EGR was replaced under warranty.
Does the cooling sysytem need to be burped after removing the cooling lines?
If you pinch the lines, it's usually not an issue. If you lose too much coolant, just keep an eye on your tank. After the test drive, I squeezed the top radiator hose just in case.
@@Mini-Driver Awesome, thank you!
how many miles was on your forester?
I replaced the serpentine belt at 263,276 miles, one month after cleaning the throttle body. So somewhere in the 260K+ miles. Hope that helps.
How often you clean the throttle body?
That was my first time on the Forester. (262,070 miles) I do the Mini's once per year and I will start doing it to the Forester yearly too.
10mm?
If I remember correctly they were 10mm. I can check and send another reply later. Thanks and I hope it helps you.
I don't think it will really need cleaning that often.
I will probably clean it once a year. I decided not to get a spare for the time being. I do have a spare throttle for the MINI's, but we have 4 of them and I got it off of the parts car we used to have.
@@Mini-Driver I used to work for MINI as a tech from 2002 to 2005. Then in 2005 BMW / MINI decided that MINI needed to have their own techs and BMW has their own techs. In the beginning, when MINI made their come back in 2002, we all worked on BMW and MINI. the new hires started out on the MINIs and after 6 months on the MINI's, we were permitted to work on BMW and MINI. But, in 2005, I had to choose to train only non MINI or BMW. So I went with BMW. The first gen MINI's had the WEIRDEST problems. The rear hatch hinge rusting out and binding, roof leaks leading to the body harness turning green and needing a whole new body harness, sunroof cassette issues, the infamous high resistance in the side airbag circuit that MINI had us replacing the yellow connector under the seat a million times. The brake rotor bolt that you need 300 foot pounds to get out. lololol the power steering pump fan that seizes up with sand then pops the fuse for the radiator fan and the dumb customers melt the expansion tank, intake manifold and valve covers to the ground. ... water leaks into the rear hatch battery tray on Cooper S. Junk window regulators, junk radios. Junk seatbelt pre-tensioners (high resistance), Junk upper windshield trim falls off, Junk transmission bearings, Junk CVT, junk clutches, Junk upper wheel arch mouldings that just fall off. I use to install a ton of bonnet stripes, drill the roof rack mounts, and tons of driving lights and rear fog lights.
@@Mr_BUSINESS_24_7 A lot of that applies to me, but not the CVT. lol In my area I don't have the rust issue some others have, well, the one I rescued from Minnesota did. Had it repaired though.
250 new ar advance auto