D.I.Y: Cleaning Engine Throttle Body

My car idle speed value is low from standard figure in the specifications which is 650 +/- 50 rpm for manual transmission model. Noted for automatic transmission model 700 +/- 50 rpm.

I decided to DIY cleaning engine throttle body. Let's get on to the DIY shall we?

Tools needed are:

- Phillips screwdriver

- Flat head screwdriver

- 10 mm socket wrench

- 12 mm socket wrench

- 12 mm open wrench 2x

- Torque wrench

- Contact cleaner (cotton buds, dry cloth)

- Lubricating oil (WD-40, Vaseline)

- Engine degreaser (painter brush, copper brush, etc.)

Level of difficulty: Easy

Estimated time completed: Varied (at least an hour or more)

These are the tools needed.

First remove by pulling out the air cleaner inlet duct (red circle) and move it aside. Release the two springs of the air cleaner housing (yellow circle) then lift off the upper section and remove the filter element.

Lift the canister purge valve off its holder, and move it aside.

Disconnect the airflow meter wiring plug.

Loosen the accelerator cable adjuster nuts and remove the cable from the bracket.

Remove the three mounting bolts using 10 mm socket wrench and lift off the air cleaner housing.

Remove two screws using Phillips screwdriver and pull out the airflow meter.

Use contact cleaner, spray the intake air temperature sensor gently wipe with cotton bud or dry cloth. Tip airflow meter upside down and have a look inside you will see two thin wires with small resistors. These get hot and get coked with oil. Clean them with contact cleaner. Refit in the reverse order of removal.

The intake air temperature sensor cleaned (yellow circle).

Disconnect two wiring plugs (blue circle), remove four housings (red circle), remove two bolts (yellow circle) with 12 mm socket wrench (15 lbf.ft), one bolt (orange circle) with 10 mm socket wrench (6 lbf.ft). Lift the engine throttle body.

Clean and wipe the carbon deposits inside the intake manifold exhaust with dry cloth.

Retain the O-Ring and you need to lubricate it with Vaseline when fitting back into place.

Cleaning in progress with engine degreaser.

Once cleaning the engine throttle body done, refitting is a reversal of removal. Check-up everything are tighten up. Start your engine and check-up for abnormalities.

First minute idle speed after engine started.

Five minutes idle speed after engine started.

D.I.Y: JDM Wiper Mod

I wanted to do this a long long time ago, but now I have my chance to DIY - JDM Wiper Mod. The reason I'm doing this because, if you notice when you had the wiper horizontal all the dust, sand, small debris would collect on the blade and when you use the rear wiper to wipe the window all it did was cause more dirtiness and scratch the window. So now, the rear wiper sits vertical, no dust and no sand.

Tools needed are:

- Phillips screwdriver
- Flat head screwdriver
- 10mm socket wrench

Level of difficulty: Very easy.
Estimated time completed: 10-15 minutes.

Let's get on to the DIY shall we?

These are the tools needed.

Factory current setup.

Remove the rear wiper cap.

Unbolt the rear wiper hex bolt using 10mm socket wrench.

Remove the hatch panel using a flat head screwdriver

and carefully pull to open one at the time.

Once you've taken off the rear panel, you'll see the wiper motor and then pull off the connector.

Unbolt 3 hex bolts using 10mm socket wrench. The brass bolt remained on the wiper motor frame.

Remove 4 screws using Phillips screwdriver.

Once removed, you'll see a long rectangular pinion attached to a plastic gearing

on one side and a metal pivot on the other.

Carefully lift up the pinion using a flat screwdriver a little bit and reposition the metal pivot

by sliding it down to the opposite hole and push it in. Reinstall everything backwards.

Play around with it so you don't wipe your rear garnish.