Silicon fix for worn throttle bodies?

[jasonhill]

I've read a number of posts here about worn throttle bodies, I appreciate that there is a fix - which means weeks off the road and an expensive repair, but I've also read about a temporary fix using silicon lubricant.

I thought I'd have a go at the cheap fix first before losing the car to my dealer for an unknown length of time...

So what I'd like to know is:

What type of lubricant to use - and where I might find some

How to make sure it's prpoerly applied

Oh yeah... and how to take the bonnet off!

Many thanks

[basil brush]

I think at best it will be a very temporary repair. SFR do a rebush job for about 300 quid iirc and I can't see it taking any more than a week.

[Mr Freefall]

basil brush said:

I think at best it will be a very temporary repair. SFR do a rebush job for about 300 quid iirc and I can't see it taking any more than a week.

TVR power do the mod too now, speak to Dom. He just did mine...

Mr F

[basil brush]

Mr Freefall said:

basil brush said: I think at best it will be a very temporary repair. SFR do a rebush job for about 300 quid iirc and I can't see it taking any more than a week. TVR power do the mod too now, speak to Dom. He just did mine... Mr F

Is that the proper roller bearing mod? How much do they charge?

[mcspreader]

Any form of quick fix for a worn bush is unlikely to work for very long.
Use of a silicon(e) lube sounds like a con.
Firstly silicon is a crytaline substance with no known lubricating qualities below several hundred degrees C.
As a bush its not hard waring.
Silicone (note the E) is an esoteric analogous of a carbon based polymer. In most uses it is lower friction and harder waring in the solid state for a given price.
It WILL NOT however fix a badly designed bush, in a harsh petrol bathed environment. It is petrol soluable unless set AND chemically fixed.
This sounds like bullshit.
HOWEVER, a properly designed bush system using Silicone bearings may well be effective if it involves an entire replacement of the waring surfaces if the Silicone in question is especially formulated for high resistance to attack from hydrocarbon solvents and is of suitable high density.
NOT CHEAP!

[jasonhill]

Right then! I guess I got my answer... reaching for cheque book.

No such thing as a cheap fix as usual.

Thanks guys

[s2art]

mcspreader said:

Any form of quick fix for a worn bush is unlikely to work for very long. Use of a silicon(e) lube sounds like a con. Firstly silicon is a crytaline substance with no known lubricating qualities below several hundred degrees C. As a bush its not hard waring. Silicone (note the E) is an esoteric analogous of a carbon based polymer. In most uses it is lower friction and harder waring in the solid state for a given price. It WILL NOT however fix a badly designed bush, in a harsh petrol bathed environment. It is petrol soluable unless set AND chemically fixed. This sounds like bullshit. HOWEVER, a properly designed bush system using Silicone bearings may well be effective if it involves an entire replacement of the waring surfaces if the Silicone in question is especially formulated for high resistance to attack from hydrocarbon solvents and is of suitable high density. NOT CHEAP!

Worked for me. Several thousand miles on now, still no probs.
The reason it can work is that the carrier (highly volatile, thin for penetration) evaporates leaving the thicker silicone residue in place.
And silicone is not particularly soluble in hydrocarbon solvents, not that much petrol should get to the throttle body bearing surface. The petrol is supposed to go down into the inlet manifold, not out to the air filter.

[jasonhill]

Oh ok, another opinion (cheaper one) is always appreciated - any idea which magical spray it was that you used - and where one might procure such a thing???

Cheers!

[s2art]

jasonhill said:

Oh ok, another opinion (cheaper one) is always appreciated - any idea which magical spray it was that you used - and where one might procure such a thing??? Cheers!

I think it was silicone hinge oil spray! It was done by and at the suggestion of Dec Powell of DRP Motorsport in Cheshire. Took a lot of throttle pumping and spraying, but it worked.