was puttering around the engine this afternoon, trying to find loose or broken hoses and decided to check the tb...should it look like this? i dont think it should, and if not, shall i just get some spray fi cleaner and spray away with the engine revved up?

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showphoto.php?photo=5217&sort=1&cat=500&page=1

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showphoto.php?photo=5218

like what?

heh, forgot the link to the photo

yeah, you can clean it off, and get the rubber intake tube going to the maf too. The nice thing about TBI is it keeps the rest of the intake and throttle body clean. The gas washes everything off. Most of the stuff up higher is from the PCV system.

bumpo

Alan, that does look like either PCV gunk, or maybe ASV problems (though I don't think your SPFI uses air suction valves).

 

I would use throttle body cleaner and clean it up, but also look back as best I could through the intake plumbing to see where the gunk is coming from. If it is PCV it may need cleaning/replacing hoses and valve. If it is indeed an ASV issue (again, don't think so on your wagon) the ASV reed valves would need replacing.

That's why I rerouted my PCV system and pluged the PCV hole in the intake manifold with a bolt. While everything below the fuel injector does get washed clean with fuel that crap is still being shot down through there and ultimatly down along your valves and into the combustion chamber. Big deal? Not really; but I dont like it anyway