# 1988 Crown Vic - Orangish Grime

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-crown-vic-orangish-grime/160712>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** crownvictoria, ford\
**Created:** [March 10, 2020, 5:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-crown-vic-orangish-grime/160712 "2020-03-10T17:34:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![natexdog7417\_157562](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/natexdog7417_157562/32/19952_2.png) [@natexdog7417\_157562](https://community.cartalk.com/u/natexdog7417_157562)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2020, 5:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-crown-vic-orangish-grime/160712/1 "2020-03-10T17:34:19Z")

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So here’s my deal. About once a month, my 1988 LTD Crown Vic begins to stall because for some reason, the inside of the throttle body keeps collecting this weird grime over time. I clean it with a specific throttle body cleaner every time and the stalling issue goes away temporarily. Until it arise again the next month.

I was wondering if anyone would have any idea of why this keeps happening. Do I need to replace the air filter?

 ![20200309_180928](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/f/a/fa3afe12ab4bf4f75208fc64e52eff15fe49d2b2.jpeg) ![20200309_180649](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/b/1b579028cdbf9bb947892950c3fe1ebec8937c05.jpeg) ![20200309_180935](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/c/1c7f4f29c8fe18cab988e17c3da653cbf6f06109.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2020, 5:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-crown-vic-orangish-grime/160712/2 "2020-03-10T17:43:08Z")

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If the air filter is clean, it doesn’t need replacement. When was the last time it was replaced? Also, how do you know what direction the grime is coming from? It could be from the air side, but it could also be from the combustion chamber side, leaking back when air flow is off. Is there exhaust gas recirculation? If so, the grime might travel into the air system after the TB and before the injectors, then backstreams onto the TB.

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2020, 5:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-crown-vic-orangish-grime/160712/3 "2020-03-10T17:58:56Z")

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Does the engine use oil?

If so, what you might be seeing is the accumulation of oil from the PCV system.

Tester

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**Author:** ![natexdog7417\_157562](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/natexdog7417_157562/32/19952_2.png) [@natexdog7417\_157562](https://community.cartalk.com/u/natexdog7417_157562)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2020, 6:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-crown-vic-orangish-grime/160712/4 "2020-03-10T18:15:47Z")

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The engine does use Oil

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**Author:** ![natexdog7417\_157562](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/natexdog7417_157562/32/19952_2.png) [@natexdog7417\_157562](https://community.cartalk.com/u/natexdog7417_157562)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 5:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-crown-vic-orangish-grime/160712/5 "2020-03-16T17:07:09Z")

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Thanks for your inputs guys. I’m going to look into this issue and investigate when I can. I’ll come back with a solution as soon as I can.

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**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 5:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-crown-vic-orangish-grime/160712/6 "2020-03-16T17:37:14Z")

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In the center picture It appears that the fluid is entering from the port at the 3 o’clock position in the throttle body bore and that port seems to exit to the rubber hose directly above the throttle body. I wonder if that hose is full of the grime?

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**Author:** ![natexdog7417\_157562](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/natexdog7417_157562/32/19952_2.png) [@natexdog7417\_157562](https://community.cartalk.com/u/natexdog7417_157562)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 11:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-crown-vic-orangish-grime/160712/7 "2020-06-24T23:06:12Z")

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Sorry for the VERY long pause. Turns out that it MIGHT be normal, There’s a thin rubber line that goes from where you pour in motor oil to where the throttle body is. Some motor oil, for some reason, goes into there. When it comes to the stalling, it seemed like it played a role, but it wasn’t a big role.  
To stop the stalling, all i did was slightly increase the idling speed and the car has never stalled since. it’s been months.

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**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 12:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-crown-vic-orangish-grime/160712/8 "2020-06-25T00:21:45Z")

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Thanks for getting back to us with the solution. OPs often don’t post the solution, leaving others to wonder what solved the issue.

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**Author:** ![natexdog7417\_157562](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/natexdog7417_157562/32/19952_2.png) [@natexdog7417\_157562](https://community.cartalk.com/u/natexdog7417_157562)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 12:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-crown-vic-orangish-grime/160712/9 "2020-06-25T00:31:21Z")

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Yeah I’ve heard about that. I don’t want to be one of those guys.
