Okay...so, apparently new igniters are NOT available anymore (from Toyota, at least).
...which is complete bullsh...
Talk about inevitable planned obsolescence.


SOOOO...
In an effort to help mine last, I'm thinking of adding a fat heat sink to the top of mine.

Has anyone ever tried this?
Maybe something from an older CPU style?
The igniter surface is 3" x 2" and it looks like there's about 2 1/2" clearance to the hood.
Maybe something along these lines:

Thoughts?

 

gotta figure how to clamp it where it builds heat, and keep it clean. check digikey and mouser for more options with larger air space gaps.

 

Yeah...mounting it is another trick.
I'm running an old Jacob's Electronics ignition system directly off the igniter so I don't need the coil anymore...which does give me a few more mounting options.

Might sandwich it with a couple pieces of metal and two long bolts.
Think a wider heat sink would be better...and the fan may just be worthless.

 

yah, doubt the fan would last long, but the problem i see with the processor heatsinks is the fine fins plugging up quickly and actually holding the heat in instead of cooling. one like they used on old quad stereos might be better.

 

I am kind of surprised no one has thought of or attempted this yet.

As a sidenote...I wonder if WorldPac still has igniters.
Guess I'll have to check tomorrow.

 

Have you tried to get dealer parts for any of the American vehicles ??

I tried to get a Engine Harness for my 99 Ford F250 Power Stroke the parts person laughed at me He said 10 years is all they are required by law to provide parts . After that when there gone that`s it.

Toyota goes far beyond most of them.

You can buy igniters from Napa 5 year 50,000 mile warranty if your really stuck

 

Honestly, I think that's dumb.
Granted, I'm not on the inside track of the financials of the auto industry so I don't know for sure...but from what I understand the profit (especially for dealers) is in the parts and service.
Granted, guys like me don't take their old 87 to the dealer for service so it's not like they're losing money, but I have bought a TON of parts from Toyota for this truck (at wholesale, of course...got good friends )

Maybe the factory does well selling cars but dealers barely cashflow selling new cars.
Not having replacement parts available ultimately forces people to have to purchase new cars.

You do make a good point tho, Wyoming...we are spoiled by Toyota in many ways.
The fact that I could still get a brand spanking NEW rubber seal for my driver's door ...which I was totally stoked about BTW!... means that truck will remain on the road just that much longer.
(as long as someone doesn't run a stop sign and T-bone this one, too. )

 

they make the most money off selling cars ata big markup, so they make more if you decide you would rather replace the whole vehicle....

 

Adding a heat sink can`t hurt .

Will it help who can say .

Build a cold air intake mount the igniter in the direct flow mounted to a heat sink .

The thing with a heat sink you need a way to draw the heat from the heat sink

using the cold air intake as a wind tunnel would give you the most effective cooling.

As weather it would prolong the igniter life with most of them working 20 plus years testing could take sometime!!!

 

I would agree with Wyoming, unless you can find a source of cooling air the heat sink isn't going to help much. I measured my igniter temp yesterday after a 30 minute drive at 50-60mph, outside air temperature around 80F, and it measured 125degF. But, so did everything else around it. My conclusion is that's about the temperature of the engine compartment, so a heat sink won't have anywhere to dump the heat.


I don't think the igniter dissipates much power itself. It consists of some low power electronics and a big MOSFET switch which likely has < .1 ohms of on resistance. Coil current is only a few amps average, so that doesn't work out to a lot of power.


I think I'd spend my efforts elsewhere, to be honest.

 

do you know where the power and/or drive fet are mounted? to dismiss it that quick, i think i would at least strap a thermo probe on it and give it high rpm for a min after getting it good and hot in there.