This question is for recommendations on whether to have the dealer service (clean) the Camry’s ignitors
In a previous posting, I mentioned that my Camry was hard to start after sitting in the garage for 2-3 days.
Dealer “diagnosed” (guessed?) it as a weak battery, tho the cranking speed seemed pretty normal (peppy)
to me. My first thought when it would not start was the fuel system (fuel pump) or dirty ignitors.
I asked my regular mechanic for an opinion on cleaning and he pretty much said “don’t” unless there is
a specific problem (eg engine check lite).
Could I hear from the group whether ignitor cleaning ($210) as a “preventive maintenance” is a good idea?
I am not about to disassemble the throttle body or some such and do it myself, but I AM OK with adding a
can to my gas tank, if it won’t hurt and can help.
Thanks in advance
Scott
Ignitor? Is that spark plug? Or fuel injector?
In the USA Toyota does not sell a diesel vehicle. Is the OP in some other part of the world? Diesel motors use glow plugs, but cleaning them isn’t a normal maintenance as they only play during a cold start.
If the OP means what we in the USA call spark plugs, the effort to remove and clean them isn’t really cost effective unless it is a DIY job. Most mechanics would simply put in new plugs. A 2002 calls for new plugs every 30K miles (in USA) so it simply might be time for new plugs.
Igniter is another name for the ignition control module. Which if I recall on the '02 Camry is part of the coil pack because it has a distributorless ignition system. I do not know why they would ever need to be cleaned.
I suspect the OP wants to clean his injectors, in which case, this should not be done unless they are exhibiting a problem. Hard-to-start does not suggest injectors to me. It suggests a weak fuel pump or a slow drain through the pump/leak when the engine’s off.
To test for the latter, turn the key to on, wait 5 seconds, then turn it off. Repeat. Repeat again, but instead of turning the key to off, go ahead and start the car. If it starts right up, your fuel is draining back into the tank (or leaking onto the ground, though you should notice that by the smell) and it takes the pump a little bit to get it back up to the engine.
I’m sure he means injector, not “ignitor” (sic).
Dirty injectors don’t cause hard starting.
Some Toyotas have had hard starting due to ECM programing.
I would also check the crank & cam position sensors and their connectors.