Do-it-yourself valve adjustment on the Lada Grant. Expert advice

The Lada Granta Sedan/Liftback is equipped with two engine modifications: 8 and 16 valves. The difference between one and the other is obvious: the number of valves, power, acceleration dynamics.

At the same time, only 16-valve units are equipped with hydraulic compensators. They are designed to automatically adjust the gap between the camshaft cam and the foot.

In 8-valve engines, there is no automatic valve adjustment on the Grant. The owner must periodically visit a service station for preventive maintenance and replacement of worn elements of the timing mechanism.

When is valve adjustment necessary on an 8-valve Lada Granta?

• light metallic clatter in the engine when starting “cold”. As it heats up, the sound is barely audible and disappears;
• a metallic clatter is heard on a warmed-up power unit. Indicates excessive wear and wear of parts of the timing mechanism (gas distribution);
• unstable operation at idle;
• difficulty starting the engine;
• detonation of the power unit;
• decreased acceleration dynamics;
• the accelerator pedal is uninformative;
• power drop;
• increased fuel consumption;
• periodic popping sounds in the exhaust system.

The above symptoms do not guarantee a 100% timing fault, since similar factors are inherent in other breakdowns.

Adjusting valves on engines of VAZ 2108, 2109, 21099 cars: 21 comments

A shot at the muffler - perhaps the fuel mixture is too rich, does not burn completely, is thrown into the exhaust tract, where it can burn out with pops and shots. The same effect will occur if the fuel mixture in the cylinders is ignited too early, when the piston moves up and the exhaust valves do not have time to close completely. The distributor must be turned 1 mm clockwise (if you look at it from the side of the cover). Or one (two) candles do not work, and then they “break through”.

And how does a clogged exhaust system manifest itself? There may be failures and even stalling by adding a little gas, something like this appears, and then it returns to normal. I tried to start it several times, then there was a shot in the muffler and it started working normally. And I added the level in the float chamber and replaced the old tap, with no result. In the evening everything is fine again in the morning. And the rear one won't turn on.

Preparatory stage before adjusting the valves on the eight-valve Lada Granta

Required tools and materials:

• a set of washers for adjusting the gap. Thickness from 3.0 to 4.5 mm in increments of 0.5 mm;
• a metal feeler gauge for adjusting the gap, which is purchased at a car store or car market;
• device for adjusting valves of Lada Grants . Not supplied as standard, must be purchased separately;
• medical tweezers;
• surgical clamp;
• set of automotive tools, set of heads.

Special devices - it’s easier with them

Why do you need valve adjustment and how to get rid of it?

Welcome! Valve adjustment - most people, of course, know what this process is and why it needs to be done regularly on some cars, for example on the “Classic”, but there are people who know nothing about this and want to understand this issue, so especially for such people, this article was prepared from which you will learn a lot. And if something becomes unclear to you, then write a comment with your question at the very bottom of the site and we will answer it as soon as possible.

Note! And in addition, at the end of the article you will find an interesting video clip, thanks to which you will understand a lot about adjusting the valve drive!

Why do you need to adjust valves?

Their adjustment is necessary so that the machine operates more steadily at both high and low engine speeds. Because, as a rule, due to improper adjustment of the valves, the gaps that should be between the camshaft cam and the valve itself are violated, which leads to the valve opening too much when the engine is running and, as a result, depressurization will occur in the cylinder, which in turn can have a detrimental effect on the engine’s service life .

Note! If the gap between the valve seat and the side parts of the cylinder has become very large (see photo below, this gap is marked there), then burnout of the valve may occur, and also if the stroke of the piston is very large, then it may occur the meeting of the valves with the piston itself during engine operation. Therefore, valve adjustment must be done periodically and with special care, since incorrectly set gaps during adjustment can again have a detrimental effect on the service life of the motor!

How will the valves operate if the gap is incorrectly set?

In this case, as mentioned earlier, the operation of the valves is disrupted, due to this, the valves either begin to open a little more than they should, or they begin to be in a constantly open position, due to which the seal in the cylinder is lost, for clarity, look at the photo below in which the valve adjustment is disrupted and therefore the valve is in a constantly open mode.

How to get rid of valve adjustment?

Have you ever asked the question: “Why, for example, on a 16-valve Prior, do you not need to adjust the valves?” And the whole point is that in the Priors engine, instead of a “Pusher”, due to which the camshaft cam pushes the valve, there are “Hydraulic Compensators”, which in turn, due to the high oil pressure, find the optimal gap between the cam and the “Hydraulic Compensator” itself. valves and therefore the valves always operate at optimal clearances.

How to correctly set the piston on the compression stroke?

Setting the piston of the first cylinder to the TDC position - top dead center - is necessary when carrying out work related to the timing belt. Violation of the valve timing is unacceptable, since the power unit will not start.

TDC is set according to the timing mark on the Lada Granta. There are 8 valves on the pulley of the first and fourth cylinders. To control accuracy, check the alignment of the marks on the flywheel and crankshaft toothed pulley. If the indicated marks do not match, then the valve timing is disrupted. Rotate the crankshaft pulley until the marks match exactly.

Sequencing:

1. We activate first gear in the car.
2. We hang the wheel and turn it until the mark matches.
3. Disconnect the terminals from the battery.
4. Unscrew the three screws of the timing cover. Remove the plastic casing.
5. We turn the crankshaft until the marks on the camshaft and the drive belt cover coincide.
6. We remove the rubber plug from the clutch housing and check that the mark on the flywheel matches.
7. If the timing belt marks do not match, then remove the engine protection (described below).
8. Remove the timing cover and turn the crankshaft until the marks match.

What are valves and valve control services?

These elements on the VAZ 2114 are exactly the same elements as on Honda, Suzuki, Renault, Kia and others. They are metal rods with a cap at one end. On the other, several grooves are cut out for fastening, the so-called “crackers”. They hold the valve on a spring.

The valves are made of special steel . Their main task is to control the amount of incoming air and the exit of the burnt mixture from the engine. The concept of valves is very closely related to the cylinder head (cylinder head) and timing (gas distribution mechanism), of which they are components.

In fact, the operation of valves is very easy to understand if you understand engines. When the starter begins to spin the flywheel, it drives the crankshaft, which carries the pistons that move inside the cylinders. There is nothing in their upper part, so a cylinder head with valves and camshafts built into it is installed on top.

It turns out that when the crankshaft unwinds, the camshaft installed in the upper part also unwinds, since they are connected to each other by a chain or timing belt and move synchronously. The camshaft has “cams” ​​that are shaped like an egg, only flat. When they begin to rotate, they press with one side on the valves, which, being on a spring, are compressed and allow air into the cylinder.

But the fists press periodically, not constantly. During this cycle, a certain volume of air flows in. Then the valve closes. The piston moves upward and compresses the resulting mixture of air and fuel. It is then ignited by the spark plug and burns out. During this time, the piston manages to make one more stroke and into another valve, which opened during this time, it displaces the burnt mixture.

But at the same time, the valves must be strictly adjusted, otherwise the volume of air will be different, which will have a bad effect on the operation and condition of the engine as a whole.

Therefore, adjusting the valves involves setting specific parameters for spring compression, which directly affects the clearance.

Adjusting valves without leaving marks

In addition to the classic method of adjustment with setting TDC, there is the following practice:

1. Jack up the right side of the car and hang the wheel.
2. Remove the valve cover and install the retainer in the rocker arm.
3. Rotate the wheel until the piston is at top dead center.
4. We measure the valve clearance and determine the size of the metal washer that needs to be installed.
5. We press the cam (device) on the surface of the valve, remove the worn washer, and install a new one.
6. By analogy, we repair the remaining cylinders.

This adjustment method is good on the road when there are no service stations nearby.

Replacing oil seals (valve seals) without removing the cylinder head

If the valve clearances in your car are adjusted using pushers, then during the adjustment process you will have to remove the camshafts, as well as the pushers themselves. With such disassembly, there are only a couple of steps left to replace the valve seals, which have a mileage of 100,000 km. almost certainly lose their characteristics. Worn valve seals can cause increased oil consumption, and it is often advisable to change them while adjusting the clearances. We have the necessary equipment at our disposal to replace valve stem seals without removing the cylinder head during valve adjustment.

Tool for removing the valve spring without removing the cylinder head from the engine. With its help, you can replace oil seals (oil seals) without completely disassembling the engine.

On the left is the new valve stem seal, on the right is the old one.

Reviews

Average price with all extras

Total on average:

• Preventative adjustment will cost about 1,100 rubles, plus the gasket itself is 130 rubles, its installation is 300 . The main thing is not to bring the condition to a critical state and carry out preventive measures in a timely manner.
• For complex repairs in the first case. It will cost you to install rear seals 2300 , front 950, replace the valve cover gasket 300 rubles , the gasket itself 130 and replace burnt valves 2000 and adjusted valves 1100 .
• In the second situation, replacing the camshaft is 1500 rubles , repairing the head is 4000 , changing the gasket is 300 the gasket itself is 130 rubles and 1100 is adjusting the valves.

The internal combustion engine of the car needs timely adjustment of the valves and then it will cost less to repair. The importance of the performed preventive maintenance is very difficult not to appreciate; it reduces fuel consumption, returns the engine to its original performance and eliminates unnecessary sounds in the internal combustion engine.

Car : VAZ-2114. Asks : Tarasov Igor. The essence of the question : How much does it cost to adjust the valve clearances of a VAZ-2114 at a service station?

Hello! I turn to specialists in my matter or to knowledgeable motorists. The mileage on my VAZ-2114 is 60,000 km. According to the regulations, this is the mileage at which it is necessary to adjust the valve clearances. The engine runs like a clock. Do you think it’s necessary to climb there if there are no problems?

I looked through the instructions for adjusting the gaps on the VAZ 2114, there is nothing special. The only problem is that you need to have shims. Now I’m thinking, is it better to purchase these washers and then adjust the valve clearances yourself, or should I turn to specialists?

Tell me, who has encountered how long the process of adjusting the timing gaps is and what is the price of such a procedure at a service station?

Conclusion

The timing mechanism on the 8-valve Lada Grant is a weak point. However, with systematic maintenance of the technical equipment and a non-aggressive driving style, the service life of the timing belt is extended by 5 - 10 thousand km.

High-quality fuel and motor oil with a viscosity index of at least 10W-40 will increase the service life by several thousand more. The timing interval is adjusted every 15,000 km.

Premature valve failures are most often caused by violation of operating conditions by the owners of technical equipment.