Design of the ignition system on classic VAZ engines
The simplest contact system consists of the following elements:
Contact ignition circuit: 1 - generator, 2 - ignition switch, 3 - ignition distributor, 4 - breaker cam, 5 - spark plugs, 6 - ignition coil, 7 - battery
The operating principle of any ignition system is as follows. At the moment when the piston in the cylinder is in the upper position and compresses the fuel mixture as much as possible, the coil windings open. High voltage passes through the distributor cap along a high-voltage wire to the corresponding spark plug, at the electrodes of which a powerful spark occurs. Ignition occurs. This process is called the power stroke of the piston.
With increasing engine speed, the ignition timing angle (IAF) changes, and the centrifugal regulator makes the angle optimal. The vacuum regulator shifts the angle depending on the vacuum in the intake manifold. This allows you to achieve optimal power in all engine operating modes.
Purpose and types of distributors
The main distributor of the “six” is located on a horizontal platform made to the left of the engine valve cover. The unit shaft, ending with splines, enters the drive gear inside the cylinder block. The latter rotates by the timing chain and at the same time rotates the oil pump shaft.
The distributor performs 3 functions in the ignition system:
- at the right moment it breaks the electrical circuit of the primary winding of the coil, causing a high voltage pulse to form in the secondary;
- alternately directs discharges to the spark plugs according to the operating order of the cylinders (1-3-4-2);
- automatically adjusts the ignition timing when the crankshaft speed changes.
The spark is supplied and the air-fuel mixture is ignited before the piston reaches the upper extreme point, so that the fuel has time to fully burn. At idle, the advance angle is 3-5 degrees; with increasing crankshaft speed, this figure should increase.
Various modifications of the “sixes” were equipped with different types of distributors:
- VAZ 2106 and 21061 were equipped with engines with a working volume of 1.6 and 1.5 liters, respectively. Due to the height of the block, distributors with a long shaft and a mechanical contact system were installed on the model.
- VAZ 21063 cars were equipped with a 1.3 liter engine with a low cylinder block. The distributor is a contact type with a shortened shaft, the difference for models 2106 and 21063 is 7 mm.
- The updated VAZ 21065 series was equipped with contactless distributors with a long rod, working in conjunction with an electronic ignition system.
The difference in the length of the drive shaft, depending on the height of the cylinder block, does not allow the use of the VAZ 2106 part on a 1.3 liter engine - the distributor simply will not fit into the socket. Installing a spare part with a short shaft on a “clean six” will also not work - the splined part will not reach the gear. The rest of the filling of the contact distributors is the same.
As a young, inexperienced driver, I personally encountered the problem of different lengths of ignition distributor rods. On my Zhiguli VAZ 21063, the distributor shaft broke off on the road. At the nearest auto store I bought a spare part for the “six” and began installing it on the car. Result: the distributor was not inserted completely; a large gap remained between the platform and the flange. Later the seller explained my mistake and kindly replaced the part with one suitable for the 1.3 liter engine.
Symptoms of a problem
Adjusting the ignition on a car is required after repairing the engine or removing the distributor. Like any mechanical system, it tends to wear out, and characteristic symptoms appear:
Attention! Late ignition often causes burnout of the exhaust valves, which at this moment overheat.
Having discovered a malfunction, you should check whether the ignition is installed correctly on the VAZ 2106, and if necessary, adjust it. To work, you will need a spark plug wrench, a “13” wrench, a light bulb or strobe light, and a plate probe.
Instructions for setting the ignition of the VAZ 2106
Let's look at 3 known methods of adjusting the ignition angle on VAZ engines.
Using a strobe light (by marks)
This method allows you to very accurately set the ignition to the marks, and does not require removing the distributor and valve cover. The entire adjustment process takes 5 minutes. A strobe light can be found at any auto store. The procedure is as follows:
Installation by light bulb
If you don’t have a strobe handy and you need to set the ignition accurately, it is recommended to use a simple 12-volt car lamp. Two wires with stripped contacts are soldered to it. The settings are made in the following sequence:
How to install contactless (electronic) ignition
Installing electronic ignition is the easiest way to improve engine performance. Replacing with a contactless system provides the following advantages:
The finished kit includes a distributor with a Hall sensor, a special ignition coil and a switch. It is possible to leave the old high-voltage wires.
The electronic ignition system includes: an ignition coil, a distributor, a switch and a set of wires
To install contactless ignition to replace the old one, we need a key for “13” and “10”, two screws for fastening the switch and a strobe for adjusting the advance angle.
The order of work performed:
Contactless ignition circuit for VAZ 2106
Important! BSZ systems may differ in the length of the distributor shaft for different models of classic Zhiguli engines, so before purchasing it is worth checking with the seller about the interchangeability of components.
Distributor cap and slider - check and replacement
To do the job you will need a multimeter.
1. We prepare the car for operations (see “Preparing the car for maintenance and repair”).
2. Disconnect the wire from the negative terminal of the battery (see “Battery - removal and installation”).
3. Use a screwdriver or other suitable tool to disconnect the spring clamps of the cover.
4. Remove the cover from the distributor.
5. By pressing on the carbon electrode, we check its mobility and visually assess its condition.
Damage or excessive wear of the electrode is not permitted.
6. We wash the surface of the cover with white spirit, and clean the contacts of the side electrodes from carbon deposits with fine-grained sandpaper.
Cracks and burnouts in the lid body are not allowed. If necessary, disconnect the high-voltage wires and replace the cover with a new one.
7. We wash the surface of the slider with white spirit, and clean the central and side contacts with fine-grained sandpaper. Cracks, burnouts of the slider and excessive wear of the side electrode are not allowed.
8. Having connected the ohmmeter probes to the contacts of the slider, we measure the resistance of the resistor. It should be within 5.0-6.0 kOhm.
Otherwise, replace the faulty slider.
9. Using a slotted screwdriver, unscrew the two screws securing the slider to the support plate of the ignition timing regulator and remove the slider.
10. Using a screwdriver or other suitable tool, press out the regulator weights, checking their mobility.
If necessary, lubricate their axles with penetrating lubricant.
1. Install the slider on the movable plate, orienting it with its rectangular protrusion into the figured cutout.
2. Using a rag moistened with white spirit, clean the high-voltage wires from dirt and connect them to the cover according to the markings located next to the side electrodes.
3. Installation of all other parts is carried out in reverse order.
Source
Checking the ignition angle while the vehicle is moving
It is best to check the functionality of the ignition system after any adjustment while driving. This is due to the design features of the distributor and the octane number of the gasoline used. It happens that the ignition angles set according to the marks do not provide sufficient dynamics and throttle response. Adjusting by ear according to the beginning of detonation will help:
Ignition adjustment work should be carried out regularly. The service interval for a simple contact ignition system is 15,000 km, for an electronic one - twice as long. The condition of the spark plugs and high-voltage wires is also regularly checked. All setup operations can be easily done independently; a garage is not needed for this. The skill of independently repairing the ignition of a VAZ 2106 will always come in handy on a long journey or in winter, when problems arise with starting.
A device function called a slider
The slider is located in the ignition distributor. You can find it right under the lid. By design, runners are quite simple devices consisting of plates (central and spacer). Despite the fact that the models of distributor runners are different, they all have the same design.
One of the varieties of runner
These devices have an important function regarding sparking. We can say that the proper operation of the internal combustion engine directly depends on the slider.
You should know that the distributor rotor is a part of old cars equipped with a carburetor engine system. The slider is made of plastic and has a high-voltage contact inside. When the distributor operates and rotates, the contact of the slider is in direct contact with the contacts of the cover. Thus, the spark that is so necessary for the car is set.
In technical terms, the distributor rotor is needed to transmit high voltage current. The transmission goes from the ignition coil to the spark plugs through armored wires.
Fixing the slider on the distributor
The rotor is fixed directly to the distributor drive (shaft), and the rotation is set in such a way that for 1 revolution of the runner there are 2 revolutions of the crankshaft. It is in this way that the discharge is transmitted to the spark plugs in a strictly defined order.
On a distributor drive, the slider is fixed rigidly so that it does not jump off when the shaft rotates. When rotating, the side contact of the rotor contacts the CG (contact group) pressed into the distributor cap.
Interesting. The distributor cap is in the same position regularly. It does not move, but the sliding contact, “running” next to the electrodes of the cover, forms an alternating and short-term electric arc. This also explains the transmission of the discharge.
On some cars, ignition systems have two working contacts on the slider. This is, in principle, a working classic Twin Spark ignition circuit from the Italian company Fiat. One of the contacts is implemented closer to the center, the other - as far as possible. In this way, the contacts correspond to the cover electrodes, packaged according to the same principle. And most importantly: this scheme ensures complete isolation of the CGs from each other.
Twin Spark ignition system
Twin Spark is considered one of the first systems used for effective afterburning of fuel in the combustion chamber of a car. The system has a simple design, but is very effective and economical.
Installation and adjustment of the distributor
On a VAZ 2106 car, repair of the distributor is necessary if it is not working correctly, but if this element is working normally, in order to set it correctly, you first need to set the marks. The crankshaft rotates either by a ratchet or by a nut using a special wrench. You can see marks on the power unit cover.
To set the ignition correctly, the marks must be correctly aligned:
When you finish making marks, you need to set the required gap in the contacts. To do this, the runner of the distribution unit must be removed and the fixing bolt of the interrupting element must be unscrewed. It is recommended to clean the contacts in advance using sandpaper. When open, the gap on the contacts should be no more than 0.4 mm.
Identification of marks on the device
Before setting the ignition on the VAZ 2106, you need to unscrew the mount of the distribution unit using a wrench, then it can be removed from the body.
To ensure that the installed unit works correctly, consider the following nuances:
Types of faults
As a rule, if the distributor slider is in order, then the car engine starts the first time, without any problems. But when difficulties are observed with the plant, this indicates a damaged or broken rotor (provided that the problem is not elsewhere).
Breakdown of the distributor slider
The most common malfunction of the distributor slider is its breakdown. It can be external or internal. Obviously, the external one is determined by noticeable signs - a black mark, the internal one must be checked by the presence of a spark (details below).
The breakdown occurs due to metallization of the channel. For preventive purposes, metallization should be checked regularly. This is done using a multimeter or other similar device. The channel is checked for moment of resistance. The probes of the device are connected to the place of the slider where there is doubt about breakdown.
You should know that the spark can escape either completely or partially through the formed channel.
Device malfunctions
Replacement and repair of the distributor on the domestic “six” is carried out in the event of incorrect operation of the mechanism.
Below are the main symptoms of breakdowns that indicate possible malfunctions:
As you can see, in general the symptoms are similar to those that appear when the ignition is set incorrectly. Of course, if such symptoms appear, it cannot be said for sure that the fault lies in the distributor, but attention should also be paid to diagnosing this unit.
As for the breakdowns that may force the car owner to repair or replace the mechanism, they are as follows:
How to install a distributor on a VAZ-2106
Repair of the distributor on the “six” is necessary due to its incorrect operation, but if this part works normally, to configure it, you first need to set the marks. The latter can be seen on the engine cover.
In order to accurately set the ignition on a VAZ-2106, the risks must be correctly combined.
After placing the marks, you need to set the required gap in the contacts. To do this, you will need to remove the runner of the distribution unit, and also unscrew the fastening bolt of the interrupter part. You should clean the contacts with sandpaper in advance. The gap on the contacts when open should be no more than 0.4 mm. Before installing the ignition in the 2106th model, you need to unscrew the fasteners of the distribution unit with a wrench, after which you can remove it from the housing.
