Replacing the Kalina generator bracket

AvtoVAZ products have always been distinguished by a certain number of defects in the production process, and the Lada Kalina model was no exception to the rule. After about six months of operation, various breakdowns and malfunctions are revealed. The most serious problem is the Kalina generator, which fails on almost all new cars. As a rule, this happens after 5-10 thousand kilometers.

AvtoVAZ management is aware of the existence of a similar problem. It considers it a flaw in the car assembly process. In particular, the car plant refers to a batch of defective generators that were installed on the Lada Kalina. The management emphasizes that they use low quality bearings. But not a word is said about the generator bracket, although it is its design that is the main source of all troubles.

Perhaps in the future this problem will actually be solved by AvtoVAZ designers, but now owners of domestic cars have to fix the breakdowns themselves. You can repair the Kalina generator yourself if you understand a little about the design features of the unit and acquire the necessary tools.

Adjustment methods

Currently, there are three main methods of tensioning the alternator belt in cars:

Using a special arc-shaped strip. In this case, the generator has two mounting points. One of them is an axis around which it can move within small limits. The other is the nut on the adjustment bar. If you release it, you can move the pulley to the required distance. This method is now considered obsolete. It is mainly used on VAZ classics.
The generator is moved by rotating the adjusting bolt. This system has become widespread in cars of the tenth family.
Using a tensioner. This is a special movable roller that rests on the belt between the generator and crankshaft pulleys. It is equipped with a screw mechanism. By rotating it, you can adjust the pressing force. This is exactly the kind of alternator belt tensioner on the Lada Kalina.

Sequence of actions when modifying the generator bracket with your own hands on the Lada Grant

We grind 2 - 3 cm on each side of the generator mount. It is better to do this in a stationary vice using drilling equipment. Due to the lack of equipment, we use a grinding machine, which is known as a “grinder”.

Sew 2-3cm on each side

Using a drill with a metal drill (at “8”), we drill out the standard hole on the mount, making the stroke length for the bolt 1.5 - 2.0 cm.

Drill out the standard ring

Using a grinder, we partially grind down the stiffening rib on the mount so that it does not interfere with the free movement of the converter.

We cut out a corner of metal 40 mm long and 30 - 40 mm thick, and bend the edge. It turned out to be something like the letter “G”. One end is attached to the bracket, on the other we weld a nut to “10”.

Corner letter G

We assemble the structural elements, screw in the bolt to tension the generator drive belt.
We install the converter and the bracket without tensioner in its original place.
We move the rocker to the third gear position, put on the drive belt, and turn the crankshaft pulley by hand.
Check the degree of belt tension.

Belt tension level

Note to the driver!
At home, we check the tension level of the generator drive belt as follows. Using your finger, press on the section of the belt between the crankshaft pulley and the tensioner. The belt bends by 10 - 12 mm, no more. Tighten the fastening (tension) as necessary.

Finally, we start the engine and check the functionality of the system.

Advantages of a tensioner

Why weren't designers happy with the previous adjustment methods? Why did they add an extra video? It's not just about convenience. The tensioner significantly increases the service life of the generator. Without a roller, the entire load falls on its bearings. If the belt is tensioned normally, then there is nothing to worry about. In this case, the generator will last many thousands of kilometers. However, very often car owners overtighten the belt, and this is bad.

The load on the bearings increases many times over, so they quickly fail. In itself, this is not so scary and expensive, although repairing a generator is quite labor-intensive. But the car owner does not always recognize the breakdown in time. The bearings gradually “break”, the rotor moves and begins to cling to the stator winding. The result is the need to purchase a new generator. Of course, the Kalina generator belt tensioner pulley can also fail, which happens quite regularly, but that’s only 400 rubles, not twelve thousand.

Design

The main element of the tensioner is the pressure roller. It is made of plastic, and a sealed bearing is pressed inside. The roller is mounted on its own bracket, which, with the help of a threaded rod, can move in a vertical plane. This ensures the required moment of pressure on the belt. To prevent the bracket from moving spontaneously when the car is moving due to engine vibration, the pin is tightened on top with a locknut. The entire structure is placed on the generator bracket. There are two holes in it for attaching the Kalina generator belt tensioner.

How to replace the Kalina generator roller?

Here we need the following tools:

a screwdriver with a flat tip;
keys whose standard sizes are: “8”, “19”, “17” and “13”;
awl.

Process.

How to tension the alternator belt correctly step by step:

First, by opening the hood of the LADA Kalina, we loosen the tension of the belt drive.
Now we use a wrench set to “19”, with which we loosen the tightening torque of the nut. Rotate the rod in a clockwise direction until it comes completely out of the seat.
Next, use an awl to pry up and remove the plastic protective cap present on the roller. A screwdriver with a thin and flat “tip” may be suitable for this purpose.
We find a bolt that secures the bearing to the bracket. To do this, we “arm ourselves” with the key to “17”.
Now carefully remove the roller. It comes with a protective washer and bushing.

Most common faults

During operation, the surface of the roller is constantly in contact with the generator belt. In addition, it is in continuous rotation, which places additional demands on the reliability of its bearings. The tensioner bracket is also subject to heavy load. Hence the main problems:

Bearing wear. It simply runs out of service life or becomes unusable due to dust and dirt getting on it.
Damage to the work surface. As already mentioned, the roller itself is made of plastic. Despite its high wear resistance, it often cannot withstand loads. This manifests itself in the form of scratches and chips, which quickly render the alternator belt unusable.
Misalignment. This means that the belt and tensioner are at a certain angle to each other. Alignment can be disrupted in both the horizontal and vertical planes (due to the curvature of the bracket). This always causes rapid wear of the belt and the roller itself.

Often the cause of the malfunction is the driver himself. When trying to make adjustments, he forgets or does not loosen the locknut enough. As a result, the hexagon of the stud breaks off, and the Kalina generator belt tensioner fails.

Symptoms of a problem

Damage to the tensioner is usually easy to diagnose. It is often noticeable visually. Running the car for a short time without an alternator belt helps to identify the problem. This often allows the damage to be localized. You should think about replacing the Kalina generator belt tensioner in the following cases:

Presence of traces of rust and corrosion on the roller axis.
A characteristic whistle when the engine is running.
Short service life of the alternator belt.
Curvature of the roller relative to the belt.

Let's sum it up

This completes the dismantling procedure. Now you know how to tension the alternator belt. The steps for reinstallation are also very simple, so there is no particular need to comment on them. Upon completion of the entire list of installation procedures, we check the tension level for compliance with the specified requirements. We start the engine and observe the operation of the unit. If no side factors are detected, then the work was done correctly.

Also in LADA Kalina it is possible to remake the tensioning device, which is confirmed by this video:

Replacing the tensioner

The device consists of several elements, each of which is removable. Therefore, the need to replace the Lada-Kalina alternator belt tensioner assembly does not arise so often. As a rule, it is associated with mechanical damage to the bracket and stud.

Replacement work must begin with preparing the tool. No special variety is required; keys 8, 13 and 19 are sufficient. Replacement is carried out in the following sequence:

Use a 19mm wrench to loosen the tensioner locknut.
Using a 8 key, rotate the pin clockwise. Here you need to be careful and not put in much effort. If rotation is difficult, it is better to loosen the locknut a little more.
The pin is released until the roller no longer acts on the belt.
By unscrewing two 13mm bolts, you can completely remove the tensioner.

Here you need to pay attention to one point. Bushings are inserted into the tensioner mounting holes. When removed, they often fall out and get lost, and they may not be present on the new tensioner. Bushings are necessarily included in the kit, but not everyone knows about their existence, so they don’t check it when purchasing. Installation of the Kalina generator belt tensioner is carried out in the reverse order. The pin is tightened with a force of 0.18 kgf/m.

Step-by-step instructions for removing the generator from a Lada Granta car

Before altering the mount, we remove the converter from its standard place in the engine compartment. To do this, perform the following steps:

We place the car within the perimeter of the repair area, provide safety measures, and secure the rear row of wheels with wheel chocks. Additionally, squeeze the parking brake lever.
Open the hood and disconnect the terminals from the battery to prevent a short circuit in the circuit.

Accumulator battery

We unscrew 6 bolts under the bottom of the car and temporarily remove the oil pan protection.
Remove the protective cap and terminals from the contact board on the converter.

Removes clamps

We unscrew the nut of the upper fastening (key set to “13”), and use the mounting tool to move the converter to the side. Unscrew the lower mounting bolt.

Unscrew the nut and bolt

We remove the generator belt from the pulleys.
We remove the converter assembly and fix it on the surface of the workbench.

Removing the converter

Parts diagram

Forced tuning

Unfortunately, since 2011, designers have abolished the tensioner on Kalina. They were guided primarily by considerations of economy, but they did this without any modification to the generator. In practice, cases of its premature failure immediately became more frequent. Therefore, owners began to install the tensioner on their cars themselves.

It's not very difficult to do this. True, you will have to purchase not only the tensioner itself, but also the generator bracket. The only problem is removing the standard belt. It is very difficult to remove because it is very tight at the factory. You can simply cut it, as you will have to buy a new one. The fact is that the Kalina generator belt without a tensioner has a size of 820 mm, but 880 will be needed.

Preparatory stage before modifying the Lada Granta generator belt bracket

Necessary tools, materials:

a set of car keys, sockets, ratchet, screwdriver with a flat, cross-shaped bit;
rags;
liquid for removing deposits and rust WD-40;
hammer, drill, metal drill bit for “6”, “8”, “10”;
graphite-based lubricant;
additional lighting, since visibility in the engine compartment is limited;
metal mounting;
torque wrench;
bolt with a diameter of "8", length 100 - 110 mm.

Reference by topic:
Features of replacing the alternator belt on the Lada Granta