How to increase the power of a car without rebuilding a NIVA 4x4 engine

Many Niva Chevrolet owners note one significant drawback of this SUV - the frankly weak technical performance of the engine. Having a considerable total weight, and considering that this is still an off-road vehicle, with a power of 80 hp. With. obviously not enough.

But this is not the final verdict for this car, because it is possible to refine the engine - tuning aimed at increasing power. Moreover, this can be done in several ways, or even use them all together to achieve maximum growth.

Installation of turbocharging on a Chevrolet Niva

Turbine for Chevrolet Niva The second method of tuning the power plant of a Chevrolet Niva is to install a turbocharger.
Moreover, this method allows you to significantly increase power and also increases torque. Turbocharging provides significantly better filling of the engine cylinders with air due to forced injection.

With this tuning option, you should carefully select a turbine, otherwise the positive effect of its use may be significantly lower than expected.

Tuning in this way allows you to achieve an increase in engine power by 30%. At the same time, turbocharging only has a positive effect on fuel consumption, since it is reduced. And the increase in power is achieved due to better fuel combustion and ventilation of the engine cylinders.

Methods for tuning a VAZ engine and

It is believed that the main goal of engine tuning is to increase the power of the car. But this is only one of the benefits that the owner of a Niva receives. In addition to an increase in torque, increased dynamics and maximum speed, driving characteristics and controllability are improved, engine efficiency increases, and fuel consumption decreases. A positive point is the increase in engine life.

Tuning the VAZ 21214 (21213) engine can be divided into two directions:

• Mechanical modification of the engine (correction of the geometry of the power unit);
• Chip tuning (software upgrade of the ECU) is possible only on injection modifications of the SUV.

In the first case, to improve technical characteristics, direct intervention in the vehicle systems is necessary.

Chip tuning is carried out by flashing the settings of the electronic control unit. The process takes from 30 minutes to 1 hour, but requires knowledge of the software and the features of working with it.

Bleeding the brakes of a Niva Chevrolet: step-by-step instructions

1. Remove the dust cap from the fitting (to make it more convenient, it will fit to remove the rear tire).
2. Wet the fitting with WD-40, then put a wrench on it and tighten the tightening bolt.
3. Pull the rubber tube onto the fitting. Then lower its end into the prepared container, partially filled with TJ.
4. Meanwhile, your partner needs to press the brake 3-4 times every 1-2 seconds, thus holding the pedal in the pressed position.
5. Next, you need to take the head 8 and unscrew the fitting half or ¾ of a turn. At the same time, air bubbles, as well as some of the brake fluid, will escape into the container; the brake pedal will go to the floor.
6. The next step is to tighten the fitting, after which the assistant can release the brake.
7. Repeat the operation performed to bleed the Chevrolet. Perform the action until air bubbles stop coming out of the tube, but only TJ.

In the same way, you need to get rid of air using the upper fitting on the front tire on the left. To remove bubbles that form in another circuit, pump the tire in the following order: left - rear - front right tire.

Bleeding the brakes is especially necessary if any of the following symptoms occur:

• decreased braking performance;
• feeling of a cotton pedal;
• Each time you press the pedal, more force is required.

Important! Repair work must be carried out only after the liquid leak has been eliminated, of course, if there has been no repair before. After fixing the brake system, bleeding will only be necessary when there is depressurization. For example, if the brake pads are replaced, air will no longer appear in the system.

Doing the work yourself

The low wear resistance and efficiency of an SUV engine of Russian origin determines that it is practically impossible to do without mechanical modifications. Many people call such work a change in geometry.

The internal combustion engine installed on the vehicle in question can have many systems modified. Experts recommend starting with upgrading the carburetor. This is due to the fact that due to the use of imperfect production technology, its efficiency is very low. Modernization is carried out as follows:

1. To begin with, it is recommended to replace the nozzle. The factory version is installed with 1 cam, but should be installed with 2 cam.
2. The pump accelerator should be updated.
3. All sharp corners that could cause turbulence in the air flow are removed.
4. Some craftsmen also clean accessible surfaces, reducing their roughness. Due to this, the efficiency indicator is significantly reduced.

Insert: Important: It is important to clean the carburetor structure from carbon deposits and dirt. To do this, use gasoline or a rag. If the dirt has become too deeply embedded in the surface, you can use special cleaning products.

Experts do not recommend chipping a naturally aspirated engine. You can further increase engine power if you try to increase the piston stroke. This can be achieved by installing another crankshaft with a stroke of 84 mm, suitable for the VAZ 2130

. The piston has a diameter of 82 mm, but the piston pin must be offset by 2 mm. After this, the working volume will become 1.8 liters.

In the future, if you bore the block to 84 mm. with the same crankshaft, the volume will become 1.9 liters. But that’s not all, in the future you can increase the filling capacity of the working cylinders. This is achieved by boring and installing valves with an increased diameter of their plates. This operation is quite complex and requires special equipment. It is also advisable to use lightweight connecting rods and then you can have about 100 horses at the output.

Lubricant supplied through the oil pump extends engine life. To improve the performance of the oil pump when tuning the Niva engine, you need to take another pump and cut off part of the housing with the parting plane from it. The thickness of this “pancake” should be about 11 cm. Using milling, cut off the excess and leave a thickness of 10 mm.

Next, do the following to remove chamfers on the edges of the teeth:

1. We compress, that is, remove, the drive gears.
2. We trim one of the gears by 0.75 mm on each side.
3. We cut the second gear to 11.5 mm (after trimming).
4. We repeat the operation with the remaining gears (driven).

This car is distinguished by its simplicity of design, easy accessibility to all components and mechanisms, as well as its increased reliability.

Model characteristics

The car is produced at a plant in Tolyatti, at one of the AvtoVAZ sites. But the Z18XE engine, which is installed in the pre-restyling version, is supplied from abroad, because for its production an agreement was concluded with the Szentgotthard engine plant company.

Since 2009, cars have been equipped with an engine from the VAZ-2123. The domestically assembled motor is currently the only one used in the production of the model.

Let's look at the main differences in the technical characteristics of cars in the table:

Each engine has its own number stamped on it. Some time ago, it was not required to register a car with the traffic police, but at the moment they are increasingly returning to ensuring that it corresponds to the data in the documents. On the previous generation, with the Z18XE installed, it was quite easy to find it; it was located on the horizontal ebb, next to the gearbox. Laser engraving was used for application.

In the newer modification from the VAZ-2123, the data is printed between the 3rd and 4th cylinders.

The main problem is that the area on which the number is applied is often subject to corrosion. When purchasing a used Chevrolet Niva, it is recommended to clean the number and, for further protection, lubricate the area with grease or lithol.

Third step: flashing the ECU

The most inexpensive way to increase the power of an off-road SUV, because chip tuning is a software modification and does not involve technical intervention. Replacing and adjusting ECU software is the essence of flashing. In this way, it is possible to change the operation of the electronic control unit, adjust the fuel supply and reduce its consumption, due to the engine’s performance in terms of power and dynamics. You can increase engine power by about 15% just by chipping.

Common ways to increase power rating

There are quite a few different methods of tuning internal combustion engines, many are aimed at increasing the power of the installed power unit. In the case of the Chevrolet Niva, power is most often increased. Common ways to increase engine performance are as follows:

• Turbine installation. Almost all modern mid- and high-class cars have a turbine engine. This relatively simple unit in design is capable of increasing engine power by a significant 20% of the nominal value. However, this tuning method has a fairly large number of features that are worth considering.
• In most cases, chip tuning is carried out. This kind of modification involves unlocking the full potential of the installed engine. However, not in all cases it is possible to increase engine power in this way, which should be taken into account.
• Factory components of the power unit are often replaced. Due to this, it is possible to eliminate all defects and imperfections that were made at the production stage of the vehicle.

Let's take a closer look at the most common methods of tuning a Chevrolet Niva engine.

Carburetor modernization is a common Niva tuning option

The carburetors installed by VAZ are, to put it mildly, low in efficiency. That is why many people start tuning by changing this element. The features of the work carried out include the following points:

• The pump accelerator nozzle is being updated. It often causes air turbulence, which reduces the efficiency of mixture enrichment.
• In almost all cases, a jet with an indicator of 1 cam is replaced with 2 cam. This also allows you to significantly increase the efficiency of the carburetor.
• It is recommended to clean all unevenness and roughness, as this leads to increased air resistance during operation. For this, files and sandpaper are used.
• The structure should also be cleaned of various soot or other combustion products. This may require a special cleaning agent. Some craftsmen use special baths to remove dirt.

In the case where an injector is installed, it is almost impossible to carry out modifications yourself. Only a professional who knows the features of such a design will be able to change the basic indicators to increase power or reduce consumption. Self-tuning in this case can lead to serious malfunctions.

Replacement of factory components

In order to obtain significant engine performance and increase its reliability, the main factory elements are often replaced with more advanced ones. An example would be:

1. Modernization of the cylinder-piston group.
2. Modernization of KShM.
3. Carrying out boring of sleeves.

All of the above work makes it possible to slightly increase the volume of the combustion chamber, which leads to an increase in engine power.

In most cases, work begins with boring the inner diameter of the liners. Thereby:

• The combustion chamber increases.
• As the volume of the combustion chamber increases, the amount of fuel burned per stroke increases.
• The more fuel the engine burns, the more energy is released, which causes increased power.

Sidebar: Important: It is worth considering that after boring you will have to install new pistons and piston rings. This is due to the fact that even a slight deviation in the size of the resulting gap between the piston and the surface of the liner becomes the reason why the engine will start to operate incorrectly. Due to the fact that new pistons and rings are needed, the cost of the tuning in question increases significantly.

External tuning

How to find out the power of a car engine by engine number

This is the most popular type of tuning, regardless of whether you have a Chevrolet Niva or some kind of Pajero Sport.

By changing the appearance, you can easily and sometimes relatively inexpensively distinguish your standard Niva from the gray, monotonous stream of cars.

• Body kits and sills. Partially decorative and practical modification. Increases dimensions, gives solidity, simplifies getting into and out of the car when installing the same lift kit;
• Radiator grille. Simple, beautiful and original. There are many ready-made radiator grille options available for the Niva from Chevrolet, although if you wish, you can make it yourself from available tools and materials;
• Optics. Installing new optics, front and rear lights helps improve the quality of visibility at night. It will also be useful to mount DRLs and fog lights if they are not available as standard;

• Anti-gravel coating. It does not greatly affect the appearance, but protects the body from damage caused by gravel and all those delights that lie on the roads or fly off from cars in front;
• Painting. The body can be painted partially or completely, using the popular airbrush method;
• Wheel disks. An integral component of any tuning. This is where you should start. If you don’t have the money to buy a new set, and the old one doesn’t look very good, use the powder painting method;

Optics

The optics are worth special attention, and you can transform your headlights thanks to the special glow. Get GT Block Small reflectors and Hiper Flux yellow LED chips. Additionally, you will need black spray paint.

The procedure will be as follows:

You can use other options for localizing holes - it all depends on your imagination. LED strip can replace single diodes, so you will save time and effort.

Such tuning of a Chevrolet Niva with your own hands will allow you to save on energy consumption, extend the service life of lighting elements and increase brightness.

Replacing engine components

If we consider the Niva in relation to the new years, then we should take into account that engine tuning comes in two options:

Recently, chip tuning has become very popular, which allows you to significantly increase the power indicator in the shortest possible time. However, this tuning method should be treated with some caution, which we will discuss in more detail later.

Not all SUVs of domestic origin have an on-board computer. At the same time, we should not forget that some on-board computers are in poor condition and in fact do not affect the operation of the engine.

When considering this tuning method, we note the following points:

• You can increase the power by about 10-30 hp. or more. It all depends on what parameters were set before tuning.
• It is recommended to entrust this type of work to specialists who provide services in this field of activity. This is due to the fact that incorrectly carried out chip tuning can cause various problems with engine operation.
• The technical condition of the internal combustion engine design largely determines whether chip tuning can be carried out. If the motor is in poor technical condition, then increasing the load causes rapid wear. Therefore, if the process in question is carried out correctly, a complete diagnosis is first performed.
• As a rule, the automaker sets minimum power values, leaving a margin. If chip tuning has not been carried out previously, the programmer will be able to configure the engine to increase its power. If the modification in question has already been carried out previously, it will no longer be possible to carry it out again.

In general, we can say that chip tuning is carried out in many cases when it is necessary to increase engine power. However, in order to significantly increase traction, it is necessary to improve the geometry.

Modernization of the off-road features of the Chevrolet Niva contributes to a significant expansion of the vehicle’s capabilities:

• the upper shock absorber mounts are strengthened;
• The fastening of the upper bolt holding the front axle gearbox is being modernized.

Additionally, you can install a hydraulic power steering control, double or gas springs instead of the standard ones. All this is quite expensive, but if you do this tuning, you will never regret it.

The appearance can be significantly changed using the following details:

• front and rear bumper protection;
• thresholds;
• spoiler;
• kangurins.

You can see how tuned Chevrolet Nivas look in the photos or video clips attached at the end of the article.

Engine VAZ 21213 1.7 l. carburetor/injection (21214) in-line 4-cylinder with overhead camshaft, Niva timing belt has a chain drive. Based on the 214 engine, the VAZ 2123 engine is produced for the Chevy Niva; the differences in adapting the block for installing a pulley in the engine compartment and mounting attachments are technically almost identical.

The main differences between the VAZ 21213 engine and the 2106 are the cylinder diameter is 82 mm, the cylinder head, the Niva 21213 engine block from the 2106 is smaller in height. Among the advantages of the 213 engine, it is worth noting the presence of a chain tensioner (no need to tighten it) and hydraulic compensators (no need to adjust the valves).

The simplest modernization of a Chevrolet Niva engine involves replacing certain parts. First you need to bore the sleeves. After this, you need to select pistons and special ring-shaped elements that have a certain size.

The next step is to equip the engine with a crankshaft with larger arms and smaller connecting rods. The result of the above actions will be an increase in engine volume from 1.7 to 1.9 liters, and, consequently, power will increase.

It is also worth thinking about increasing the volume of fuel going to the cylinders. To do this, the cylinder head is modified, namely, the intake and exhaust ports are bored, the valve is replaced with a larger one, the valve seats are bored or completely changed.

How to check and adjust the tension of the handbrake cable

If the parking brake is able to hold the car stationary on a 25% slope, then it is doing its job as expected. If you pull the handbrake lever seven ratchet clicks or more, but the car still rolls, the conclusion is the following: the handbrake system is not working effectively.

In such a situation, adjustment of the Chevrolet Niva hand brake is required. This type of repair is simple, performed relatively quickly and does not require the use of special equipment. All you need for work are two keys “12”, pliers and a jack if it is not possible to put the car on the inspection hole.

To work, you need to put the Chevrolet Niva on the inspection hole

1. First, check whether the handbrake really does not hold the car on the road at a slope of 25%. To do this, place the vehicle on an overpass or find a suitable section of road. If the problem occurs, then we proceed to adjustment.
2. Setting the optimal parking brake cable tension is done under the car, so it is better to place it above the inspection hole. If this is not possible, use a lift or jack. In any case, the rear of the car must be raised.
3. When the vehicle is ready for use, secure it and release the handbrake lever.
4. Next, using a wrench, loosen the lock nut on the handbrake adjusting rod, then use a second identical wrench to tighten the adjusting nut until the cable is properly tensioned. By the way, pliers are needed to keep the rod from turning during the adjustment process.
5. Now tighten the locknut and make a full stroke first to the working position, and then lower it. After this, spin each rear wheel by hand. The rotation must be uniform, jerking is not allowed. If any are felt, adjusting the Chevrolet Niva handbrake requires repeating.

And the last stage is a handbrake test in road conditions. That is, you need to carry out a standard check of the parking brake's effectiveness, as described in the first paragraph of the manual.

Also interesting: How to bleed the brakes on a Chevrolet Niva correctly

After assembly, the handbrake must be tested in road conditions.

Sometimes adjusting the handbrake does not bring the desired result due to the fact that the rear cable is overstretched. In this case, the only way out of the situation is to replace the Chevrolet Niva hand brake cable. In addition, the cable will have to be replaced if it regularly jams in the protective sheath or breaks due to wear.

1. To carry out the replacement, the rear of the vehicle must be in a hanging position. Therefore, lift it using a lift or jack and remove the brake drums from the rear wheels.
2. Using a “12” wrench, loosen the locknut on the adjusting rod and completely unscrew it together with the adjusting nut. You must first remove the spring from the rod, as it will not allow you to unscrew the nuts.
3. After this, you can easily remove the cable equalizer and remove the cable itself from it.
4. Next, by pulling the cable towards you, remove the ends of the shell from the brackets located on the left and right on the bottom of the body.
5. Using manual force, remove the right and left branches of the cable from the rear axle beam brackets.
6. Using a wrench, unscrew the bolts securing the holders to the brake flaps.
7. Now, having disconnected the cable ends from the brake pad drive levers, pull it to remove it from the hole in the brake shield.

After dismantling, install a new Niva rear hand brake cable. To do this, also use these instructions, but perform all the steps in reverse order. And with this, the replacement of the Chevrolet Niva handbrake cable is completed, and finally, do not forget to adjust the degree of its tension. It is also important to lubricate the adjusting threads on the rod upon completion of the repair work to avoid problems with unscrewing the nuts during the next adjustment or replacement.

Geometry improvement work

Due to the low engine efficiency and low wear resistance, mechanical tuning of the Niva 4x4 engine is almost mandatory. Such work is called work to change the geometry of the power plant. You should start modifying the power plant by upgrading the carburetor. We do the following:

1. We change jets with an indicator of 1 kam to a jet with an indicator of 2 kam;
2. Renewing the accelerator pump nozzle.

If there is dirt or carbon deposits in the carburetor, we clean it manually. To do this we need a rag, gasoline and physical strength. If the dirt is very stubborn, a high-pressure cleaner or other device designed for washing the car will help. You can also use special “baths” to remove dried dirt from parts. In this way, the fuel supply to the gas distribution mechanism can be significantly improved.

If you are the owner of an injection Niva, then independently modifying the injector is unacceptable. Only a professional with knowledge of software can perform such tuning of the Niva engine.

Do-it-yourself turbine installation in Niva

Engineers have long been of the opinion that it is the turbine that provides a surge of greater power due to the active enrichment of the mixture. It is worth considering that installing a turbine is not a complicated modification, but the high cost of the compressor may become an obstacle to such tuning.

The design of the installed turbine is usually quite simple:

• The central part is a shaft that receives rotational motion.
• The impeller of the supercharger and turbine is installed on the shaft.
• The exhaust gases become a kind of drive, which also makes it possible to significantly increase the efficiency value.

The fact that the shaft does not receive rotational motion from the crankshaft itself or related mechanisms can significantly increase the efficiency of the installation and its power. It is possible to install the turbine yourself, but due to its relatively high cost, about 40,000 rubles for the simplest model, it is better to entrust the work to professionals.

When to bleed the brake system

It is necessary to bleed the brakes in the following cases:

• Replacing the brake fluid (water appears in it over time) after a mileage of 50-60 thousand km or once every 2 years.
• Replacement of brake system elements.
• In case of loss of tightness due to mechanical damage to its parts.
• Leakage of brake fluid (BF) and a drop in the level in the expansion tank below the minimum allowed.
• After installing new brake pads to return the cylinder rods to their working position after they were moved apart to remove the pads.

We will improve the exhaust system

Since the exhaust system can increase the power and efficiency of the engine, tuning the VAZ-2121 engine includes the installation of modern exhaust and intake manifolds.

With their help, the process of air supply and exhaust gas removal will be optimized, and the efficiency of the power plant will become higher. To increase engine power, it makes sense to install a resonator from the muffler. With it, exhaust gas removal improves, and the running engine acquires a beautiful bass sound.

Tuning the VAZ (Niva) engine also includes moving the muffler further to the rear axle, when almost the entire exhaust system is dismantled. In this case, the resonator can be installed from any car, for example, from a Moskvich.

Service

In order for the engine to last as long as possible, it must be properly maintained. The basic rule is timely oil changes. The manufacturer recommends doing it every 15 thousand kilometers. In this case, every second replacement must be combined with washing. These rules apply to both types of engines.

Only synthetic oil should be used. There are no special restrictions on the type; any will do:

• 0W-30;
• 0W-40;
• 5W-30;
• 5W-40;
• 5W-50;
• 10W-40;
• 15W-40.

The required volume for a complete replacement in the Z18XE is 4.5 liters, for the VAZ-2121 3.75 liters is enough.

The advantage of the VAZ-2123 is that a timing chain is used to drive it. It has a higher resource and therefore changes much less frequently. The manufacturer does not give clear recommendations for replacing it, but according to the experience of the owners, it is best to check or replace it at 150 thousand kilometers. Problems with the chain can be identified by increased noise at high speeds - this indicates a failure of the tensioner and stretching.

It is best to replace the belt on the Z18XE after 45-50 thousand kilometers, otherwise the risk of breakage increases. The engine is 16-valve, so most likely they will bend and require expensive repairs.

Oil pump work

Lubricant supplied through the oil pump extends engine life. To improve the performance of the oil pump when tuning the Niva engine, you need to take another pump and cut off part of the housing with the parting plane from it. The thickness of this “pancake” should be about 11 cm. Using milling, cut off the excess and leave a thickness of 10 mm.

Next, do the following to remove chamfers on the edges of the teeth:

1. We compress, that is, remove, the drive gears.
2. We trim one of the gears by 0.75 mm on each side.
3. We cut the second gear to 11.5 mm (after trimming).
4. We repeat the operation with the remaining gears (driven).

Let's start working on the body. To do this we do the following:

1. We release the driven gear axis from the housing.
2. We form a longer axis from the drive roller.
3. We insert the resulting axle into the body.
4. We press the narrow gear onto the second drive shaft.
5. Press on the wide gear.
6. We fix the wide driven gear in the housing.
7. We install a narrow gear into the housing.

The lower classes can't, the upper classes don't want to

I won’t bother you - I have a modified 105 hp engine under the hood. with a maximum torque of 160 N.m versus 79.6 “horses” and 127 N.m for the standard car.

Who is Volodya? The head of the LSGA engineering center, Vladimir Sharandin, is a specialist in engine development and has been a good friend of mine for almost two decades.

The idea to start working on Niva was born spontaneously. We discussed another car, but the conversation itself led to the all-wheel drive of the GM-AVTOVAZ joint venture. What does Niva lack in driving disciplines? Of course, engine vigor. Especially when driving on highways. Off-road, the lower row of the transfer case helps out, but on the highway... The car frankly falls out of the modern flow. This is especially noticeable during acceleration. Trucks have now become fast and overtaking them on Niva is quite problematic. You have to fire up the SUV ahead of time, calculate the situation almost to the horizon and, without resetting, so as not to lose speed, perform a series of overtaking. Dangerous? Yes! This is the problem Vladimir undertook to solve.

It is clear that no one was going to make a youth car for street racing - the device was not for such an audience. It was about safety: the fight against prolonged overtaking and at least some reserve of agility under the gas pedal. At the same time, it was necessary not to overdo it. It was necessary to maintain all the best off-road qualities, not to overload the transmission with excess torque, keep fuel consumption at the same level and fit all this into a budget feasible for Niv owners. Oh yes, a mere trifle, the cylinder volume is standard - no work on the block, pistons, connecting rods or crankshaft. We don’t touch the bottom of the engine, we only modernize the top: cylinder head, exhaust, intake.

The Niva LSGA with a 105-horsepower engine has not lost its best qualities on off-road. The Niva LSGA with a 105-horsepower engine has not lost its best qualities on off-road.

Pros and cons of the injector

Which is better - Niva carburetor or injector? Among the advantages of the carburetor Niva, it should be noted:

• Simple design of the power system. In the event of a breakdown, you can fix the problem yourself.
• Cheap service.
• Unpretentiousness to fuel quality. Many Soviet Nivas can easily “digest” even 76-octane gasoline.
• Lack of many sensors.
  Read also:  Replacing the wiper motor on a VAZ 2114: doing it right

It would seem that the answer has been found to the question of which is better - a Niva carburetor or an injector. However, a carburetor engine has more disadvantages. Among them:

• Low reliability. Every season you need to adjust the carburetor and carry out its maintenance.
• Dependence on air temperatures. In winter, the spark plugs could easily be overfilled, making starting impossible until the spark plugs were subsequently unscrewed and dried. Also, in winter, due to condensation, the float often “stuck”. And in the summer the fuel pump often got hot.
• Greater fuel consumption.
• Less productivity. To unlock the potential of the engine, it was necessary to spin it up to high speeds.

No matter how simple and maintainable this power system may be, it requires a lot of attention. Over the course of a year of operation, you will have to rebuild the carburetor several times. A modern car enthusiast is unlikely to be happy with this situation (especially adjusting the carburetor or drying spark plugs in 20-degree frost).

Which is better - Niva carburetor or injector? This question interests many car enthusiasts. Here are the advantages of the injection Niva:

• Stable operation of the internal combustion engine. Thanks to the presence of IAC, owners have forgotten what floating speed is. For carburetor engines this was a real disease.
• Great performance. The fuel-injected Niva responds more quickly to the gas pedal.
• Less fuel consumption. We have already seen this by looking at the technical specifications. With the arrival of the injector, consumption decreased by 20 percent.
• Excellent starting in any weather. The injection engine does not flood the spark plugs, and in the summer the fuel pump does not overheat. The latter is submersible and is cooled by gasoline, as it is located in the tank.
• Reliability. Since there is no carburetor, there is no need to regularly tune it, change jets and clean it. The maximum that the owner of an injection-powered Niva can do is clean the throttle valve, but this procedure is by no means mandatory. It is recommended to do this only if the car selects high idle speeds.

What are the disadvantages of the fuel-injected Niva? There aren't many of them. Since more electronics have been added to the system, owners may experience faulty control sensors. If the car begins to consume a lot of fuel, it is worth looking at the mass air flow sensor. If the engine does not maintain normal speed at idle, the IAC may be to blame.

Also interesting: What you need to know about the VAZ 21213 engine before buying a Niva | Weak engine

And if the engine refuses to start, the contact may have come loose from the crankshaft position sensor. But fortunately, these problems don't happen that often. And you can diagnose them with a simple multimeter by measuring the resistance or contact voltage of one of the sensors. Thus, breakdowns mainly concern only electronics. The mechanical part does not raise any questions.

Mechanical modification of the Niva engine

For a 4x4 class car, which is the Niva, mechanical tuning is mandatory. The reason is the low performance of standard components in terms of geometry and wear resistance.

Engine tuning should begin with improving the carburetor. Here you should replace:

• Jets. Instead of 1 camera (t110 in ZD150), 2 cameras are installed (t125 in ZD135);
• Accelerator pump nozzle.

Be sure to clean the carburetor from carbon deposits. This can be done manually using a rag, gasoline and physical force, high-pressure washers designed for home car washing or specialized baths for cleaning parts. All of the above will allow you to debug the fuel supply mechanism to the timing belt (gas distribution mechanism).

Mechanical intervention in the injector is unacceptable; its adjustment is carried out using special equipment and software.

The second stage is tuning the timing belt and other mechanical components of the engine. You should immediately start correcting the geometry of the power unit. To do this, it is necessary to increase the diameter of the valves. It should be noted that sealing them increases motor power by up to 10%.

The same operation is carried out with the pusher wells of the intake and exhaust channels. This entails replacing the pusher itself. It is recommended that its diameter be at least 1 mm. This upgrade is very important for the 4x4 layout. The next step is to replace the injectors and control unit.

You can increase engine power by replacing the standard crankshaft with an advanced modification, as well as installing new piston rings. Installing a new crankshaft will give increased stroke to the pistons. In this case, they must be bored. Although many experts argue that this significantly increases fuel consumption, this operation cannot be avoided when replacing the crankshaft. All of the above operations also add power to the motor.

All of the above will significantly improve the technical performance of the Niva and reduce the wear of spare parts. The smoothness of the ride is also improved.

Leveling up alone

To pump the brakes alone, there is a special device - an aerator.

The simplest one consists of a cap that screws onto the master cylinder reservoir and a hose with a tip for connecting to the wheel.

Aerator for bleeding brakes alone

The air from the inflated tire creates pressure that will simulate pressing the brake pedal.

The sequence of further operations is no different from actions with a partner.

How much will such a service cost from a specialist?

The price depends on whether the car owner will pick up the controller, in this case the cost will be 12,000 thousand rubles. If the controller remains with the master, then this service will cost the driver 10,000 thousand rubles. And for the Niva 21214M version the cost will be 7,000 thousand rubles. Of course, in different regions and cities, prices for chip tuning may increase or decrease, but not by much.

If you still decide to do engine tuning yourself, be sure to watch this video:

Chip tuning of a Chevrolet Niva significantly increases its capabilities, but do not forget that only a professional can perform this procedure efficiently. If you are confident in your abilities and (or) want to save a tidy sum, you can try tuning the car yourself, but the risk of serious damage rests entirely on your shoulders.

Many of those owners who drive a Niva Chevrolet note one, but quite significant drawback on this car - the rather low final engine power. Due to the fact that the car has increased cross-country ability, its weight is quite large, and 80 “stock” horses are simply not enough.

Weaknesses of the ZMZ 409 engine

List of disadvantages of all modifications of ZMZ 409:

• The engine often stalls;
• It makes noise, vibrates;
• Maslozhor;
• The engine knocks;
• The motor is tripping;
• Prone to overheating;
• Low quality of parts and components;
• High fuel consumption;
• Expensive to maintain and repair.

Read more about the disadvantages of the ZMZ 409 power unit

It often stalls. The problem is a sign of failure of the spark plug armor wires, crankshaft sensor and IAC.

It makes noise and vibrates. The reason is the wear of the hydraulic chain tensioner.

Overheats. Obvious reasons: the thermostat is not working; the problem is in the radiator; The system is leaking; antifreeze does not circulate due to air locks. There are dips in traction and the revs are floating at XX. Conduct diagnostics on the ignition coils; as a rule, they are the ones that fail.

Maslozhor. Oil consumption depends on the condition of the valve stem seals and piston rings, however, as their degree of wear increases, oil consumption increases. Check their condition.

The engine knocks. To fix the problem, the hydraulic compensators must be replaced. These consumables last no more than 50,000 km.

Troit. To identify the cause of the defect, it is necessary to check the serviceability of the ignition coils and spark plugs, measuring the compression in each cylinder.

There is a predisposition to overheating. The design predisposition to high temperatures requires maintaining high speeds corresponding to the selected gear. When working on site in the hot season (in traffic jams), you have to turn on the interior heater radiator to reset the temperature. Malfunctions of cooling system components (leaks, radiator, thermostat, fan) can increase the risk of engine overheating.

PS. Dear drivers who spend time behind the wheel of the corresponding UAZ vehicles! I look forward to your feedback and comments on the weak points and shortcomings of the motor.

One significant drawback of the Chevrolet Niva SUV, as many car owners believe, is its weak engine. Considering that this is an SUV and its weight is not small, the power of 80 hp is still not enough for it.

To correct this drawback and increase the power of the Chevrolet Niva engine, modification is necessary; it can be done using several methods, using tuning, due to which the engine will receive the maximum possible increase in power.

Many Niva Chevrolet owners note one significant drawback of this SUV - the frankly weak technical performance of the engine. Having a considerable total weight, and considering that this is still an off-road vehicle, with a power of 80 hp. With. obviously not enough.

But this is not the final verdict for this car, because it is possible to refine the engine - tuning aimed at increasing power. Moreover, this can be done in several ways, or even use them all together to achieve maximum growth.

Niva with turbine

The most common way to add power to an engine is to install a turbine or compressor, which will significantly increase the volume of air entering the power plant.

Installing a turbine is not a complex tuning solution, since the turbine itself has a fairly simple structure. The supercharger and turbine impellers are mounted on the same shaft, and the exhaust gases are the drive. Thus, we can observe the most efficient use of energy from combustion products in a car. The absence of interaction between the crankshaft and the turbine shaft also increases the efficiency of the power plant.

In general, the Niva engine can and should be modified, and then your car will become more powerful and last much longer. This is what we should strive for!