"Lada Kalina" is a very common car in Russia. It is in great demand due to its low cost and maintainability. Many people service this car with their own hands. Typically, car owners pay attention to the engine, changing its oil, filters, spark plugs and other parts. But many people forget about the checkpoint. Changing the oil in the Lada Kalina gearbox is a mandatory maintenance measure. Everyone should know about it. So, let's look at how this procedure is performed and what kind of oil to fill in the gearbox.
Characteristic
The Lada Kalina uses a classic five-speed manual transmission. This box takes its history back to the days of the “nines”. AvtoVAZ recently released a new VAZ-2180 gearbox with a cable drive. The transmission has undergone many changes, but the lubrication principle remains the same. So, several liters of transmission fluid are filled in the pan. It does not splash and is not inflated by a pump. Lubrication occurs naturally - when rotating, the gears of the intermediate and other shafts are dipped into this bath of oil. This ensures lubrication of the rubbing elements.
Many people don't know this, but this is not the only function of oil. In addition to lubrication, it also provides heat dissipation. This is why when the fluid level is low, the box quickly overheats. The gears themselves run dry, which causes a significant amount of wear. It then accumulates in the oil. Over time, its amount increases, and the liquid itself becomes darker. That is why you need to regularly monitor the oil level in the box. For this purpose, Kalina has a special probe. The manufacturer does not recommend operating the vehicle if the oil level is below the average mark.
Self-replacement of transmission fluid in the gearbox
If for some reason you cannot or do not want to carry out work at a service station , you can carry out this procedure yourself . To do this you will need the following tools :
- a wrench set to “17” (preferably a box-type one);
- funnel with a tube , which you can make yourself or purchase at the appropriate store. (no more than 50 cm in length);
- the transmission fluid itself ;
- containers for waste;
- jack - it will help if you need to flush the manual transmission.
About the resource
The procedure for changing transmission oil differs significantly from engine oil. The manufacturer advises changing the transmission every 75 thousand kilometers. But experienced motorists recommend reducing this figure to 60, and if the car was new, then even to 30 thousand kilometers. Why is this so? New parts form small chips during the grinding process. Its presence in oil is undesirable. Therefore, such lubricant must be replaced as soon as possible.
Further, during operation, the oil will be subject to different temperature changes. Production will decrease, but this does not mean that after 30 thousand kilometers it will stop altogether. And the factory oil itself is not of good quality. Therefore, in order to keep the transmission intact, the oil in the Lada Kalina gearbox must be changed at least every 60 thousand kilometers.
What to buy as oil for the Kalina engine?
A reasonable question: what kind of oil should I use? The sales network today can offer a wide range of transmission oils recommended for the Lada Kalina box. Experts have put forward a recommendation to use a lubricant with the following temperature and viscosity parameters: from “70-W80” to “80-W85”. Regarding manufacturers, we note the products of the following companies:
- Rosneft and Lukoil (domestic);
- “Shell” (famous imported analogue);
- “Zic” (growing popular Korean oil).
Well, everyone will decide for themselves what kind of oil to pour.
Tools and materials
In order for the oil change in the 2nd and 1st generation Kalina gearbox to be successful, we need to prepare:
- Open-end wrench 17 (or ratchet with a head).
- Jack.
- An empty canister or any other container for draining waste. It is important that it is wide and flat, otherwise it will not fit under the bottom. You can cut the side of a motor oil can and place it under the drain hole. The Kalina's clearance allows this to be done.
- Watering can. It is advisable to lengthen it, since the box with the filler hole is very deep. For convenient filling, use a hose of the appropriate diameter. It is important that its length is at least 30 centimeters.
The engine air filter should not interfere
The air filter box in Granta and Kalina-2 cars is secured with three rubber stops. It will not be difficult to dismantle them, but first you will need to disconnect all the connectors attached to the box from the outside. You will also need to remove the adsorber valve. And only then, without fear of damaging anything, the plastic box is taken to the side.
The cylinder to which the corrugation is attached is the mass air flow sensor module. This module has one connector. Disconnect it, and it is better to leave the clamp holding the corrugation in its original form.
The result of all the work done looks like this:
The filter box is simply folded back
The steps mentioned above are listed here in order:
- Disconnect the negative terminal of the battery;
- Disconnect the clip “1” that holds the power wire and disconnect the connector “2” of the mass air flow sensor (Fig. 1);
- Dismantle the canister purge valve. Disconnect the connector with the wires, then use a flat screwdriver to press the spring on the side and remove the module itself from the grooves (Fig. 2);
- All stops holding the box can be easily removed from the slots (Fig. 3).
The connector that needs to be disconnected in “step 2” will not be available in configurations with motor 21127.
Here you need to disconnect the connector and remove one clip
Use a flathead screwdriver to press on the spring.
Each stop must remain on the metal
We wish you success.
Let's get started
So, how is the oil changed in the Kalina gearbox? Before starting work, it is necessary to warm up the gearbox. This especially needs to be done if it is frosty outside. Transmission oil is very viscous, and at sub-zero temperatures it will even take on a jelly-like form. In addition, on a heated box, all the waste fluid will drain faster.
Next, take a jack and lift part of the car. Since our Kalina is front-wheel drive, we place a jack at the left front wheel (the gearbox goes exactly in this direction). Then, using a 17mm wrench, unscrew the drain plug. It is very easy to find - it is located at the bottom of the edge of the checkpoint. There is a separate hatch for it in the protection. Then we substitute an empty container and wait until all the oil is drained from the gearbox. But even with a heated box, you have to wait a very long time - at least 20 minutes. How do you then change the oil in the box in Kalina?
After this, tighten the plug with a wrench using hand force (do not overdo it, otherwise you won’t be able to unscrew it next time). Open the hood and find the filler hole. There is no neck as such on the Kalina - you will have to fill it through the dipstick. Therefore, the hose with which we extended the watering can must be thin. To prevent oil from leaking, you can quickly wrap the joints with electrical tape or a foam pad. Then fill in the liquid in full. Place the dipstick in place. This completes the oil change in the Kalina gearbox. Now you can begin daily use. There are no filters in the manual transmission, so its maintenance is limited only to changing the oil.
The best motor oil. does it exist?
For example, with the following “risk factors”:
- Frequent driving on bad and dusty roads, including off-road
- Operation in harsh climatic zones - with sudden changes in temperature (precipitation, cold snap - warming, dirt and slush, high humidity)
- Regular driving at cruising speeds, high engine speeds, engine overheating
- The driver makes mistakes when shifting gears, the transmission overheats
The above factors help to shorten the replacement interval, since the oil becomes unusable before the scheduled time. As a result, it turns out that the optimal frequency in such conditions is about 30 thousand kilometers. In any case, it is still advisable to regularly monitor the volume and condition of the oil.
Helpful advice
As we have already noted, gear oil is very viscous. Even when hot, it hardly comes out of the box. Therefore, some of the liquid remains on the walls of the pan and on the shaft gears themselves. Experts recommend spilling a little fluid before replacing. To do this, pour 100-150 grams of oil into the box without tightening the plug, and wait until it comes out of the hole. Many are surprised by the result: clean transmission fluid was poured into the box, and after a couple of seconds black slurry came out. This way we will clean the gearbox as much as possible of old lubricant. This is especially useful when switching to a product from a different manufacturer and with a different viscosity.
Choosing the best
At the factory, TNK TRANS KP oil is poured into the car's gearbox , but the overwhelming number of car owners prefer to fill in fluids from other brands , most often foreign-made. Usually, when switching to oils from other brands, the noise coming from the gearbox is reduced service life , and even fuel consumption .
To select oil for the Lada Kalina gearbox, you need to focus on viscosity . The following list will help you here:
- Viscosity grade: 75W80 withstands temperatures from -40 to +35
- Viscosity grade: 75W85 can withstand temperatures from -40 to +35 (but in terms of characteristics it is slightly ahead of the competitor)
- Viscosity grade: 75W90 withstands temperatures from -40 to +45
- Viscosity grade: 80W85 withstands temperatures from -26 to +35
- Viscosity grade: 80W90 withstands temperatures from -26 to +45
- Viscosity grade: 85W90 withstands temperatures from -12 to +45 and above
What oil was filled in from the factory and which one to choose for replacement
From the factory, the Kalina gearbox is filled with mineral oil TNK TRANS KP, TU 38.301-41-191-01, which is produced by the Ryazan Oil Refinery (formerly called ROLS T). One thing many car owners prefer to fill with oils of other brands, including imported ones. Some car owners, having switched to oils of other brands, note a decrease in the overall noise of the gearbox, as well as a longer service life and reduced fuel consumption.
Choosing gearbox oil
- Lukoil GL-4 75W90 TM-4 front. priv. (4l.) p/synth price from 950 rub.
- Lukoil GL-4 80W90 TM-4 front. priv. (4l.) min price from 550 rub.
- Lukoil GL-5 75W90 TM-5 rear. priv. (4l.) p/synth price from 1100 rub.
- Rosneft GL-4/5 75W90 (4l.) synthetic price from 1150 rub.
- Rosneft GL-5 80W90 rear. priv. (4l.) min. price from 450 rub.
- TNK Trans KR Super GL-4 75W90 front. priv. (4l.) p/synth. from 1000 rub
- TNK Trans Gipoid Super GL-5 75W90 rear. priv. (4l.) p/synth. price from 1150 rub.
- XADO Atomic Oil 80W-90 GL 3/4/5 (1l.) syn. price from 750 rub.
You can also choose oils from other manufacturers, for example Shell, ZIC. The opinions of car owners are divided regarding the quality of oil from some manufacturers; I prefer to buy domestic products. Others, on the contrary, trust only imported oils.
Required oil volume for gearbox
Lada Kalina (VAZ 1117, 1118 and 1119) requires 3.5 liters of oil. When purchasing oil, you should purchase a 4-liter canister, of which about 0.5 liters will be left for refilling. If you buy 4 liters, it will be more expensive.
Results
As a result, we can say that the modern Russian market offers a wide range of transmission oils for any car. Among all the products, it is important to choose exactly the lubricant that is ideal for you. After a little comparative analysis, or by trusting the opinion of the majority of motorists, you can easily make the right choice. When purchasing, you must take into account the certification of the product. This is very important in order to be confident in the quality of the purchased oil.
| Minimum temperature | -40 | +35 | |
| 75-85W | -40 | -40 | +45 |
| 80-85W | -26 | -26 | +45 |
| 85-90W | -12 |
