Priora antifreeze: Replacement, drain, leak, which one to choose, how to change?

When to replace?

The manufacturer recommends changing the standard coolant after 75,000 km or 5 years of vehicle operation. These figures are typical only for a new car, since all SOD parts are new without traces of oxidation or rust. If the car was purchased on the secondary market, it is recommended to replace it with flushing the system immediately after its purchase. And subsequently change the antifreeze every 50,000 km or 3 years of operation.

An example of old antifreeze with rust

If the Priora was filled with antifreeze for some unknown reason, then it should be replaced with antifreeze. Antifreeze has more active chemicals that over time react with aluminum, thereby damaging the thermostat or pump.

Why is liquid leaking out?

If there is a constant decrease in the level of antifreeze in the tank, then there is a leak somewhere. Every detail must be examined to quickly identify and repair damage.

What happens if it is too late to replace?

Coolant loses its properties over time. Every year the cooling system will work worse and worse. If you do not change antifreeze on time, you risk the following:

The engine will heat up faster. If it constantly operates at elevated temperatures, the system risks breaking down quickly.
The liquid will freeze in the tank. As a result, you will not be able to start your car in winter.
Blood pressure may increase. Because of this, antifreeze will begin to leak.

Coolant volume in Priora

The amount of coolant required for the correct operation of the Priora’s internal combustion engine is 7.9 liters. These figures are stated by the manufacturer, but are not a standard. The coolant container can be filled from 6.5 liters. Monitoring the presence and volume of antifreeze should be carried out after the engine has warmed up to operating temperature. If necessary, coolant must be added or pumped out.

Coolant level in the Priora expansion tank

The volume of coolant does not depend on the Priora engine model. Consequently, the amount of coolant will be the same for both an 8-valve and a 16-valve engine.

Preventative measures to prevent corrosion

We offer car owners a certain list of actions that will help prevent the entire preparatory and painting procedure described above:

frequent car washing, not excluding the winter season (a plus will be the application of wax, which can significantly increase protection from adverse external factors);
tracking the initial signs, their minor repairs to a minor area will eliminate large costs and time;
providing the car with mudguards and fender liners;
applying anti-corrosion material to the bottom of the car.

All recommendations for eliminating “bugs” and rust will help even a beginner cope with the repair. Correctly assess your strengths and do not put it off for later. A good result is only possible with the right approach.

Choice of antifreeze

You have the right to choose the liquid yourself, but it is not recommended to save on this. Low-quality coolant can freeze at low temperatures and damage the power unit. It is best to use medium-priced liquids starting from 600 rubles per 5 kg.

It is recommended to fill the fluid with the same color as before replacement. Red antifreeze is poured from the Priora factory.

List of manufacturers you can trust:

Felix
ShellZone
NORD
Sintec
X-Freeze

What color and how much antifreeze should I use?

One of the main questions of car owners is: how many liters of antifreeze should I fill? According to the official technical documentation for Russian-made Lada Priora cars, the required volume of antifreeze is 7.84 liters. For full operation of the power unit, you can fill 6 liters each; this option is suitable for the winter period. However, it is best not to deviate from the regulations and fill in the required amount of liquid so that no problems arise.

Each antifreeze is divided into classifications, and it can be distinguished even by color if there is no label, for example. So, in our country, red antifreeze is predominantly poured - the so-called carboxylate. Regardless of the type, it is important to know how many liters of antifreeze to fill and follow this rule.

ICE malfunctions due to coolant

One of the most unpleasant coolant-related issues that motorists encounter is the loss of antifreeze from the expansion tank. At best, this happens due to a loose clamp on one of the pipes, and at worst, due to a breakdown of the gasket between the head and the cylinder block.

Reasons why antifreeze is lost:

The clamps on the pipes are loose;
The main radiator or heater is damaged;
The expansion tank burst;
The pump seal is leaking;
The gasket between the cylinder head and the block is damaged;

Consequences of untimely replacement

Over time, the refrigerant loses its original characteristics, as a result of which it will not be able to effectively cool the power unit.

If the antifreeze is not changed on time, this is fraught with serious problems:

The engine will heat up faster, and regular operation of the machine with an overheated engine can lead to its complete failure.
The working fluid in the cooling system will freeze and it will be impossible to start the internal combustion engine in the cold season.
The pressure in the lines may increase. Because of this, the oil seals and seals will be squeezed out, resulting in a refrigerant leak.

Mixing

Often people on forums wonder if it is possible to mix coolants. There is only one answer to this question - NO! Never mix different coolants, especially antifreeze and antifreeze. All these liquids have different chemical formulas and a reaction can occur between them under the influence of high temperature.

Consequences of mixing

It is allowed to mix antifreeze of different brands, but of the same colors.

Which company is better

“Behind the Wheel” tested coolants in November 2022. Test results:

Found an error? Select it and press Ctrl+Enter..

Airlock

The design of the SOD on the Priora is made in such a way that the air plug in it is squeezed out independently by the system itself. When replacing antifreeze, the resulting air lock will come out of the system on its own when the car warms up to operating temperature and the thermostat opens to a large circle through the main radiator.

Therefore, all the myths about the airlock on the Prior are a bluff!

You should pay attention to the expansion tank plug, it must be in good working order, the pressure relief valve must function properly. Otherwise, the air lock will not be able to escape.

Drain the Priora antifreeze with the air conditioner. How to drain antifreeze from a Priora with air conditioning

Many Lada Priora car owners often wonder how to drain antifreeze from the engine system. With certain knowledge and following the rules, draining and replacing antifreeze on a Priora is not difficult. However, during the work process it is recommended to be extremely careful and act in stages.

Do-it-yourself coolant replacement
Filling new antifreeze into the VAZ 2170
Why does antifreeze leave the cooling system?

Do-it-yourself coolant replacement

Coolant for the VAZ 2170 Priora comes in two types - “classic” antifreeze or antifreeze. It is necessary to change the fluid in a car every 5 years or 75 thousand kilometers to avoid problems with the engine in the future. Replacement occurs in several stages:

draining antifreeze from the system;
adding new fluid;
removal of air.

How much fluid should I add? The technical support for the Lada Priora car indicates the figure of 7.8 liters. This is exactly how much antifreeze or antifreeze is needed for the normal functioning of cooling. However, some Prior owners note that 6 liters of antifreeze is enough to work.

In order to drain the coolant, you need to place the car on a flat surface; an inspection hole or a special overpass is best.

After this, it is imperative to let the engine cool and make sure that there is no high pressure in the system.

Remember that removing the cap from the expansion tank while the engine is hot or running is dangerous and strictly prohibited!

Next, remove the plastic engine protection. To do this, you need to unscrew the two fixing clips on the sides. This need not be done, but with the protection removed it is more convenient to carry out replacement work. Unscrew the cap of the expansion tank.

A plastic bucket or other container should be placed under the engine of the machine into which the liquid will be drained. After this, carefully unscrew the drain cap; it is located on the cylinder block. In the same way, the protective plug under the radiator is unscrewed, and the antifreeze will flow out of the system.

Filling new antifreeze into the VAZ 2170

To eliminate air and prevent the formation of an air lock in the cooling system, first you need to slightly loosen the throttle body hose clamp and disconnect it.

New coolant is poured into the reservoir until it begins to flow from the hose removed from the throttle body. Once this happens, install the hose in place and tighten the clamp.

Then you need to add antifreeze to the factory standard so that the top layer is halfway between the Min and Max marks.

If after replacing the fluid the system does not work correctly, it means there is an air lock that needs to be removed.

To remove the air lock yourself, loosen the clamp again and remove the hose from the throttle assembly.

Open the tank lid, cover it with clean gauze or a bandage, then blow out the system until liquid appears from the hose, install the hose back and tighten the fastener securely. All actions must be carried out on a cooled engine.

The method, which involves eliminating the air lock by disconnecting the hose from the throttle assembly, is not recommended due to the high pressure in the system on a warm engine.

Why does antifreeze leave the cooling system?

If you notice that the liquid in the tank is constantly leaking and is below normal, it means that there is a leak in the system that urgently needs to be fixed. Regardless of how much fluid is lost, it is necessary to conduct a thorough diagnosis of such system parts as:

expansion tank pipes;
steam exhaust pipe from the radiator;
throttle body and thermostat hose;
all clamps.

If the connections are ok, check the tank housing, radiator and thermostat, it is possible that the problem lies there. In addition, sometimes antifreeze leaks out of the pump hole. If, after examining all of the above components, the leak problem remains, and the antifreeze also goes away, it is recommended to contact specialists who will conduct a more thorough diagnosis.

Replacing coolant on Lada Priora

Today we will talk about replacing the coolant on a Lada Priora with your own hands. The entire replacement process is very simple, the main thing is to follow all the points in our guide and you will succeed.

Lada Priora coolant can be of two types: antifreeze or antifreeze. It is recommended to replace antifreeze once every 5 years or after 75 thousand km, and antifreeze - once every 2 years or after 40 thousand km. The Lada Priora engine cooling system (ECS) holds 7.84 liters of liquid.

If you notice that the fluid level in the reservoir is decreasing, this indicates that there is a leak in the cooling system. Be sure to check the tightness and eliminate the malfunction. Let me remind you that in the previous article we talked about self-repair of the stove on a VAZ 2110.

Antifreeze replacement process

Replacing the coolant is not a complicated procedure, but it requires tools and a little skill in car repair.

The change process on engines with 16 and 8 valves is no different; all work is performed the same way.

Before replacing, you need to prepare a 1m long hose and attach a funnel to it with electrical tape. A funnel can be made from a plastic bottle.

Funnel with hose

What you need:

10 liters of antifreeze;
Container with a volume of at least 10 liters;
Ratchet, extension, head “13”, “19” and “10” mm;
Crosshead screwdriver;

Work must be carried out on a cold engine; under no circumstances drain the fluid on a hot engine - there is a risk of serious burns, as the coolant temperature reaches 100 degrees.

Procedure for changing coolant

It is advisable to carry out the work on an inspection hole or overpass, but if there are none, you can do without them.

We drive the car into the pit, remove the engine crankcase protection and unscrew the expansion tank cap.

Using a ratchet and a 13mm socket, loosen the coolant drain plug on the engine block until it can be unscrewed freely by hand. We substitute the container and use a hose from the funnel to drain the coolant from the block.

We screw the plug into place and now move the container under the radiator. On some Priora models there is no drain plug on the radiator, so antifreeze should be drained through the lower pipe.

We unscrew the plug (or the clamp on the lower pipe and remove it) and drain the coolant from the radiator. Then we screw everything into place.

Next, it is recommended to rinse the system with distilled water and citric acid.

For 10 liters of distilled water, pour 1 sachet of citric acid. Pour this solution into the expansion tank and start the engine.

Let the engine run for 5 minutes, then stop it and let it stand for 5 minutes, then drain the solution.

After flushing, fill in new coolant, warm up the engine, control the antifreeze level and rejoice. The process of changing the coolant is complete.

How to fill

Loosen the clamp and disconnect the pipe from the fitting.
Disconnect the pipe
We unscrew the cap of the coolant container and fill in antifreeze or antifreeze until it begins to flow from the hose, which is disconnected from the throttle assembly.
Pour the required volume into the coolant reservoir
When coolant starts flowing, install the pipe in its place and secure it with a clamp.
Add antifreeze to normal level.
Minimum and maximum coolant volume

What are the consequences of ignoring the replacement of the catalyst gasket?

One of the unpleasant features of operating Kalina with a damaged catalytic converter gasket is the increased noise level during operation of the exhaust system. In addition, the correct mixture formation is disrupted due to improper functioning of the oxygen sensor. All this causes the formation of carbon deposits on the elements of the power unit, timing mechanism, spark plugs, worsening their performance. Well, the most unpleasant moment is that after a short period, the exhaust gas neutralizer itself will simply fail.

Since the ceramic parts of the part are destroyed and clog small areas of the part with their fragments, reducing its permeability, more pressure will now be required for the free movement of gas mixtures through the collector.

Recommendations

Immediately after replacing the coolant, the engine must be warmed up, while simultaneously checking the heating of the lower radiator hose. It should be cold at first, but then quickly warm up. Its heating will indicate that the antifreeze is circulating normally in a large circle.
Then the engine should continue to warm up until the cooling system fan turns on. After turning off the fan, turn off the engine and allow the engine to cool.

Using a spanner “13”, unscrew the nut and remove the wire tip from the contact bolt of the traction relay. Now, using a key set to “13”, unscrew the starter mounting bolts (3 pieces), and the starter is removed from the car. If there is a box with traction control, removal of the starter is not required.

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