Some may think that the station wagon Kalina is not a very good candidate for deep tuning. After all, the purpose of this car is leisurely city driving, and not participation in street racing. However, there are many enthusiasts who are not satisfied with certain characteristics of their station wagons. And they start tuning them. Let's figure out how they do it.
- Tuning of chassis and brakes
- Work on the appearance of "Kalina"
- Interior tuning
- Headlights
- Trunk and doors
Video: illumination of Lada Kalina
Tuning the Kalina engine
The working volume of the Kalina eight-valve engine is 1600 cm³. With it, it regularly produces the power stated in the instructions. But he categorically does not want to accelerate above 5 thousand rpm without modification. Here's what it consists of:
A direct-flow exhaust system is installed on the car. The direct-flow exhaust allows the engine to “breathe” more freely. This increases the number of revolutions by 10–15%.
Chip tuning is in progress. This procedure allows you to increase the speed characteristics of the engine by 8–10%, increase its throttle response and improve other parameters (which ones specifically depend on the firmware selected by the driver).
Zero resistance filters are being installed. The purpose of a zero resistance filter is to increase the amount of air entering the motor. As a result, the volume of the mixture burned in the chambers sharply increases. The cost of such a filter starts from 2 thousand rubles.
Installing zero resistance filters allows the Kalina engine to breathe more freely
The inlet receiver is installed. The intake receiver is installed in order to reduce the vacuum in the combustion chambers during the intake strokes, when the engine reaches high speeds. The price of the device is from 7 thousand rubles. Installing a receiver can increase the power of the Kalina engine by 10%. And fans of extreme tuning install large-capacity sports receivers on their cars. To install them, they have to bore the throttle body to 53mm. The installation of a sports receiver is always combined with the “sports” firmware of the car. If it is not there, you can forget about stable operation of the engine.
The crankshaft is being replaced. To supply more fuel mixture to the combustion chambers, the Kalina is equipped with a special camshaft, the cams of which have a slightly different shape and are capable of raising the valves a little higher than usual. This measure increases engine power by 25% and significantly increases its torque. But there is a minus: fuel consumption also increases significantly.
Refinement of valves. Lightweight T-valves are installed in the cylinder head and the valve seats are bored accordingly. The price of this operation reaches 12 thousand rubles (for 8-valve engines) and 32 thousand rubles (for 16-valve engines).
Cylinder boring. The goal is to increase engine capacity to 1.7 liters. Performed only by a qualified turner. The price of such a service is from 12 thousand rubles. After boring, the power of the 8-valve engine increases to 132 hp. s, and 16-valve - up to 170 liters. With.
Boring the Kalina cylinder head allows you to increase engine capacity by 8%
Turbocharged engine. To do this, a turbocharger is installed on the Kalina. Garrett compressors are held in high esteem by car enthusiasts. But this pleasure is not cheap; the cost of such turbines starts from 60 thousand rubles.
Tuning of chassis and brakes
The Kalina's chassis underwent major modifications at the design stage. So it is rarely subjected to deep tuning. Basically, drivers are limited to these measures:
- Additional fasteners and support “sports” bearings of the SS20 brand are installed on the steering rack of the front suspension;
- The standard front struts are replaced with more reliable ones. Most often, racks from Plaza are installed;
- Springs with reduced pitch are installed on the suspension. This allows you to improve the car's handling;
- Kalina's standard brake discs are replaced with sports ones, the diameter of which is larger. Usually drivers install wheels from LGR or Brembo. They are more than enough to ensure safe driving in an aggressive style;
Brembo discs are best suited for those who prefer an aggressive driving style. - The standard synchronizers in the gearbox are replaced with reinforced sports synchronizers. This increases the reliability of the box and extends its service life;
- a new clutch is installed. Preference is given to units with carbon, ceramic or Kevlar discs. Their wear resistance is much higher, and such a clutch can withstand enormous loads from a “pumped” engine.
Suspension
Tuning the Lada Kalina Sedan will be incomplete without making changes to the suspension. There are options for radically changing all suspension mechanisms with tuning elements made from pipes. This suspension option will significantly improve the car's handling and make cornering more predictable. But this option has a significant drawback - its price, due to the fact that the introduction of a tuning suspension is associated with a change in the body structure. A budget option would be to replace the rubber silent blocks with polyurethane ones, as well as install a transverse link between the upper parts of the front struts.
Work on the appearance of "Kalina"
Tuning the appearance can also be divided into several stages.
Replacement of wheel rims. Almost all motorists remove the standard steel wheels from the Kalina and replace them with cast ones. They are much more beautiful. But at the same time they are practically beyond repair. After a strong blow, such a disk cracks, and all that remains is to throw it away. There is one more nuance associated with disks: experts do not recommend installing disks with a diameter exceeding 14 inches on the Kalina. Too large discs have a detrimental effect on the aerodynamics of the car and reduce braking efficiency.
Alloy wheels look beautiful, but their maintainability tends to zero
Installation of body kit. This word here means a set of bumpers, arches and sills purchased from a specialized tuning studio. Most often, Kalinas are equipped with kits from EL-Tuning, which has two advantages: a wide range and an affordable price.
Installation of spoilers and roof rails. The driver can either purchase spoilers or make them himself. These parts can be made of plastic, carbon, polyurethane foam and other materials. At the same time, the influence of the spoiler on the aerodynamics of the station wagon body is minimal. They are needed only to improve appearance. Rails are metal strips in a plastic shell that are attached to the roof of the car. There is no need to make them yourself, since any auto parts store has a wide range of these parts.
The spoiler on Kalina performs a purely decorative function, having little effect on aerodynamics
Replacing mirrors. Not everyone likes the standard mirrors on Kalina either. Therefore, drivers often change them to mirrors from Granta. The second option is also common - installing special overlays that completely change the appearance of standard mirrors. They are made from both chrome steel and plastic. Sold at tuning studios. Cost - from 700 rubles.
Replacing door handles. The standard handles on the Kalina are plastic, and it’s difficult to call them beautiful. Drivers replace them with more presentable handles, deeply recessed into the door. Most often they are painted to match the body color. But they also come in chrome, a set of which costs from 3 thousand rubles.
Body kits
Installing tuning bumpers, door sills and arches makes your car distinguishable in traffic. This also includes installing a spoiler; this does not provide much of an advantage in handling, but it does make the car look more sporty.
A complete or partial change in the color scheme of the body gives the car more individuality and helps emphasize the overall style of the car. Color replacement can be done either in the classic way (painting) or by covering it with vinyl film. Depending on the chosen style, the color change can be either partial or complete.
Interior tuning
Car owners also make a lot of changes to the Kalina’s interior.
Replacement of upholstery. The standard interior trim in Kalina is a combination of plastic inserts and leatherette. Many tuning enthusiasts remove the tabs and replace them with leatherette. Connoisseurs of comfort also get rid of leatherette, replacing it with velor or carpet. These materials can transform the interior, but they cannot be called durable. Genuine leather is also used for finishing. But this option is only available to very wealthy drivers, so it is extremely rare.
Replacing seats. When a car undergoes deep tuning, it rarely happens without replacing the standard seats with sports ones. They are more suitable for the aggressive driving style for which the car is being prepared. Anatomical Kalina-Sport seats with high headrests and back support are in great demand. The cost of one such seat is from 7 thousand rubles.
Tuning enthusiasts often install sports seats on Kalina, making aggressive driving easier.
Dashboard and steering wheel trim. To add individuality to the dashboard, Kalina owners usually use vinyl film. Film painted to look like carbon is in particular demand. It looks very stylish on the dashboard. But there is also a minus - after 5 years, even the highest quality vinyl film becomes unusable. As for the steering braid, you can purchase it at any specialized store. The range of braids is now very wide.
Additional interior lighting. For illumination, various LED strips are used, connected to the vehicle’s on-board network. The cost of one such tape is from 400 rubles. Most often, additional lighting is installed on the floor of the car. Its purpose is not only aesthetic, but also practical: if the driver drops some small item on the floor of the cabin, it will not be difficult to find it. Drivers also illuminate the door handles inside the cabin using the same diode strips. This is a relatively new direction in tuning, which is quickly gaining popularity.
They started lighting door handles in the Kalina cabin just a couple of years ago
IF WE WERE CONDUCTING THE RECALL CAMPAIGN
Back in the February issue (pp. 112–114) , when we were first able to look at “Grant,” as they say, under a magnifying glass, we talked about much more significant shortcomings. For example, at the entrance to the engine compartment there is a plastic casing dangling - protecting the fuel line pipes and adsorber. The lower radiator hose, which rubs against adjacent parts, clearly lacks fastenings. Mediocre clamps on the engine ventilation pipes do not provide tight connections: after a year of operation, the engine will be covered with an oil coating. And this is only part of the shortcomings. We will definitely tell you about the rest in the near future - look forward to regular reports on the editorial “Grant”.
Returning to the recall campaign: it is a pity that the forces and means were used ineffectively. It is possible that eliminating the shortcomings we have identified would cost the manufacturer more, but in the future it will pay off faster. After all, it is serious investments in reliability that AVTOVAZ now lacks in order to build a high-quality car.
Headlights
The standard headlights on Kalina are equipped with optics from BOSCH, and they work well. Here's what those who still want to change something in the lighting system do:
- replacement of optics in headlights. To replace the “native” optics, optical kits with white xenon illumination are installed, which are freely sold in almost all spare parts stores. But when installing such a kit, the driver must remember: he does this at his own peril and risk. These headlights produce a very powerful luminous flux that can blind oncoming drivers. And the traffic police officers really don’t like this. This is why many car owners slightly dim the backlight using special sprays;
The xenon lighting on the Kalina's headlights shines brightly, but raises questions from traffic police officers - replacing headlights. This is a more radical option. As a rule, headlights are changed when a new body kit is installed, with which the standard headlights do not fit well. Today you can find headlights of various shapes on sale, both LED and xenon. So any driver can choose the appropriate option.
Trunk and doors
There is also room for improvement in the doors and trunk of the Kalina.
Trunk light. The standard luggage compartment lighting in Kalina has never been particularly bright. Drivers solve this problem either by replacing the standard light bulbs with more powerful ones, or by installing LED lighting on the luggage rack.
Drivers often illuminate the luggage rack with LED strips
Audio system installation. Music lovers often place speakers and a large subwoofer in the trunk to more accurately reproduce low frequencies. But after installing such a system, nothing else will fit in the trunk. So this tuning option is suitable only for real music lovers. Many people try to compensate for the lack of space in the trunk by installing a luggage box on the roof of the car. But this is a big mistake. Additional luggage space appears, but all efforts to tune the car go to waste. The box literally “presses” the car to the ground. An optical illusion occurs, and it seems that the car has become much lower.
Replacing door cards. Standard door trim panels can be replaced with more presentable and beautiful ones. Door cards are also changed when powerful speakers are installed in the doors. In this case, the panels will have to be seriously modified by cutting additional holes in them. Be that as it may, there is no shortage of door cards today. In the store you can purchase a set for every taste, color and budget.
To install speakers, door cards will have to be changed or seriously modified
Video: illumination of Lada Kalina
Lighting
The interior lighting of the Lada Kalina leaves much to be desired. Only the front part of the car is equipped with a small lamp. The rear area of the cabin does not have any lighting devices. According to numerous reviews, tuning the interior of the Lada-Kalina hatchback includes installing a rear row light, which an LED strip will help with. You can connect it to the front lamp, and hide the wiring under the ceiling card. For convenience, you can mount a separate switch in the rear row area. Thanks to this, passengers have the opportunity to turn it on themselves if necessary.
Photo gallery: tuned Lada Kalina station wagons
White lowered Kalina with spoiler, body kit and alloy wheels
This Kalina has cross rails and stylish chrome sills
The owner of Kalina installed funny “eyelashes” on the headlights of his station wagon
This Kalina has an inexpensive plastic body kit combined with a plastic spoiler.
The owner of this station wagon got rid of the standard Kalina headlights, installing more stylish backlit lights
Body kits from the “I’m a Robot” series are very popular among Kalina owners
This station wagon seamlessly combines black and white colors
On this Kalina, the bright xenon headlights catch your eye
The red plastic body kit of this station wagon goes well with the white alloy wheels
The owner of this Kalina replaced only the rims and taillights
So, you can tune almost any passenger car, including the Kalina station wagon. But a car owner who is tuning his car must have a strong sense of proportion. Without this, he risks turning his car into a laughing stock.
Wheels
From the factory the car does not have the best wheels and rims. But they can be replaced without much difficulty. Alloy wheels significantly improve the appearance of the entire car. Good tires provide better road performance, which has a positive effect on the car's handling and reduces braking distance.
