3110 Volga do-it-yourself repair

Details: 3110 Volga do-it-yourself repair from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

The Gorky Automobile Plant produced the GAZ-3110 Volga sedan from 1996 to 2005. Production ceased a long time ago, but until now, many of these cars can be found on the roads of Russia, for their owners, the issues of operation, maintenance and repair of the GAZ-3110 Volga remain relevant. In the event of malfunctions, you can contact the workshop, but all the warranty periods for the car have long ended, any problems will have to be fixed at your own expense. Therefore, many owners prefer to carry out maintenance and repairs themselves.

Car design Volga gas 3110

During the trip, you should constantly monitor the condition of the car, monitor the instrument readings. If unusual sounds appear, try to determine their cause and fix the problem. Do not allow the engine to run at extreme conditions for a long time, do not exceed the speed limit, especially on roads with poor coverage, this leads to rapid wear of the suspension. Try to predict the situation on the road, move smoothly, without sudden acceleration and braking.

If the maintenance period is exceeded, the units operate on contaminated liquids, their service life is reduced. Do not allow excessive wear of the brake pads, replace them if they show signs of wear (squeaking when braking). A complete list and terms of routine maintenance are given in the instructions for the car.

In the event of any malfunction, it is necessary to determine what exactly failed. Sometimes this is immediately clear (for example, a flat tire), but often it is not easy to find the source of the problem.

Video (click to play).

Very often problems are connected with it. The GAZ-3110 Volga was equipped with ZMZ-402 (carburetor), later ZMZ-406 (injector), cars with a diesel engine were also produced, but in very small quantities, no more than 150 pieces per year.

ZMZ-406 injection engine for Volga car

Various malfunctions of other units and assemblies are possible. Transmission and suspension repairs usually come down to replacing failed parts. There are only two problems in gas 3110 electrical circuits: there is no contact where it is needed, or there is where it is not needed. A joke, of course, but there is some truth in it. Repair consists in cleaning the contacts and replacing faulty devices, such as light bulbs.

In the first place among the problems is the oxidation of contacts in the system. The consequence of this is a network break and engine failure.

To check the ignition system, disconnect one of the high voltage wires from the spark plug and bring it to the "ground" (any place on the block or body, stripped of paint) at a distance of 6–8 mm.

It is dangerous to hold the wire with your hands, strengthen it with improvised dry materials (preferably wooden). When cranking the engine with a starter, a spark should jump. If not, troubleshoot the low or high voltage circuits. It is better to do this with the help of special instruments (voltmeter, ohmmeter, special stroboscope). In their absence, the low voltage circuit can be checked with a car light bulb. Connect one of its contacts with a wire to ground, the other to the point of the circuit to be checked.
Image - 3110 Volga do-it-yourself repair


If the light comes on, there is voltage. Do not forget that the electrical circuit after the ignition switch is checked with the ignition on. Start from the battery and work your way down the low voltage circuit in series. If you find a point where there is no voltage, strip the ends of the wires and the connection surfaces. If this does not help, the problem is in the wire or device installed in front of this point.

In the high voltage circuit, clean and dry all wires.Make sure that their ends are in tight contact with the sockets of the coil, distributor (for 402 engine) and candles. If a ground breakdown occurs somewhere, the ignition will not work normally. Sometimes such a malfunction is easier to determine in the dark (sparking is visible at the breakdown site). On the GAZ-3310 Volga with the 402 engine, additionally remove the central wire from the distributor cap and check it for a spark (similar to a candle).
Image - 3110 Volga do-it-yourself repair


There is no spark - the ignition coil is faulty, it cannot be repaired, it will have to be replaced. If there is a spark after the coil, but not on the candles, remove the distributor cap, clean it of dirt, check the condition of the central electrode (“coal”), slider and contacts.

Another characteristic malfunction is poor contact with the "ground" of the wire coming from the battery. Signs of this problem are dim headlights after the engine is stopped and the inability to start it (a starter click is heard, but the crankshaft does not rotate). Disconnect the wire from the ground and clean the contact surfaces.

If you suspect a malfunction due to lack of or poor fuel supply, check that there is gasoline in the tank. Some drivers notice such an elementary thing only after long attempts to find a malfunction in other places.
Image - 3110 Volga do-it-yourself repair


Sometimes this happens due to a failure or poor performance of the fuel level sensor. If there is enough gasoline, make sure that it is supplied to the carburetor (for 402) or to the injectors (for 406 engine). A vapor lock may form in the gas lines (during the hot season), blocking the access of fuel. If this happens, put a wet rag on the fuel line to cool it down, or just wait until the engine cools down and the plug disappears. In cold weather, water that has entered the fuel can freeze, and the ice plug also does not allow gasoline to pass through. It is impossible to heat gasoline pipelines with an open fire; hot water should be used.

On a 406 engine, check for a hum from the fuel pump when the ignition is turned on. If not, its fuse may have blown. Before replacing, try to find the cause, the place of the short circuit can be determined by the smoked wires.

Gasoline pump from the ZMZ-406 engine

When the starter is turned on, gasoline should flow out of the hose. If this does not happen, the diaphragm may be damaged or the pump valves may be stuck. Check for gasoline leaks at pipe connections. If air enters the system, the pump pumps it instead of fuel.

In the cooling system, the result of a malfunction is overheating. Main reasons:

  1. Leakage or insufficient coolant level. Check for signs of leakage, especially on hose connections, top up with fluid. Image - 3110 Volga do-it-yourself repair
  2. Insufficient tension on the fan and water pump drive belts. Gotta pull it.
  3. Thermostat failure. Replacement required.
  4. Malfunction of the water pump (pump). Replacement required.

Typical problems of the lubrication system:

  • Oil leaks. They are determined by traces of smudges, seals in these places must be tightened or replaced;
  • Low pressure on a hot engine. If the cause is contamination of the pressure reducing valve, flush its parts and the seat in the oil pump housing. Strong wear of the crankshaft main bearing shells or parts of the pump itself is possible. Replacement required.

Back to index

The main problem for the body is corrosion. You should monitor the condition of the paintwork, if necessary, restore it.