Niva 4x4 DIY repair

VAZ-2121 "Niva" is a four-seater off-road passenger car. Produced by the Volzhsky Automobile Plant.

The VAZ-2121 "Niva" car is a design development of JSC "AVTOVAZ". Produced since 1977. This is a vehicle for off-road driving, traveling to hard-to-reach places, hunting and fishing trips. The folding rear seat allows you to place and carry a variety of goods. The tailgate floor-level connector provides convenient loading and unloading.

"Niva" is a cross-country vehicle with a permanent non-disconnectable drive of all wheels with a center differential lock and a transfer case with a lowering row. The car had a very progressive design, combining excellent off-road qualities with the comfort of a passenger car, and had practically no analogues at that time. It has been successfully exported to many countries. The car became one of the first representatives of the now so popular "parquet" SUVs.

Body - all-metal, load-bearing, three-door, equipped with seat belts. Front seats - with head restraints, adjustable in length and backrest tilt, recline forward. The rear seat folds down to increase the luggage compartment. On request, the car is equipped with an electrically heated rear window, a cleaner and a rear window washer.

Another feature of this unique machine was the use of passenger car assemblies. So, its engine was created on the basis of 2106, the gearbox and rear axle are also borrowed from this car. Despite this, the "Niva" has a cross-country ability, unique for such a machine.

The car was equipped with a 4-speed gearbox with synchronizers in forward gears, or a 5-speed gearbox. The transfer case is a two-stage one with a center differential with forced locking. The cardan drive consists of an intermediate cardan shaft and cardan shafts for driving the front and rear axles.

The front suspension is independent, on transverse swinging arms, with coil springs, hydraulic shock absorbers and an anti-roll bar. The rear suspension is dependent, with coil springs, hydraulic shock absorbers, four longitudinal and one transverse rods.

Since the start of production, modifications have been produced with an in-line four-cylinder carbureted gasoline engine with a volume of 1.6 liters. The modification 21211, which appeared later with a 1.3 liter engine, was not successful.

As a result of the modernization of 1993, a new model "Taiga" was born, which was assigned the index "VAZ-21213". This is a four-seater off-road passenger car with permanent non-disconnectable all-wheel drive. It's hard to believe that there are 16 years between these modifications. During these years, the plant made almost no changes to the design of the 2121. And the changes made in the 21213 model are more cosmetic than technical.

Externally, the new car is distinguished by a modified rear part of the body. 21213 has a "long" third door to the bumper and new taillights. It has become much easier to load anything into the luggage compartment. The lock disappeared from the back door, which was constantly clogged with dirt. It can only be opened from the salon. True, the location of the handle that opens the trunk under the elbow of the rear left passenger is difficult to call successful: you have to act “by touch”. The bumpers are now painted light gray, which is more practical than the old unpainted aluminum.

The cabin has a new panel, new seats, new facings. The instrument panel is the same as that of the VAZ-21083 model. Only now the glare from it illuminates the windshield at night. The new seats are also made in the image and likeness of the "eight". They are more comfortable and more modern than the previous ones. But the mechanism, which folds the backrest for the passage of the rear passenger and moves the seat forward, is not reliable - after fifty operations it fails, due to distortions that have appeared, the back does not want to get into place. The rear plastic panels creak and squeak from light pressure. But now there is a pocket in the sidewall next to the left rear passenger.

The engine has been updated too. The working volume is increased to 1700 cm. A contactless ignition system and a Solex carburetor are used. An invisible but very significant improvement is the new shape of the combustion chamber. Modification of the engine along with changes in the transmission allowed to significantly reduce fuel consumption.

The transmission of the new car has a five-speed gearbox and main gears with a gear ratio of 3.9. Reinforced crosspieces are used. Their size changed and grease fittings appeared. In the transfer case drive - CV joint. Its purpose is to reduce vibration and transmission noise.

The brake system uses a vacuum booster and a master cylinder from the "eight". The effort on the pedals has decreased, but the wheel now lies “upside down” and nothing can be put into it. In addition, the procedure for adjusting the steering gear has become incredibly complicated - now you can only crawl up to it with a crooked screwdriver. The exhaust system contains new mufflers. Their bodies are not welded, but rolled, like those of the machines of the “eighth” family.

For the external market, a modification of the VAZ-21214 with central fuel injection was produced. In the "standard" version - VAZ-21214-00. This car is a design development of JSC "AVTOVAZ" with a permanent non-disconnectable drive of all wheels with a center differential lock and a transfer case with a lowering row.

The model range of JSC AVTOVAZ also included the temporarily produced transitional modification 21219 - a combination of the old body 2121 and the engine with transmission 21213. On request, the cars can be equipped with a 1.9-liter Peugeot diesel engine (VAZ-21215).

The Niva VAZ 2121 became the first comfortable Soviet SUV. Until its exit from the factory gates in 1977, all-terrain vehicles were used mainly for military needs. For a Soviet citizen, an off-road vehicle, in principle, was not available, and they were not on the open sale. There was an opportunity to buy decommissioned UAZs, but they did not differ in comfort. The only alternative to them was Volynets with an engine from ZAZ 969, which was available for sale, but it also did not meet all the requirements for comfort, although its off-road properties were highly valued.

Niva turned the concept of an SUV for the semi-wild inhabitants of the country of Soviets - no one has ever seen such comfort as in the six, with the passability of an UAZ, but at first the consumer was stopped by a rather high price, and later they got used to it. Niva has become an active rural worker and city dweller - in terms of performance, it is in no way inferior to the VAZ classics.

Niva 2121, which every motorist can do in his garage with his own hands, is still one of the most popular middle class SUVs. Like every car, the Niva has its own characteristic malfunctions and diseases. Being a very durable and reliable vehicle, it is very easy to maintain. Typical car malfunctions are mainly associated with the peculiarity of its design:

• four-wheel drive and a transfer case with a demultiplier sometimes bring some trouble;
• body design features;
• front wheel drive;
• engines from the VAZ 2106 are not designed for use on off-road vehicles;
• front suspension characteristic only for Niva.

We will briefly describe some of them, but we will dwell on the body in more detail. Questions to him rarely appear, but this does not negate their relevance.

The main problem with the Niva engine was that it was not originally designed for use in harsh conditions. This explains many of its characteristic breakdowns.

For cars with a 1.7 liter engine, valve lifters have become the biggest problem. More precisely, their adjustment. When installing them, it is necessary to observe a precisely calibrated effort, otherwise they will either wedge or twist out if they are not clamped tightly enough. The malfunction makes itself felt with a characteristic knock, and if you do not respond in time, it can kill the camshaft. Therefore, it is better not to take on this business on your own if you do not have enough skills.

Transfer cases, as a rule, never cause problems. You just need to monitor the oil level. Propeller shafts can be a nuisance. Especially if they are not lubricated every 10,000 km. The crosses are not durable enough, but with regular lubrication, they will not be problematic.

Oil seals are another matter. The axles and the transfer case are equipped with oil seals of not the best quality, therefore they often leak. If you do not pay attention to this when changing the oil, then you can easily screw up the dispenser. It is better to buy branded oil seals, according to the factory size. Then there is a guarantee that the oil will not leak until the next MOT. After 2011, the VAZ 2121 has Italian oil seals from the factory installed, in this case there is no cause for concern.

We will present several options for bodywork that you can do with your own hands in the garage with a pit.

Before you start fighting corrosion, you need to figure out how rational it is. If it is easier to change a rotten threshold, then it is better to do this than to mold patches to rust. Nevertheless, there are some ways to give the Niva body a proper look.

Tinning can be used to localize small foci of rust. How to do this, we clearly showed in the figure.

Epoxy resins can also provide temporary protection against corrosion and partial repair of rusted areas. First, you need to thoroughly clean the damaged area, and then apply a polymer patch using fiberglass. After final drying, the patch should be sanded, putty, primed and touched up.

In Nivs, the place where the beam is attached to the body often decays. If you have a semi-automatic welding machine, this can be corrected by making a new pad on the seat.

First, we disassemble the front suspension until free access to the rotten place is obtained and we clean it with a grinder, removing the rusty areas.

Then we cut out a patch of living metal along the cardboard pattern, drill it around the perimeter for better welding contact with the metal of the car and weld it in place as follows.

After that, we grind the welding points with a grinder, prime and cover with anti-corrosion mastic.

Niva VAZ 2121 is a fairly reliable and practical car that does not require expensive repairs. Almost all work, including bodywork, can be done by everyone in his garage at minimal cost.

At the beginning of the 3rd millennium, the most significant events of the last century were summed up and named. The rapid development of VAZ-21214 cars did not pass by. Having gained fame at the end of the nineteenth century and at the beginning of the twentieth, while remaining something special today, the machine has become a loyal friend and indispensable assistant to many people not only in Russia, but throughout the world.

In the polls of magazines and newspapers about the best car of the century, a considerable percentage of votes were given to the VAZ-21214 "Niva" car, as it is advanced and unique.Many experts are surprised how the creators of "Niva" managed to collect so many positive qualities in one design at the same time.

This car is considered an SUV that combines good comfort, easy handling and high speed performance. The main advantage of this car is its amazing cross-country ability. In this "Niva" can not only surpass, but even catch up with the world famous car brands!

The VAZ-21214 car first entered the road surface in 1977, and since then world leaders have been trying to somehow catch up with it in terms of performance.

VAZ-21214 "Niva" is produced in a 3-door or 5-door station wagon body. The manufacturer provides a guarantee of flawless work, for the period of which the operation of the car will bring only joy. Any repair of this vehicle within 2 years or until it reaches 35 thousand kilometers is undertaken by the plant.

The car is equipped with a four-cylinder eight-valve petrol four-stroke engine with a volume of 1,690 cm / cu. The power unit is capable of reaching 83 hp. With. at 5 thousand rpm. The engine is designed according to the Euro-4 type, has electronic distributed fuel injection with an octane rating of at least 95. The engine has a single-disk, dry-type clutch with a hydraulic drive. The fuel consumption of the VAZ-21214 per hundred kilometers is declared to be 11.1 liters in the city and 8.3 liters on the highway. Up to 100 km per hour "Niva" is capable of accelerating in 17 seconds.

The car is equipped with a 5-speed manual transmission. The transfer case is installed with a lockable center differential. Full-time permanent drive.

With prolonged operation, the VAZ-21214 car, like any other, sometimes requires repair.

Based on the feedback from the owners who repaired their Niva on their own, we have compiled for you a list of the most common malfunctions and breakdowns requiring repair in the VAZ-21214 car.

1. Engine. One of the problem areas of the Niva engine are hydraulic lifters. When repairing this breakdown, it is necessary to clamp them correctly. With an incorrect tightening, various extraneous sounds and knocking appear. After a run of 100 thousand kilometers, the chain can stretch, which is manifested in the thundering sound that it makes.
2. Transmission. Frequent transmission breakdowns requiring repair occur due to wear of parts, which subsequently leads to the breakdown of an entire unit. To determine the presence of a malfunction requiring repair of the gearbox, various noise appearing during the operation of its elements helps.

The crosses must be lubricated every 10 thousand kilometers. In cars produced in 2005-2009, a cardan defect was noticed - vibration begins during movement. In this case, it is impossible to carry out repairs on your own, without qualified craftsmen and a service station.

1. Chassis. During the operation of the VAZ-21214, there are cases when moisture gets into the bearings, due to which the lubricants lose their properties. It is recommended to re-lubricate after 20 thousand kilometers. Malfunctions requiring repair and replacement of bearings cannot be diagnosed by oneself.

It is worth noting that there were no problems with the axle shafts in Niva cars, but when they are removed, some difficulties appear, namely, the bearing cannot be removed. If you are repairing this part, it is recommended to warm up the bearing before removing.

1. Brake system. The brakes in the VAZ-21214 car can boast of their reliability, they practically do not need repairs. The service life of the brake cylinders is 100 thousand kilometers, and the brake master cylinder does not require replacement even after 500 thousand kilometers.
2. Electrical and electrical equipment. When the air temperature drops below zero, the heating system fan may start squeaking.When squeaking sounds appear, repairs should be carried out, namely, the fan engine should be replaced.

The fuel level in the tank of a VAZ-21214 car may not be displayed correctly. The reason for this must be sought in the failure of the thrust ring of the fuel pump gasket on the float, due to which the level of the remaining fuel is displayed incorrectly. To carry out repairs, you must disassemble the interior trim and get the fuel pump.

1. Body. There are jokes around the world that the Niva's body has rusted even before the purchase. Of course, this is not true, but the solution to this issue at the plant was not treated well enough. The body of the VAZ-21214 car really rusts very quickly, in particular, in places of close contact with moisture: the back door, sills, fenders, bumpers and so on.

To avoid the rapid appearance of rust holes on the body as much as possible, it is advised to treat the body with anti-corrosion agents annually. Considering what measures are used in Russia to combat icing on the roads, the bottom of the VAZ-21214 can rot in a year.

Also, ventilation and drainage channels require special attention - if they become clogged, liquid will accumulate in them.

If you are able to repair the VAZ-21214 with your own hands, then it is worth reinforcing the floor with an additional metal plate in those places where the distributor is attached - due to high vibration, these parts experience increased loads and may simply fall off.

There is a special offer on our website. You can get a free consultation of our corporate lawyer by simply asking your question in the form below.

And what should I do with the cornfield right away?

The minimum is nothing. Sat down and went, presale is enough. And you can drive like that and that's okay. But it is better to spend a little money and modify what the plant either did not want to do or did for some reason wrong.

The most useful tweak for a new field is immediate replacement of gas shock absorbers... More rigid and, most importantly, more reliable than the factory ones. From some well-known company, they almost all make Niva shock absorbers. The choice - depending on the thickness of the wallet, desires and preferences. From plaza to koni (although the latter are not recommended, they are too hard and poorly protected from dirt, this is only for strictly road cars). For example monroe gasmagnum 4 * 4 (two-way as factory). They are not that very expensive, and the car becomes simply unrecognizable. The “goat” disappears (the longitudinal swing characteristic of short-wheelbase cars), it becomes much better in turns and, most importantly, they are not afraid of hits and jumps, they do not flow out after a few months (which is quite possible for factory cars if the car is operated in difficult conditions). And a leaked shock absorber is not only an increased danger when driving, but also a sure way to repair the rest of the suspension (rubber joints, ball joints, bushings, axles and rods), moreover, often with overcooking of the mounting brackets and ears.

The next useful tweak is ball pendulum arm... Instead of the time-tested lever with plastic inserts of the sample of 1965, which does not live on the classics for a long time, but in the field with its large mass and harsh operating conditions, even more so. You will immediately feel lightness in the steering wheel and forget forever about replacing the pendulum bushings. It is not very expensive, it doesn’t take much time and effort to replace it either. Only carefully when buying, the pendulum is of three types - 2101, 2121 and 21213, differ in the shape of the bipod.

A finishing touch for those who like to ride through fields and swamps - welding of everything in a harness. First of all, the ears of the rear shock absorbers (on the axle beam) and the upper platforms of the front (under the wing). The weakest parts come off instantly during hard off-road driving.Overcooking must be done thoroughly, right up to welding back instead of all these ears a piece of channel-weaving (and a thickness of 5-7 mm and not 2 mm as standard). The next popular break point is the rear suspension rods, their ends (where there are rubber bushings), they are scalded from the outside with a piece of capital reinforcement so as not to come off.

Rubber. Standard tires for the cornfield - VLI5. Sample of 1974 and has not changed since then. Its purpose is to drown in a collective farm puddle (wet mud). She does this better than anyone else, with a huge toothy protector. All the rest of her, alas, is so-so. So for the winter, bridgestone winter dueler is recommended (there is a regular Niva size), but it is expensive and from domestic - I511. For the summer - to taste, if you regularly go into the above-described mud, then it is better to leave VLI5, if you only drive on the roads, then look for something less toothy (but still not quite even, like some kind of BC21, it's scary to drive off the asphalt on it) ...

Disks. Regular "basins" of Moscow salt and sand rust very quickly. Otherwise, it’s nothing, the extra five kilograms of mass are not important for such a machine. Light-alloy: well, if the most important thing for you is the appearance of the car, then they are just. There are no other advantages, only waste and problems associated with the transition to a 15 ″ tire size (16 ″ narrow alloy wheels are practically not found and any 16 * 205 or 215 from heavy jeeps will not fit into the arches). Plus - the offset, for standard Niva disks it is very peculiar (minus a lot: the wheel is far in the depth behind the plane of the disk landing on the hub and drum). If you put it with normal (about zero), then the wheels will become much wider and the load on the front wheel bearings will increase, this is not very useful for them.

Now about all sorts of little things and trim.

Niva is a noisy car. Wheels, engine, transmission rustle. Vibrates (practically unavoidable phenomenon) everything that is possible. Therefore, two methods of struggle are recommended - noise isolation (noisebuster or domestic standardplast) and setting the music louder. You can do both at once. Contact the installers - they will tell you a lot and help you choose. There is enough space in the cornfield: 13 ″ speakers are cut into the doors, and back behind the seat, you can generally put a one and a half meter subwoofer.

Signaling. Niva (and even when new) the car is quite valuable, so they may try to steal. Be sure to put the secret police - again ask the installers, they will advise you a lot. It is possible with a central lock, it is not very expensive and the convenience is very significant, especially considering the freezing and jamming locks from the classic Zhiguli. On 21213 there is no tailgate lock, and on 2121 there were also noticeable problems with it. However, even on the 21213 trunk opener on the back door, the piece is very convenient if correctly set.

Glass lifters. Again, contact the installers - they will help you. The thing is very convenient, especially when it is connected with the alarm and closes on its own when arming - you will never forget to close the windows when leaving the car in the summer. And just like that, than rowing with a paddle drive every time you board and disembark - it is much more convenient to press a button and get the desired result.

Headlights. Headlamp cleaners are installed in the field according to the state. A very handy thing, you don't have to run around with a rag to wipe your headlights every 15 minutes of driving on Moscow's salty roads. I pressed the button and they cleaned themselves. There are two possible improvements in this system - setting an electromagnetic valve from front-wheel drive vases instead of a mechanical valve (embedded next to the reservoir into the tube leading to the headlights) and replacing the gear motors with each other (after which the brushes begin to stop at the top of the headlights - it looks strange but cleans the most important upper part of the glass is noticeably better).And two rules - do not spare the anti-freeze (dry brushes will wear off very quickly) and do not sprinkle water on heated (dirty and then working for a long time) headlights - they will burst, especially if high-power bulbs are used.

Windscreen wiper and washer. Put decent brushes (Bosch, champion) including back (the same - classic VAZ). It helps a lot in terms of visibility and therefore safety. And you can put (for winter operation) a heated washer system (Russian-made Geyser - costs around 100 rubles), with a heated wire in the hose and heated nozzles. She will not allow you to ride on water, but using an anti-freeze solution diluted at -5 and not at -15 (that is, three times the consumption of the actual liquid, water is free).

Additional headlights are practically not needed in the cornfield. But it will be very a pity to demolish them on some bushes. It is better to monitor the serviceability of the regular ones.

Tow bar. The Niva pulls trailers quite well. Boats and snowmobiles, carts with potatoes and tonars with sausage - everything will bring you. There is traction, dead weight, four-wheel drive. It remains only to put the hitch - so do it well. Choose a structure that is not attached to the bumper, but at least to the pipes of its attachment, the bumper is not designed for a regular noticeable load, it will bend.

Air conditioner. This is perhaps the most painful place. If your configuration does not include it. To stick any other in the stove - there is no place. So the only option is a suspended one (instead of a shelf on the right, it cools the circulating air and does not provide an influx of cold air) - but even that is very rare, it is difficult to install and expensive. With this case, it is a little easier on the injection field 21214, it does not have a gas pump and in its place (the ignition coils are transferred without problems) a compressor is hung with a drive from a poly V-belt standard for the injector.

Body kit - kenguryatniki, "wicket" for the rear wheel, sills and plastic expanders. This is all nonsense. Confidence - zero, just one kind of the aforementioned "wide giper". The wheel will be stolen, and the fact that it will loosen any attachments on such a lever is unambiguous. Thresholds reduce the angle of the ramp drastically and interfere with the jack. Kenguryatniks remarkably close access for maintenance to headlights and lanterns. There is no strength in all this, fastening at one or two points to the end of not particularly strong body parts. This is not a Land Rover defender with a frame and trousers that you can hook on as it should, in a monolith. And even in the event of an accident, all such a kit, not only does it badly mangle the enemy, and it gets itself much stronger. Where there would be a simple replacement of the bumper (which is not bad in the field and in itself - this is not a plastic body kit, but a real power channel made of a thick aluminum alloy), overcooking of the side members that have broken from eversion forces is obtained:

Salon. Well, here to taste. The seats and steering wheel on the 213 seem to be nothing, but if you really want to, you can change them - there are enough manufacturers of such aftermarket accessories. There is only one problematic place - the emergency steering column folding system. Look under the instruments - you will see that the column hangs on four bolts (2 M8 and 2 M6) and such large washers and metal plates. The purpose of such a design is to ensure the folding (with a break of these washers and plates) of the column forward in an accident. Unfortunately, it breaks through without an accident, simply from increased efforts when turning the steering wheel on off-road or parking on asphalt. And the steering wheel begins to dangle up and down and then completely on its knees: Watch for serviceability and straighten the bent plates when a backlash appears, or if you are not afraid of a frontal impact, replace the washers with stronger ones.

Ventilation and heating. Finishing work - change the stove tap to a “samovar” one, the one without a membrane. Without waiting for it to burst on its own (an old classic Zhiguli problem) and scald you with antifreeze.A more complicated and quite tolerant finishing touch is the replacement of the fan motor (which has also been a headache for all Zhiguli owners for 30 years) with a bearing motor, it is more expensive, but it never starts to whistle and howl. Here's how the staff will win and change.

Carburetor for 21213 - Solex. Known for its capriciousness and ease of clogging - so do not forget to change the fine filter. You have to keep your ears open with Russian gasoline, there is anything floating there, from donkey urine to sand. The carburetor itself must be checked for correct assembly (for example, there is a defect in the leakage of gasoline past the idle jet - then black smoke comes out, unstable operation at xx and dips during acceleration), adjustment of the starting device, etc. Contact a specialist and your car will always start and never do not buckle for this reason.

Electrician. Put on a voltmeter! The simplest is the indicator in the cigarette lighter, on LEDs. Such problems as “did not start due to the fact that the belt is loose” and “the battery boiled out due to a malfunction of the regulator” will immediately disappear.

For the summer, it is very useful to switch the stove power supply from the ignition circuit to the circuit of permanent consumers (under the “beard” where the switches are located, it is on the light switch) - this will allow you to leave the car in the sun (if not for a long time) with the stove turned on for blowing and thereby avoid thermal shock upon subsequent landing in a high-quality heated greenhouse. There are a lot of glasses in the field, the interior color is black: everything heats up without air flow to simply unimaginable temperatures.

Install an additional button for turning on the headlights - as it was on 2121. Often you don't need to turn on the glass washer at all when you want to clean the headlights. And the standard scheme 21213 does not allow this.

Body. Anticorrosives, wheel arch liners, etc. Contact the installers - they will tell you a lot. It makes sense if you are going to drive this car for 5-10 years and then sell it at a high price. According to Moscow conditions, factory processing lasts 3-4 years, then it is certainly better to process it again.

Despite the fact that the VAZ-21213 is considered one of the most successful developments of the Volga Automobile Plant, like all mechanisms, it is prone to breakdowns. Moreover, the more mileage a car has, the more actively it begins to break down - this is characteristic not only of the Niva, but also of all other representatives of the domestic auto industry. Therefore, a dilemma very quickly arises - to constantly contact service centers or to learn how to repair VAZ 21213 with your own hands. With sufficient skills and "straight" hands, the latter is not as difficult to do as it seems - the main thing is to have all the necessary tools and accessories at hand.

The most common breakdowns and malfunctions

The most common malfunctions after which a VAZ 21213 Niva repair is required are:

• Clogged carburetor;
• Overheating of the engine;
• Failure of timing chain tensioners and dampers;
• Wear of the elastic clutch of the flush shaft;
• Failure of the checkpoint;
• Increased vibration;
• Wear of CV joints anthers;
• Oxidation of electrical wiring contacts;
• Stove tap leak;
• Body corrosion.

Some of the faults can be eliminated by yourself. For example, you can also clean the terminals from oxidation or install a new boot on the CV joint in your garage. With certain skills, you can also clean the radiator. But it is better to eliminate more serious problems with specialists - here you need certain knowledge, tools and equipment.

Engine problems - what you need to know

The main disease of the VAZ-21213 engine is the carburetor. When using low quality fuel - and such a problem occurs at our gas stations regularly - the carburetor is constantly clogged. If fuel lines and filters are clogged, simply clean them and install new filters if necessary.But if you do not pay attention to this problem for a long time, then very soon the fuel pump will fail and then you will have to change it.

Another problem, and almost impossible to eliminate, is engine overheating. The reason for this is the unsuccessful design of the cooling system, or rather the blowing system. This is especially noticeable on engines that have undergone overhaul, since due to cylinder bore, the baffle becomes thinner and heat transfer increases. You can fight it only by upgrading the airflow system and installing either an additional fan, or replacing it with a more efficient one. But it is impossible not to pay attention to this problem - even novice motorists know what long-term engine overheating is fraught with.

Another problem that requires a VAZ 21213 repair is vibration. Its cause is the failure of one of the transmission elements. There may be several reasons for this:

• Violation of the centering of the transfer case;
• Souring of the propeller shaft cross;
• Biting the SHRUS promval;
• Wear of the elastic clutch of the flush shaft;
• Failure of suspension elements.

As long as all transmission and chassis assemblies are adjusted, vibrations are invisible. But it is worth at least one of the parts to fail - it is immediately felt.

Among other things, the VAZ-21213 has a characteristic disease - a failure of the fifth gear gears. The fact is that this box is a modernized version of the old four-speed gearbox. There is a big flaw here - the ill-conceived design of the lubrication system leads to oil starvation of the fifth gears and they wear out much faster than others - literally after 30-40 thousand kilometers.

There is a joke that the Niva's body begins to rust even before it is bought. This is, of course, an exaggeration, but with the anti-corrosion treatment of metal it is simply a disaster - it really starts to rust very quickly, especially in those places where there is active contact with water: sills, rear door, bumper attachment points, fenders, and so on.

In order to delay the appearance of holes in the body to the maximum, it is necessary to carry out anti-corrosion treatment every year. Considering how we struggle with road icing in winter, the bottom can burn out in literally a year, if it is not processed.

Also, pay close attention to the drainage and ventilation holes - if they become clogged, then moisture and condensation begins to accumulate inside.

If you can repair the VAZ 21213 with your own hands, then reinforce the floor with an additional metal plate in the place where the distributor is attached - due to increased vibration, this area is subject to increased loads and can simply fall off.

Video about body and engine repair VAZ 21213