How to set the ignition on a VAZ-2106: instructions with video

Unfortunately, despite the wide variety of cars nowadays, both new and older cars can be subject to breakdowns. That is why you need to be prepared to solve problems. For example, if you can set the ignition correctly on your car, then you can handle any device on that car. It is very important that the ignition works correctly, because the correct operation of the engine directly depends on this. In addition, this affects the vehicle's fuel consumption. Therefore, owners of the “six” need to know how to set the ignition on the VAZ 2106 themselves.

In general, this procedure is not complicated and if you study it correctly, you can save your time and money on visiting a vehicle repair service center.

The advantages of carburetor engines of VAZ cars include the fact that their maintenance is quite easy and they have high repairability. But it is worth noting that carburetor VAZs may sometimes require manual ignition installation.

How to set the ignition on a VAZ 2106

Purpose and types of distributors

The main distributor of the “six” is located on a horizontal platform made to the left of the engine valve cover. The unit shaft, ending with splines, enters the drive gear inside the cylinder block. The latter rotates by the timing chain and at the same time rotates the oil pump shaft.

There is a special platform for installing the distributor on the engine block.

The distributor performs 3 functions in the ignition system:

• at the right moment it breaks the electrical circuit of the primary winding of the coil, causing a high voltage pulse to form in the secondary;
• alternately directs discharges to the spark plugs according to the operating order of the cylinders (1-3-4-2);
• automatically adjusts the ignition timing when the crankshaft speed changes.

The distributor distributes impulses among the spark plugs and ensures timely sparking

Various modifications of the “sixes” were equipped with different types of distributors:

1. VAZ 2106 and 21061 were equipped with engines with a working volume of 1.6 and 1.5 liters, respectively. Due to the height of the block, distributors with a long shaft and a mechanical contact system were installed on the model.
2. VAZ 21063 cars were equipped with a 1.3 liter engine with a low cylinder block. The distributor is a contact type with a shortened shaft, the difference for models 2106 and 21063 is 7 mm.
3. The updated VAZ 21065 series was equipped with contactless distributors with a long rod, working in conjunction with an electronic ignition system.

The difference in the length of the shafts of 7 mm is due to the different volumes of the motors used on the “six”

The difference in the length of the drive shaft, depending on the height of the cylinder block, does not allow the use of the VAZ 2106 part on a 1.3 liter engine - the distributor simply will not fit into the socket. Installing a spare part with a short shaft on a “clean six” will also not work - the splined part will not reach the gear. The rest of the filling of the contact distributors is the same.

As a young, inexperienced driver, I personally encountered the problem of different lengths of ignition distributor rods. On my Zhiguli VAZ 21063, the distributor shaft broke off on the road. At the nearest auto store I bought a spare part for the “six” and began installing it on the car. Result: the distributor was not inserted completely; a large gap remained between the platform and the flange. Later the seller explained my mistake and kindly replaced the part with one suitable for the 1.3 liter engine.

What is the price

A complete set for a VAZ 2106 costs from 3,000 to 4,000 rubles, depending on the manufacturer. Typically this includes:

• switch;
• distributor;
• coil;
• Hall controller;
• wiring.

Some kits also contain a set of spark plugs and high-voltage wires.

If the driver does not understand auto electrics, additional assistance from specialists will be required. Services at a service station will cost another 1000-2000 rubles. The specific cost of installation in each city can vary significantly.

Installing electronic ignition on the 2106 is carried out according to a similar principle as on other classics. If you have direct hands and a little knowledge of auto electrics, you can install the system yourself.

Source

List of specialized tools and symptoms of malfunction

To adjust the ignition timing on your VAZ-2106, you need to prepare:

• spark plug wrench and 13 mm socket wrench;
• a multimeter or a 12-volt indicator light bulb with wires soldered to its base.

Before exhibiting, the following must be inspected for serviceability:

• power cables;
• candles;
• distributor and other system elements.

It is possible to install the ignition on a VAZ 2106 yourself using the following tools:

• open-end wrench with a diameter of 13 mm;
• a specialized wrench for removing spark plugs;
• voltmeter or 12 volt test light;
• car strobe light.

A characteristic symptom that on a VAZ 2106 it is necessary to install the ignition according to the marks on the crankshaft pulley is a sharp detonation of the engine and loss of power. The problems are obvious when driving at forty kilometers per hour (in 3rd gear) and suddenly trying to increase the speed with the gas pedal. The manifestation of such a malfunction, as well as an extraneous metallic sound from the engine during a sharp throttle change, will indicate the need to adjust the ignition angle, and any car owner can carry out this repair with his own hands.

In what cases is ignition installation necessary?

There are several symptoms by which a car owner can determine that the ignition switch needs adjustment and configuration:

1. Inability to start the engine.
2. Increased gasoline consumption. Of course, this may be due to the need to adjust the carburetor, but it happens. For example, if the ignition is set later, the vehicle's performance will be poor and the engine will require more air/fuel mixture to accelerate properly.
3. The appearance of knocking noises in the muffler. If an explosion occurs, it will take some time for the gases to expand. In case the piston reaches the PDC, it will be the next exhaust stroke, which means that a certain amount of fuel will be transferred to the exhaust system. The result will be applause.
4. The power supply became louder. Install the ignition and correctly position the VAZ 2106 distributor when shaking and engine intervention. The upward piston makes the engine work harder, and towards it the mixture will explode.

Set the ignition to "six"

Maintenance of contact type distributor

In order to repair the distributor yourself, you need to understand its structure and the purpose of all its parts. The operating algorithm of the mechanical distributor is as follows:

1. The rotating roller periodically presses the cam onto the spring-loaded movable contact, as a result of which the low voltage circuit is broken.

   
   The gap between the contacts appears as a result of pressing the cam on the spring-loaded pusher

2. At the moment of rupture, the secondary winding of the coil generates a pulse with a potential of 15-18 kilovolts. Through an insulated wire of large cross-section, current is supplied to the central electrode located in the distributor cover.
3. A distribution contact rotating under the cover (in common parlance - a slider) transmits an impulse to one of the side electrodes of the cover. Then, through a high voltage cable, current is supplied to the spark plug - the fuel mixture ignites in the cylinder.
4. With the next revolution of the distributor shaft, the sparking cycle is repeated, only voltage is supplied to another cylinder.

In the old version, the unit was equipped with a manual octane corrector (item 4)

In fact, 2 electrical circuits pass through the distributor - low and high voltage. The first is periodically broken by the contact group, the second is switched to the combustion chambers of different cylinders.

The design of the distributor, operating in conjunction with the electronic ignition system, is identical to the design of a mechanical distributor. There is also a plate with a bearing, a slider, a centrifugal regulator and a vacuum corrector. Only instead of a contact group and a capacitor, a magnetic Hall sensor is installed plus a metal screen mounted on the shaft.

In a contactless distributor, the main role is played by a magnetic sensor that sends signals to the switch

How a contactless distributor works:

1. The Hall sensor and permanent magnet are located on a movable platform, and a screen with slots rotates between them.
2. When the screen blocks the magnet field, the sensor is inactive and the voltage at the terminals is zero.
3. When the roller turns and passes through the slot, the magnetic field reaches the sensor surface. At the output of the element, a voltage appears that is transmitted to the electronic unit - the switch. The latter gives a signal to the coil, which produces a discharge that goes to the distributor slider.

In an electronic ignition system, spark generation is carried out by a switch and a coil; the distributor only determines the moment the discharge is applied to the spark plugs

The non-contact distributor is more reliable in operation - the Hall sensor and bearings become unusable much less often due to the lack of mechanical load. A sign of meter failure is the absence of a spark and complete failure of the ignition system. Replacement is easy - you need to disassemble the distributor, unscrew the 2 screws securing the sensor and pull the connecting connector out of the groove.

The magnetic sensor is attached with two screws to the bearing pad

Malfunctions of the remaining elements of the distributor are similar to the old contact version. Troubleshooting methods are described in detail in the previous sections.

Construction and repair of a contactless distributor

The purpose of the distributor in the VAZ 2106 car is to regulate the timely supply of spark to the spark plugs. Those who are at least a little familiar with the structure of the engine know that the power stroke in the cylinders occurs alternately.

Each engine has its own operating order. For example, in a VAZ 2106, the cylinders operate in this order 1-3-2-4. At the moment of the working stroke, when the piston is in the upper position, the distributor should give a spark.

Otherwise, without it, there would be no uninterrupted operation of the entire mechanism.

Device

The distributor of the VAZ 2106 car has a rather simple device compared to other engine components and mechanisms. The very first thing that will catch your eye when examining the distributor is its cover. It has 5 holes - 1 in the center and 4 at the edges. They are intended for contacts of spark plugs and starter.

Also, near one of the outer holes, the number “1” must be marked. It distinguishes the contact of the first cylinder from the other contacts. This makes it possible to set the candles in the correct order.

Usually, in a VAZ 2106, there is a fourth one opposite the contact of the first spark plug, a second one on the left, and a third one on the right, respectively.

Very often, the engine may operate unstably due to the fact that the spark plugs have earlier, or vice versa, late ignition. This significantly affects the speed and power of the car.

In order to set the ignition, you need to loosen the screw and turn the distributor along its own axis - first to the left, and then to the right. You need to move it literally a couple of millimeters, and check the ignition every time.

If the car starts up without problems and does not choke at high speeds, then you can congratulate yourself - the installation is complete. Inside the distributor there are such parts as:

• Rotor;
• fist;
• Breaker;
• Movable contact;
• Capacitor.

Exploitation

Since we are talking about an electrical device, it tends to break down often. In this case, some parts will need to be replaced. The VAZ 2106 engine distributor device has mainly disposable parts in the form of contacts and other similar mechanisms. How can you tell if parts need to be replaced or if the distributor is working properly?

A more severe case is when the car stalls while driving. This already indicates a more serious breakdown. Most often, this happens when the contacts are almost at the end of their service life and cannot withstand the loads. In this case, the faulty device should be replaced and the ignition should be reset.

And finally, the most severe type of breakdown is when the VAZ 2106 engine completely refuses to start. In general, many years of practice show that the engine may not start for many reasons. In order to know for sure that the distributor is faulty, you will need to remove it and install a new one.

Turn the ignition on and try to start the engine. If it works, then the problem area has been identified correctly. Often, with such a breakdown, installing a new distributor helps, but sometimes, you can resurrect the old one. This should be done by specialists, otherwise there will be no sense, but only wasted time.

Self-adjustment without strobe

Having carried out the previously described preparatory measures, proceed to setting the ignition itself. Here you will need a homemade indicator in the form of a 12-volt light bulb, to which two wires are soldered. One of them must be connected to the output of the ignition coil, where the distributor cable (low voltage) is located. Secure the second core to the ground of the vehicle.

In the absence of a special tool, you can install the correct ignition on a VAZ 2106 using the marks, following the following algorithm of actions:

• We drive the car indoors, let the engine cool, and unscrew the spark plug from the cylinder head of the first cylinder, plug the hole with a finger, and turn the crankshaft until the compression ratio begins (when the finger begins to push out, as it were).
• We continue to rotate the crankshaft until the mark on its pulley aligns with the marks of the front cover, guided by the type of gasoline on which the car is operated.
• Having set the marks, you need to remove the cover from the distributor and mark the position of the slider on the rotor (opposite the contact of the high-voltage wire of the first cylinder), after which you need to unscrew the fastening nut using a 13 mm wrench.
• We connect a 12-volt control light (to the distributor body and inside to the low-voltage cable). We turn on the ignition from inside the car without cranking the engine with the starter, and if the angle is correctly set, the warning lamp should not light up. If it lights up, you will need to rotate the distributor rotor housing until it goes out and then tighten the fastening nut.
• Then we turn off the engine ignition with the key, screw the spark plug back in, put on the distributor cap and start the engine, checking its operation.

Important! If the ignition timing is set correctly, the car’s engine should run smoothly, without dips in speed when pressing the gas pedal, and confidently maintain its idle speed, which quite possibly will need to be adjusted on the carburetor after its ignition is set correctly.

How to set the ignition on a VAZ 2106 - procedure

First, you will need to install the ignition mark. The crankshaft can be rotated either using a ratchet or using a special wrench using the nut. On the front cover of the engine and on the crankshaft pulley there are ebbs and notches, the combination of which corresponds to different ignition timing:

• The first mark in the direction of travel is an advance of the ignition angle by 10 degrees. Angle advance is an adjustment to the fuel burning rate. So, 10 degrees is the mark for 72 gasoline.
• Next comes the middle mark - 5 degrees ahead. It is for 80 gasoline.
• The last, short mark is a lead of 0 degrees. This means that the mixture will ignite exactly at the moment when the piston is at top dead center.

After the installation of the ignition mark is completed, you must immediately set the required gap in the contacts, naturally, where they exist. To do this, remove the distributor slider and unscrew the breaker fixing screw.

Before setting the gap, it is advisable to clean the contacts with sandpaper (600-800)

The gap between the breaker contacts in the open state should be 0.35-0.40 mm. For this you will need a flat probe.

Well, now we go directly to the ignition installation of the VAZ 2106. We unscrew the distributor mount (nut 13), and then pull it out of the housing.

Now you need to insert the distributor into place, taking into account several mandatory points:

• We set the top dead compression stroke mark in the first cylinder; accordingly, at this moment the spark should appear in it. In order to catch this moment, we put the cover on the distributor and mark the place where the armored wire from the spark plug of the first cylinder enters. Now you need to remove the cover and align the outer contact of the slider exactly opposite the mark. That is, at the moment when the piston is at top dead center, a spark is supplied from the central wire of the distributor through the contacts of the runner to the armored line from the first cylinder.
• Next, to set the ignition to 2106, you need to draw an imaginary line between the roof latches and install the distributor in place so that this line is parallel to the engine block. It’s worth saying right away that you won’t be able to get into the drive splines the first time; you’ll have to twist the housing a couple of millimeters. This is not scary, because the ignition installation requires subsequent adjustment. It is important that the distributor is completely seated in place so that it rests against the block. Next, we pull it into place.