The Niva engine does not start. What to do?

January 28, 2016 Lada.Online 254 657 6

Often, owners of a VAZ 2121 or 2131 SUV encounter problems with starting the engine. For example, when you turn the ignition key, the starter does not turn. Let's look at possible problems with the Lada 4×4 starter and ways to solve them.

Silence when trying to start the engine

The Niva crankshaft cannot be turned by the starter.

There may be several reasons:

Blown fuse.
Poor contact between battery terminals.
The battery is completely discharged.
Failure of the starter solenoid relay.
Failure of the intermediate relay that switches the starter circuit.

First of all, you should pay attention to the dashboard. When you turn on the ignition or the main electrical circuit in the engine, the lamps should light up on the dashboard or information should appear on the on-board computer, if we are talking about the Chevrolet Niva.

If this does not happen, the cause should be sought in the fuse box and in the battery contacts. During operation, oxides may form on these contacts, increasing the resistance. Loose contact connections can lead to sparking and burning.

If no blown fuses are found, you should check the reliability of the “+” contacts of the battery with the central wire and the “-” contacts with the vehicle ground.

To eliminate the malfunction, be sure to replace the fuses and clean the contacts. It would be a good idea to acquire even the cheapest tester in order to quickly check the presence of voltage in the electrical circuits of the car.

Where is the starter relay located?

The starter relay is located under the auxiliary fuse box next to the ignition relay. On the VAZ 21214, the starter activation relay is attached to the injection system relay bracket.

Clicking noises when trying to start the engine

If all contacts and fuses of the Niva are normal, you should turn the ignition key to the “start” position and listen to see if the relay clicks. If clicking sounds are heard clearly, the problem may lie in the starter voltage relay, the solenoid relay, or the starter coil circuit.

In “male” car services, the serviceability of the solenoid relay is usually checked by closing its contacts with a large screwdriver until the starter begins to rotate. For safety reasons, this should not be done under any circumstances.

If the problem is in the intermediate relay , then it is quite easy to replace it on the Niva. It is enough to insert the new relay block into the terminal block, observing the sequence and polarity of the connection.

To check the serviceability of the solenoid relay , the starter will have to be removed. After this, holding the starter, you should connect it to the battery and apply voltage to the contact of the solenoid relay. If a click is clearly heard, then the solenoid relay is working properly.

Also interesting: Chevrolet Niva 2022 body colors | Photos of colors of the new GM-AVTOVAZ Chevrolet Niva

Perhaps the cause of the malfunction is oxidized and burnt contact pads of the starter . To check them, you should disassemble the solenoid relay and clean the contact group. Sometimes the solenoid relay is non-separable and must be replaced along with the contact group.

If the solenoid relay works, but the starter rotor does not rotate, it is necessary to check the condition of its brushes, which may have worn out so much that they have lost contact with the winding. In this case, repairing the starter costs little money.

If the rotor is jammed or its winding is burned out, it is best to replace the starter assembly.

Niva won’t start: what to do?

Hello! I have a VAZ 21213 Niva, when I turn the key in the ignition switch there is no characteristic noise of the fuel pump turning on. The starter doesn't turn over. What to do? Thank you! (Pavlov Sergey)

Good day, Sergey. We will talk about the reasons for the failure of the fuel pump below.

Why doesn't the pump work?

So, what could be causing the element to not work:

First of all, it is necessary to check the functionality of the fuses. Open the block and find the fuse or relay that controls the operation of the fuel pump. If the element fails, you need to replace it.
The motor of the device itself has failed. In this case, all that remains is to replace the pump assembly.
No contact. You need to get to the device and check the functionality of all contacts - whether there is a break, whether all wire harnesses are connected.
Poor unit weight. Sometimes it happens that the ground wiring has oxidized and cannot transmit contact. In this case, you need to check its condition and clean it if necessary. If there is a problem with the mass, then you will also notice that the gasoline level arrow on the dashboard will drop.

Worn out starter windings Now as for the starter, why does it refuse to turn:

The simplest thing is a dead battery. You may have checked the battery first, but we must warn you about this. Try charging the battery or using another car.
Signaling. In some cases, in practice, we have more than once encountered such a problem as alarm closure. This happens for various reasons - due to water getting into the alarm unit, broken wires, etc. But the result is the same - if the alarm unit closes, neither the starter nor the fuel pump will turn. The problem can be solved by repairing the board or replacing it, although the search may take some time.
Failure of the solenoid relay. In this case, the starter will either be silent or buzz, but it will be impossible to start the engine.
Bendix failure. This element is a gear located on the same shaft as the starter rotor. If the gear teeth are heavily worn, problems may arise with starting the engine.
Worn bushings. The only solution is to replace them.
Wear of the device windings. This occurs as a result of the fact that the element has already exhausted its service life. Replacing windings is a difficult and time-consuming task; it will be easier to completely change the component completely.

Video “How to find the cause of a pump failure”

For more details on finding the cause of a fuel pump failure, watch the video (author - Sergey L).

Was this article helpful?This article was helpfulPlease share the information with your friends

avtozam.com

The starter rotor turns, but does not rotate the engine crankshaft

In some cases, the starter turns on, but instead of starting the Niva engine, a whistle or grinding noise is heard. Possible causes of the malfunction in this case are failure of the overrunning clutch mechanism (“Bendix”) or jamming of the retractor relay rod.

In the first case, it is necessary to replace or repair the overrunning clutch, and in the second, clean the retractor relay rod and lubricate it with grease recommended by the manufacturer. Any Litol type lubricant is suitable for this.

Video diagnosing the causes of an uncertain cold start

Along with high efficiency and relative reliability, fuel-injected cars have one unpleasant drawback - the difficulty of repair. It happens that the injector suddenly stops starting, and it becomes difficult to do anything with it. It’s good if you have the opportunity to call a tow truck or show the car to a professional, but what should those motorists do who are left with the problem alone? Let's figure it out by examining in detail all the reasons why the injector starts poorly or refuses to start at all, as well as how to “treat” such a malfunction.

The engine starts but soon stalls

The most common reason for this behavior of the Niva engine is the presence of any obstacle (air lock, clogged filter or failed fuel pump) in the path of fuel, or its complete absence. Look at the fuel level sensor. Perhaps you simply forgot to refuel your SUV, or the fuel left the tank against your will (it was leaked or drained by criminals).

In this case, be sure to check the integrity of the tank surface, all hoses and the filler neck shut-off device.

To check the serviceability of the fuel pump on gasoline carburetor engines, simply remove the hose from the carburetor inlet pipe and lower it into a previously prepared container.

After this, within 15-20 seconds you should crank the engine crankshaft with the starter, or pump up fuel manually. At the same time, a pulsating stream of fuel should appear from the hose. If this does not happen, the fuel filter must be replaced, and the fuel pump must be repaired or replaced.

In hot weather, when the car is left idle for a long time in the sun, another problem can occur: a vapor lock in the gas line. To remove it, you should use a regular tire pump, put its hose on the fuel supply fitting going to the gas tank and pump the pump several times. As a rule, this is quite enough to start the Niva engine.

In a Chevrolet Niva with electronic fuel injection, to determine the health of the fuel pump, you need to turn on the ignition and listen. When the electric pump is working properly, a quiet buzzing sound is always heard. If nothing happens when you turn on the ignition, and when you remove the hose, gasoline is not under pressure, you need to check the electrical circuit of the fuel pump, replacing the failed parts.

Also interesting: Niva VAZ 21213 engine: characteristics, malfunctions and tuning

Another typical malfunction that causes the engine to stall is that the crankshaft position sensor (CPS) bracket is broken off. In this case, it is useful to check its fastening, as well as the condition of the wires and connectors.

The starter turns the engine crankshaft, but the engine does not start

The widest range of Niva malfunctions, sometimes combined (several malfunctions at once that prevent the engine from starting and operating), is much more common than others. When describing such cases, we do not take into account engines with a faulty or unregulated gas distribution system, unregulated ignition and fuel supply system.

In frosty weather, the engine may not start due to insufficient battery charge. In this case, it is more advisable to remove it from the car, bring it to a warm room, thaw it, wipe it dry from condensation and charge it to the maximum voltage value.

If you urgently need to start the engine, you should unscrew the spark plugs, clean them of frost or condensation, then screw them back into place and try to start the engine again.

In some cases, you can use the emergency method . Boil water, remove the plastic casing and pour boiling water over the intake manifold. Then try to start again.

Under no circumstances should you start a cold Niva engine “from a pusher” or from a tow. There is a risk of serious damage to it.

Possible faults

No matter how trivial it may sound, if the injector does not start, it means something has gone wrong. The success and speed of repair depends on how quickly and efficiently the problematic link in the car’s design can be identified

To better understand the essence of repair activities, it would be a good idea to pay attention to potential breakdowns. The basic list of the latter is as follows:

Malfunctions of the injector itself. In the event of a breakdown of this kind, as a rule, the car does not start either cold or hot. On top of that, the injector indicator on the dashboard or on-board computer constantly lights up, signaling its malfunction. It is much less common for the engine to work when the indicator is on, but in this case the car starts poorly and is extremely unstable. It is worth noting that the injectors in the injector most often become clogged or the ECU burns out, so it is advisable to check these components first;
Ignition system failures. Here the list of possible faults is quite large. Often the candles that suffer are simply flooded. In the event of such a breakdown, the car starts and immediately stalls, but in the long term it stops even “grasping.” Other components of the ignition system (coil, module, distributor, crankshaft sensor, etc.) are noticeably less likely to suffer;
Incorrect operation of the fuel system. In this aspect, injection engines most often suffer on three fronts:
Fuel filters are clogged (the car “picks up”, but does not start; if the engine starts, it is extremely unstable);
The fuel pump is faulty (its characteristic operating sound is absent when you turn the ignition key, the injector itself simply does not start both cold and hot, the starter turns).
There is insufficient pressure in the fuel system (the engine starts up reluctantly both cold and hot, but if it starts working, it functions unstable);
Engine problems. Perhaps the widest range of possible malfunctions. Often the reason lies in weak compression or incorrectly adjusted valves. In any case, with a “motor” starting problem, high-quality engine diagnostics are required, otherwise it will be very difficult to determine the cause of the malfunction.

Ignition system is faulty

Another main obstacle to starting a VAZ 2121 gasoline engine is the ignition system. Malfunctions in the heating system of a diesel engine can also make it significantly more difficult, and in cold weather, completely impossible to start it.

If a gasoline engine does not start, you should first check for high voltage on the center wire, or on the spark plugs with a separate ignition system without a distributor.

If the car has a contact (battery) ignition system, you should check the gap between the contacts, the condition of the cam, and also the capacitor. If the gap between the contacts does not correspond to the required value or the capacitor is shorted to ground, the reason has been found !

In other cases, you should definitely check the wires, distributor cap, and spark plug insulators for high voltage leaks. If there are black carbon tracks and cracks on the surface of these parts, they must be replaced.

ignition system is checked in a similar way . Particular attention should be paid to the spark plugs. There should be no traces of soot, soot, or oily deposits on the surface of their electrodes. Only the presence of a gray or brownish-red coating is allowed, which appears as a result of the combustion of various additives in gasoline.

You should also pay attention to the gaps between the central and side electrodes. Typically, the gap should not exceed 0.7 - 0.8 mm. Other parts, for example, quenching resistors and silicone wires should not have a resistance higher than 15 - 20 kOhm. When identifying the cause, also pay attention to the condition of all contacts, the presence of moisture and condensation.

Also interesting: Polishing the Niva body

The main difficulty when starting a diesel engine with a known good fuel supply system is faulty glow plugs. To check them, just turn on the voltage supply to them for 10-15 seconds, and then try to start the diesel engine. Glow plugs with a burnt-out spiral are quite difficult to distinguish from serviceable ones, so they must be identified by their electrical resistance. If the spark plug resistance is too low (1 - 5 ohms) or tends to infinity (several megaohms), the spark plug must be replaced.

The procedure for returning the car to “life”

Let's say you find yourself in circumstances where the injection engine starts poorly or refuses to do so at all. There is no need to hesitate in such a situation - it is advisable to immediately begin resuscitation procedures. If you don’t have time to figure out the exact reason why the car doesn’t start well, then you should quickly carry out the following algorithm of actions:

First of all, we check the availability of gasoline and battery charge. Is there something missing? Fill it up and light it up. Let's try to start. If there is no result, proceed to the next step;
Next, we quickly analyze under what circumstances the car malfunctions. If it takes a long time or is difficult to start when hot, we first check the spark plugs for overheating (light carbon deposits) and the functioning of the fuel system. Otherwise, when the car malfunctions both cold and hot, a more comprehensive approach is required. As a rule, the following procedures are sufficient: checking spark plugs, wiring the ignition system, assessing the operation of the injector and fuel system;
Note that most motorists manage to solve the problem, so to speak, with little loss, that is, by implementing the actions described above. If you are not one of the lucky ones and your car still takes a long time, starts poorly or refuses to work at all, you will have to act globally. Here it is better to take the car to a service station or a convenient garage and check the compression, timing adjustment, clean the injector, assess the condition of the fuel system and ignition devices. If there are any malfunctions, they must, of course, be eliminated.

No fuel supply

Often the engine does not start if the fuel supply system . Attempts to start such an engine are usually accompanied by popping noises, shots in the muffler, the appearance of black smoky smoke and a strong smell of gasoline from the exhaust pipe. A malfunction in a carburetor engine is usually determined visually.

It is enough to shine a flashlight into the primary and secondary chambers. If there are traces of gasoline on the walls, and fuel does not spray out of the accelerator pump nozzle, but flows out in a thin stream, it is necessary to urgently identify and eliminate the malfunction. To accurately determine a malfunction in an injection engine, you need special equipment connected to the vehicle’s diagnostic connector, capable of reading error codes and faults .

To determine the serviceability of the injectors, you should disconnect them from the ramp, and then ask an assistant to crank the engine with the starter. If gasoline flows out of the injector nozzle in a thick stream or does not flow out at all, the injector should be washed in an ultrasonic bath or replaced.

To avoid various surprises along the way, it is recommended that you always check all engine systems before leaving, eliminating minor faults. For example, loose contact, friction of wires and hoses on various protrusions, leaks of oil and other liquids, etc.

In this case, you can not only eliminate minor breakdowns, but also identify and prevent more serious ones, which can lead to significant expenditure of effort and money. Always stay mobile. Good luck on the roads!

CARBURETTOR ICE

Of course, the engine may not start due to a malfunction of individual carburetor elements (contamination of jets, channels) or incorrect adjustment. If fuel does not flow, it is necessary to defect the fuel pump parts.

If you understand that fuel is being supplied to the intake manifold, but there is no ignition of the fuel-air mixture, you should “dig” in the following direction:

Unscrew the spark plugs and evaluate the carbon deposits. If you are unable to start the engine right away, you may have already “flooded” the spark plugs. Now it is advisable to unscrew and dry them in any case;
disconnect the main armor wire, bringing it closer to the metal part. Try turning the motor. You will immediately notice a spark if it comes to the ignition distributor. You should also check the armored wires for “breakdown”;
If there is no spark on the main wire, carefully inspect the wires for breaks. If the circuit connections are in good condition, you should proceed to checking the coil. It is she who generates the spark;
ignition distributor and its cover. Check the size of the gap, the cleanliness of the contacts, and the presence of play. Of course, if the ignition is not set correctly, the car will not start.