Owners of the “Nine” are often faced with a situation where the VAZ 2109 does not start. Is it possible to determine the cause of the breakdown yourself and do without a service station? If you master certain skills and knowledge of the engine starting system, then yes.
Lada may not start in different ways. First case: hard to start when cold. This implies an unclear start of the engine after the car has been parked for a long time. It happens when a VAZ stalls while driving, that is, it doesn’t start well when it’s hot. In addition, the “nine” was produced with both carburetor and injection engines. The differences in troubleshooting for these two units are significant. Let's find out how to look for the cause of failure for both versions of the power unit.
Possible factors
If the VAZ 2109 engine does not start well on the injector or carburetor. The engine seizes and instantly turns off or does not start at all. This may be a consequence of many factors. It’s worth starting with the most obvious faults.
Need to consider:
- The fact of supplying fuel to the engine;
- Charge the battery and its terminals;
- Presence of a spark in the candles;
- Air supply.
What to do if there is no key?
If you don't have a spark plug wrench, you can dry the parts in another way. To do this, put the car in neutral and turn on the ignition. Then press the gas pedal to the floor and turn the starter for 5 seconds. Thus, a large amount of air will enter the combustion chamber - the candle will dry out successfully. It is important to remember that with this operation the amount of oil on the cylinder walls is reduced. Therefore, you should not abuse this method so that the motor does not run dry.
Ignition system diagnostics
VAZ 2109 does not start with a carburetor or injector.
The starter does not crank because there is a defect in the engine starting system. The main problems may be:
- Ignition switch;
- Breaker (distributor);
- Reel;
- Armored wires;
- Battery power cables.
First of all, you need to check the ignition switch.
Its structure is very primitive. Inside there is a group of contacts through which current is supplied when the key is turned. Power goes to the dashboard. The starter starts the power system. If the instrument panel does not light up or lights up but the starter does not crank, then it is necessary to check the ignition switch. Since it is almost pointless to repair it, the best solution would be to buy a new one. A new lock is not very expensive.
In another case, when the starter spins, it periodically seizes, but the VAZ 2109 does not start. There is no point in trying to start the car this way for a long time. Due to such manipulations, the battery may die. It is worth cranking the starter for 4-6 seconds with a break of one minute. The car may not start due to a defect in one or more high-voltage wires that run from the coil.
There are only 4 wires, 1 per cylinder. Sparks at the connection between spark plugs and wires may indicate a breakdown in the wires. This is clearly visible in the dark. There are white or blue sparks along the wire. In this situation, the wire must be replaced with a new one. High-voltage wires should be replaced every 40,000 - 50,000 km.
Next, you should check the distributor; it can often flood in the rain or after washing the engine. One drop of water on the ignition distributor is enough to prevent it from forming a spark for ignition. In order to prevent the distributor from flooding, you should not drive into puddles at high speed. And while washing the engine, it is worth covering the spark plug wells and all components of the ignition system.
The coil should be checked using a multimeter. Provided that there is only one coil in the VAZ 2109. If there is no current on it, this means that it is not capable of delivering the required current value. In the case when a VAZ 2109 has 2 coils, then with one faulty coil, the current will flow only through one coil. The engine will stall, but the car will function.
Alternative ways to start a car
If after one of the above operations the car starts, then be glad that you dealt with the breakdown yourself. If nothing helps, then you need to take the car for repairs. But you still have to get to the car service station, and in this case the “nine”, like all carburetor cars, is unique. A modern foreign car is nowhere without a battery, but a Zhiguli, if started from a pusher or pushed downhill, can go as long as it wants (the main thing is not to turn off the engine).
The process looks like this:
- The ignition turns on.
- We push the car so that it reaches a speed of at least 5 km/h.
- The clutch is depressed and third gear is engaged (of course, any gear will work, but 3rd is best for a “cold” start).
- The clutch is released and when, due to the inertia of the VAZ, its knees turn, the car will certainly start. Then the clutch is depressed and third gear is disengaged.
Battery diagnostics
If the car is parked for a long time, the battery loses charge and loses voltage. The voltage sags so that ignition simply does not occur. You can diagnose the battery using a multimeter.
To do this you need:
- Open the hood;
- Set the multimeter mode to measure voltage up to 20 V;
- Touch the multimeter probes to the battery contacts.
The voltage should be 12.6 V. If the output voltage is less than this value, then this indicates a problem with the battery. A desirable action would be to check the density of the electrolyte. It is worth checking absolutely all contacts. First of all, you need to check them with a multimeter on the starter.
In an urgent case, when the VAZ 2109 needs to be started and started immediately, you need to turn on the headlights, thereby increasing the voltage on the battery. This activates the battery electrolyte.
In the case when the VAZ 2109 does not start on the injector, even with a charged battery. The reason may be in its terminals. It is worth checking for oxidation on them. This is why the VAZ 2109 does not start on the injector. A white coating forms on the terminals; it needs to be cleaned off with sandpaper.
Faulty spark plugs
One of the common causes of malfunction is flooded spark plugs. There may be various reasons for this:
- no spark;
- the spark plug itself has failed.
You can check the performance of a candle using a special device - you can purchase it at any store for several hundred rubles. You can also check if there is a spark. This process is relatively simple - you need to unscrew the spark plug from the engine, and then put a spark plug on it. We place it on the engine so that the housing is in contact with its block. We turn the starter. There are several options below:
- if the spark is blue and bright, then the reason for the impossibility of starting the engine lies in something else;
- a red flash or its complete absence indicates the need to replace the spark plug.
If the engine stalls in cold weather but when it is hot, then the problem most likely lies in the incorrect operation of the spark plugs. You need to carefully inspect them and, if necessary, replace them. According to the standard regulations, the installation of new spark plugs should be carried out every 10 thousand km. Moreover, the manufacturer’s recommendations should not be taken into account.
Determining on your own why the engine does not start is not always possible for a number of reasons. You should carefully inspect the power supply system, ignition, and main components. If you cannot cope with the problem on your own, you should contact a specialist.
Diagnostics of the fuel supply system to the engine
You should check the presence of the required amount of fuel in the gas tank. An insufficient amount of it can affect further diagnostics, since a small volume of gasoline will not allow the gas pump to receive the required amount. All diagnostics should be carried out with a full gas tank.
You need to pay attention to:
- Carburetor;
- Pump;
- Idle air valve;
- Oil.
You should start checking with the pump, as this is very easy to do. It is necessary to disconnect the fuel hose from the engine and turn the starter.
The pump operates if there is fuel supply. Diagnostics can be done without starting the engine. To do this, you need to press the lever on the pump itself. A few presses are enough to create the necessary pressure.
If gasoline does not begin to pump after pumping, the pump should be replaced with a new one. There is no particular point in restoring the pump, since this component has a low price. Around 500-1500 rub.
The next step will be diagnosing the carburetor. It is not possible to do this alone. Therefore, you should ask someone to help.
With the found assistant, you need to do the following:
- Remove the air filter cover;
- The assistant needs to look into the collector;
- Step on the gas and try to start the engine.
Gasoline must flow into the manifold. If everything is so, then the system is working properly. If not, then the carburetor is broken.
In this case, you need to clean the idle air valve on the carburetor. This valve looks like a “bar” and is located on the side. It must be unscrewed and checked for dirt. The valve must be cleaned with a needle or other thin object.
If a VAZ 2109 with a carburetor does not start the first time, then the defect is clearly in the carburetor jets.
For complete cleaning you will need a special liquid and a compressor. It is also necessary to correctly configure the carburetor itself. It is very difficult to do this yourself if you do not have the proper experience.
If the VAZ 2109 has an injector and the engine does not start, then the injectors should be checked. First of all, you should check the presence of power with a multimeter. To do this, you need to measure the voltage at the contacts that are connected to the injector. If there is no voltage, then it is necessary to check the cable.
If a VAZ 2109 does not start on an injector or carburetor in winter, then one of the reasons may be the thickening of the oil in the cylinders. Because of this, the compression force drops and the engine is unable to convert the mixture. In winter, oil flows down in the cylinder from top to bottom. And when trying to start the engine, fuel flows onto the cylinders from above, which dissolves the oil and washes it away from the cylinder walls.
Circuit breakers
VAZ 2109 cars have a rather impractical location of the fuse box - between the windshield and the engine compartment. All dirt, dust and other deposits accumulate on this block.
If the lid is not sealed, moisture may get into the elements after rain, causing them to short out. The most basic one in our case is the fuel pump fuse. If it burns out, the fuel is unable to pass from the gas tank into the chamber. And no amount of “purging” will save you here. To avoid getting into such a ridiculous situation, experienced drivers are advised to always carry a set of new fuses with them.
Diagnostics of contactless ignition system
Sometimes the VAZ 2109 does not start the first time.
The reason for this may probably be located in the ignition system. In recent years, cars have been equipped with a contactless system. Checking this system does not require any special tools. Everything can be purchased at your nearest auto supply store.
It is more rational to carry out diagnostics of the MD-1 sensor. It is connected to the place of the switch. Next, turn on the ignition.
Working with the sensor is very simple. It has three indicators:
- “P” - shows the proper functioning of the ignition switch;
- “K” - shows the state of the primary winding;
- “D” - shows the proper operation of the hall sensors when the starter is turned on.
If all indicators work, then there are no malfunctions.
