Step-by-step replacement of the pump on a Lada Granta with your own hands

Today our old client came to us in his white Lada Granta to replace the timing belt, roller and pump in the place with antifreeze. From the factory, this engine is equipped with a Gates timing belt with a declared service life of 75 thousand kilometers, but we change it to 60 just in case.

Important! When the timing belt breaks on this engine, all the valves bend. This is true for all engines produced until 2022.

I recently read that starting from 2022, this engine will be equipped with plug-in pistons; when the new Granta arrives, we’ll be sure to see if this is true with an endoscope.

Purpose of the water pump

The main function of the water pump is to maintain the timing belt and move antifreeze through the engine cooling system. In turn, the cooling system is designed to ensure the required circulation of antifreeze, cooling the power unit and providing its parts with protection from possible overheating. The lack of cooling makes the normal functioning of the motor impossible, since even minimal loads in this case lead to instant heating and subsequent boiling of the power unit.

The pump operates thanks to the drive from the timing belt. The operation of the entire cooling system is structured as follows: first, coolant is poured into the expansion tank, and after the engine is started, it enters the pump cavity. The pump operates in a temperature range from - 40oC to + 40oC with air humidity up to 90%.

Preparatory operations

This procedure can be carried out even in the field; we don’t need a pit, much less a lift. Replacement time is 30 minutes, excluding engine cooling time.

If you are changing the belt and pump, then you need to drain the antifreeze from the cylinder block. Plug for the head at 13. Place stops under the rear wheel and tighten the handbrake. Remove the front right wheel and plastic mudguard.

Loosen the tension on the alternator belt and remove the belt. The locking nut is 21, the tension roller rod is 10. Turn the tension roller, if it makes extraneous noise, replace it.

Alternator belt tensioner.

Unscrew the four bolts of the upper timing cover and remove it (hexagon 5).

Upper timing cover.

Set the top dead center

Using the crankshaft pulley bolt, be sure to turn it clockwise until the marks on the camshaft sprocket and the casing match (17mm head with extension). This will be top dead center (TDC).

Crankshaft pulley.

Marks on the camshaft.

We lock the crankshaft, engage fifth gear and insert a screwdriver into the ventilation duct of the brake disc below the caliper. Unscrew the crankshaft pulley bolt and remove the pulley. Unscrew the fastening of the lower timing belt cover (hexagon 5).

Bottom cover.

The mark on the crankshaft sprocket should be against the ebb on the oil pump.

Marks on the crankshaft.

Unscrew the tension roller fastening and remove it along with the timing belt.

If you are not replacing the pump, then proceed directly to installing a new belt. But we recommend changing the pump together with the belt.

Replacing the pump

We dismantle the camshaft sprocket (head 17).

Fastening the camshaft sprocket.

Next is the timing belt casing (nut and bolts 10).

Casing.

The pump is secured with three bolts (hexagon 5).

Pump mount.

Before installing the new pump, lubricate the gasket with a thin layer of sealant. Reinstall the camshaft housing and sprocket.

Symptoms of pump failure

The resource of a modern water pump of a VAZ injection engine averages from 40,000 to 50,000 km. Pump failures caused by its operation are diagnosed quite simply. To determine the causes of the malfunction, you will need to visually inspect the CO section of the water pump, or completely dismantle this section. The most typical symptoms of a malfunction include:

• leaks in the area where the water pump is located;
• the coolant level in the tank drops sharply;
• the motor begins to heat up rapidly;
• At the location of the pump there is noise and humming of the bearings.

Installing a new timing belt

We take out a freshly purchased set.

Timing kit.

Important! The tensioning direction is indicated on the timing belt tension roller, do not confuse it.

Tension direction.
We check that all marks match and install the tension roller; do not tighten the bolt. We install the new timing belt first on the crankshaft sprocket, then on the camshaft, tension roller and pump. The belt section between the camshaft and crankshaft sprockets must be tensioned. Pull the tension roller until the marks match and tighten the bolt.

Correct tension.

Once again we check that the marks match, after which we turn the crankshaft two turns and check the tension. If the tension is weakened, tighten it.

Installed belt.

We install all parts in the reverse order of removal. Fill with antifreeze. That's all! By the way, the engine is identical to that installed on the second generation Kalinas; replacing the timing belt on them is described in this article.

Description of the replacement process

Grants are equipped with eight and sixteen-valve engines. The water pump is located under the timing belt casing, and therefore when dismantling it, both casing covers, the belt, the tension roller and the crankshaft pulley are removed. The slight differences in the procedure for changing the pump for an eight- and sixteen-valve power unit lie in the different methods used when dismantling and subsequently installing the timing belt, which will be discussed in more detail below.

The cost of the pump varies from 1000 to 2000 rubles. For 1000 rub. the owner of the Grant will be able to purchase a water pump manufactured at AvtoVAZ. More expensive pumps are imported analogues that have an increased service life. In addition, there are also pumps on the market that cost from 500 to 700 rubles, but most often they are sold by not very conscientious sellers who pass off their product as an original, which it actually is not. Installation of such parts is highly undesirable.

It is also worth noting that when purchasing a new element, the car owner should focus on the type of engine for which this part is intended, since pumps for 8- and 16-valve Grants are not interchangeable. There are markings on the pump packages that allow the buyer to select the part that is suitable for his type of motor.

Pump replacement completed

Note that 8-valve Lada Granta units suffer from a risk of belt breakage due to jamming of a lately diagnosed and replaced pump. On these units, the pump life is close to 80 thousand runs, having a warranty of one year. Here you should be careful and choose only high-quality spare parts.

There is disagreement among Lada Granta owners regarding the need to cover the new gasket with a sealing compound, or the lack of need for such an action. Pump manufacturers claim that it is not necessary! Many craftsmen neglect this postulate, and they add sealant, explaining this by better sealing the cooling channel where the pump is located.

We focus on some important aspects during replacement:

• do not allow the camshaft pulley key to pop out;
• We stop the motor shafts after removing the belt, preventing them from turning.

Instructions for changing the pump on Grant

Even before starting work, the car owner is recommended to read the machine’s operating manual; this will help you study the structure and location of the water pump in more detail. Remember - incorrect reassembly will lead to damage to the antifreeze in the system.

Then you need to prepare a place to work; normally this should be a dry box with a flat floor. Take care of good lighting, this will not only make the process easier, but will also insure you against the loss of small fasteners and small parts.

At the very beginning of work, the car is de-energized by removing the terminals from the battery. In addition, the car is securely secured using parking shoes or a hand brake. All these manipulations are carried out to ensure maximum safety and convenience of the work process.

When replacing, it is extremely important not to deviate from the sequence of actions given below, since violation of the described order of work can cause a breakdown of the cooling system and lead to a fire in the car.

Replacing the pump itself will require you to do the following:

• First you need to completely drain the coolant;
• Next, unscrew the fastening elements and dismantle the front cover of the timing case;
• Then fix the piston of the first cylinder at top dead center;
• The car is put into gear;
• A jack is used to lift the front wheel of a car;
• The wheel rotates until the mark on the pulley coincides with the mark located on the rear timing housing cover;
• Work is being done to dismantle the timing belt, the tensioner pulley is dismantled;
• The rear cover of the timing case is removed;
• The fastening elements securing the water pump are unscrewed;
• The element is carefully pryed off with a screwdriver, after which it is removed;
• In the future, you should install a new pump and previously dismantled elements and assemblies, performing actions similar to dismantling, but in the opposite order.
• Before installing a new pump, the mating surface of the cylinder block is cleaned of the remnants of the previous gasket and a new one is installed in its place, having first applied a thin layer of waterproof sealant to it. The drainage hole on the water pump body should be directed downwards after installation;
• The last stage of the work process involves pouring coolant into the cooling system.
• The liquid is filled to a level 25-30 mm below the maximum mark on the tank, this is approximately 8 liters of antifreeze. The work is done.

Feature of the replacement on 8-valve versions of VAZ (“11183” - 82 hp and “21116” - 87 hp)

Before replacing the pump, we ensure the availability of tools similar in composition to the previously discussed procedure.

1. In accordance with safety measures, we deactivate the battery.
2. Drain the liquid from the cooling circuit.
3. We proceed according to the sequence previously given here.

The process is completely similar to the methods used on the 16-valve version of LADA Granta. The only difference will be the mounting of the timing covers. We remember, when replacing the pump, about the need to replace the seal, which will allow us to gain a confident feeling in terms of ensuring sufficient tightness of the system on the LADA Granta.

In most cases, the gasket material is paronite. We recommend that you do not neglect to coat the gasket with a sealing agent.

Addresses of companies providing services for the replacement and installation of water pumps (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kyiv regions)

Malfunctions and troubleshooting methods

Signs and causes of failure

You can identify a broken part by the following signs:

• insufficient circulation of coolant and, as a result, frequent overheating of the engine;
• hum of bearings at the pump mounting location;
• presence of smudges at the pump mounting location.

These markers indicate the most likely causes of malfunctions in the Grants pump:

• bearing wear or damage;
• damage to the seal;
• worn sealing gasket;
• broken pump impeller.

In most cases, the part becomes unsuitable for major repairs and requires a complete replacement. Ignoring pump problems leads to replacing the timing belt and replacing components of the connecting rod and piston group. Valves and bearings may also need to be replaced.