How to set the ignition on a VAZ 2109 carburetor

The question of how to set the ignition on a VAZ 2109 worries many car enthusiasts. Indeed, owners of these car brands from time to time encounter problems associated with unstable operation of the power unit.

A common symptom is normal engine starting and incorrect idle speed.

What is the reason for this phenomenon? Are there ways to solve it?

According to experienced craftsmen, you need to pay attention to the ignition system - it is the main cause of such a malfunction.

Moreover, in 90% of cases the problem can be solved independently.

System design

Before we begin to consider the adjustment process, we consider it necessary to understand the diagram and principle of operation of the system. Vehicles of the VAZ 2109 model range are equipped with a non-contact ignition system. The connection diagram of all elements is as follows:

The operating principle of the system is not complicated. In order for a spark to begin to be produced, the motor shaft must turn. Simultaneously with its rotation, the camshaft will also turn. As a result of this, the sensor generates a signal that will be sent to the switch. The “K” terminal of the coil will connect to the common wire (to “ground”), as a result of which a spark will occur on the main wire. At the moment when the working distributor slider connects the main wire with one or another high-voltage wire on the corresponding spark plug, a spark will appear and the car engine will start.

If the setting is made incorrectly, the candles work in the wrong time modes. Consequently, such a violation becomes the cause of unstable operation of the entire power unit.

Preparatory activities and necessary tools

Installing the ignition of a VAZ 2109 carburetor begins with preparatory activities. In particular, you need:

Warm up the car engine;
Set the parking brake and install wheel chocks under the rear wheels.

Remember that you cannot ignore safety rules, because a car is a highly dangerous vehicle, and failure to comply with safety rules when driving, servicing and repairing it can cost you dearly.

An important point: before you start work, you should make sure that the carburetor is correctly configured on the car. It would not be superfluous to carry out a visual inspection of all elements of the system. If we are talking about a carburetor car, special attention should be paid to inspecting the condition of the distributor.

If you have a car with an injection engine, it is worth checking the ignition module for serviceability. The thing is that, as practice shows, it is this module that fails most often and is the reason for the inoperability of the entire system.

To complete the work we need:

strobe;
a set of keys.

Testing Angle Setting

If the ignition angle was adjusted correctly, then when the engine is started after the work, the existing problems disappear:

failures in engine operation stop when the accelerator is pressed, at idle speed, when the engine is “hot”;
when driving at a speed of about 50 km/h in 4th gear, sharply pressing the gas pedal leads to a short detonation for 3-5 seconds;
The engine power increases and its throttle response becomes better.

If problems continue to appear even after you adjust the ignition, then their cause should be sought in what spark plugs are on the engine, whether the ignition switch is working properly, or whether there is a breakdown in the wires. If the long mark on the flywheel is constantly displaced, problems may be in the distributor and voltage regulator in the generator, wires or ignition coil.

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How to correctly set the ignition on a VAZ 2109 carburetor - detailed instructions

The setup process is as follows:

1. Start the car engine and ensure that the engine speed is approximately 800 rpm. To set the idle speed within such limits, it is enough to use a slotted screwdriver to adjust the screw responsible for the amount of fuel mixture in the carburetor.

2. After setting the idle speed to the above value, turn off the car engine.

3. Disconnect the rubber hose from the vacuum corrector. Carefully bend the hose approximately in the middle or plug it with a screw of a suitable diameter.

4. Connect the positive terminal of the strobe to the “+” terminal of the battery;

5. Connect the negative wire of the strobe to the “-” terminal of the battery;

6. Disconnect the spark plug wire from the socket of the first cylinder as shown in the image:

Disconnect the spark plug wire

7. Install the strobe sensor into the socket and connect the high-voltage wire to it;

8. Remove the plug from the clutch housing hatch:

Removing the stub

9. Turn on the ignition and start the engine. We direct the actively changing luminous flux generated by the strobe into the clutch housing hatch:

We direct the strobe into the clutch housing hatch

10. When the light is flashing, it seems that the mark located on the flywheel is stationary. If the ignition is installed correctly, the first mark should be between the technological notch and the previous mark on the scale.

What do ignition malfunctions promise?

Difficulties in starting the power unit, strange color of exhaust gases, incorrect operation of the engine at idle speed - all this can be the cause of incorrectly adjusted ignition timing.

At the same time, many car enthusiasts blame the carburetor and spend a lot of time cleaning or repairing it. As a result, money and time are wasted, but there is no result.

On the other hand, if the ignition system does not produce a spark, and the spark plugs are regularly filled, then the problem may lie elsewhere.

An incorrectly set angle manifests itself as follows:

1. Powerful detonation appears during operation of the power unit.

It is not difficult to recognize the problem. The main symptom is an uncharacteristic ringing sound that is heard when you press the accelerator pedal.

This malfunction is a common occurrence among motorists who do not properly monitor the condition of their vehicle.

The cause of detonation is early ignition timing, which not only reduces the comfort of driving a car, but can also lead to deformation of the pistons.

Alternatively, the rings may be defective, which in this case will inevitably have to be replaced.

2. The appearance of smoke from the exhaust pipe.

— after starting the power unit, black smoke comes out of the exhaust pipe. This problem is a clear indication of pre-ignition.

3. Motor power decreases.

This is especially noticeable when the vehicle picks up speed.

There may be a delay of several seconds between pressing the gas pedal and the car starting to accelerate. If the car starts to accelerate, it happens jerkily.

4. Fuel consumption increases.

One of the main consequences of incorrect system configuration. This and the problem described above are evidence of late ignition.

This is explained by the fact that when the piston reaches the top point, the fuel mixture does not burn completely and continues to burn even when the piston moves back.

5. Uneven idle.

An incorrectly set ignition immediately manifests itself as engine malfunctions at idle.

In such a situation, experts recommend setting up the system first, and only then starting to check other systems.

Incandescent lamp instead of strobe light

Many car owners will ask a completely fair question: how to adjust the ignition of a VAZ 2109 in the absence of a strobe light. Of course, it is more correct to work with a strobe, especially since in this case it is possible to carry out adjustment and adjustment work as accurately as possible. However, there is another method that is useful for those who, for one reason or another, do not want to purchase a strobe.

To work, we need an ordinary incandescent lamp designed for an operating voltage of 12V. The entire algorithm of actions is as follows:

Disconnect the wire from the distributor that goes to the ignition coil
We connect one terminal of an incandescent light bulb to the wire. We connect the second wire from the lamp to ground.
As in the case when setting the ignition of a VAZ 2109 using a strobe light, use a spanner to loosen the distributor fastening nuts.
Turn on the ignition. The incandescent lamp should light up.
Gradually turn the distributor until the lamp stops glowing. After this, turn the distributor slightly in the other direction. As soon as the lamp starts to glow again, you can tighten the fastening nuts.

Of course, the method described above cannot provide the highest possible adjustment accuracy. However, with its help it is quite possible to achieve more or less correct and stable operation of the power unit.

How to adjust the ignition on a VAZ 2109 - an alternative method

In addition to the adjustment methods described above using a strobe and a light bulb, you should remember one more method - adjustment using a standard tachometer. We emphasize that this method, like the method using a light bulb, cannot provide high accuracy of adjustment. Moreover, it is characterized by one significant drawback - it is impossible to carry out the adjustment yourself; you will need to hire an assistant. So:

Your assistant is located behind the wheel of the car. He turns on the ignition and monitors the readings of the standard tachometer on the instrument panel.
You loosen the nuts securing the distributor and turn it a little.
Your assistant turns the ignition key. The tachometer needle should quickly deflect and return to zero.
You need to ensure that the distributor remains in a position in which the tachometer needle deflects.

You may notice that this method requires patience and quite a lot of time. As practice shows, it is not possible to adjust the ignition quickly and the first time using this method . Therefore, we recommend using it only in extreme cases.

How to set the ignition on a VAZ 2109 injector

Above we described the process of adjusting carburetor engines. However, there are VAZ modifications equipped with injection power units. How to set the ignition on a VAZ 2109 with such an engine?

First of all, you should pay attention that in the case of injection engines, they do not have a distributor and a Hall sensor. At the same time, the system provides two ignition coils at once, and, accordingly, two switches. The main difference between the injection system and the classic one is that the control signals are generated by a special electronic unit. The operating principle is as follows:

Operating principle of the injection system

Thus, there is simply no need for a distributor, because it is the electronic control unit that determines in which cylinder and at what point in time there should be a spark. Signals from the control unit are supplied to the inputs of the switches, and from them to the ignition coils. One switch is responsible for sparking in the first and third cylinders, and the second - in the second and fourth.

As in the case of engines with a carburetor fuel system, adjustment is carried out according to special technological risks. The ignition marks of the VAZ 2109 injector are shown in the photo below:

Ignition marks VAZ 2109 injector

Please note that it is not possible to configure the injection engine system yourself. The thing is that this operation involves making changes to the software of the microcontroller of the electronic control unit. Of course, each specific microcontroller has its own specific firmware. Moreover, there are also non-standard firmwares, for example, with settings for a sporty driving style.

Only an experienced specialist with certain knowledge can flash an electronic control unit. Therefore, if malfunctions occur in the ignition system of an injection engine, you should seek help from a trusted car service center.

Basic technical concepts

The ignition system is a variety of interconnected instruments and devices that guarantee the appearance of an electrical discharge, which in turn ignites the mixture of fuel and air in the internal combustion engine system. This system plays a huge role in the vehicle’s technical equipment and electrical equipment.

We are not interested in the entire ignition system, but only in the moment the spark appears, which determines the correct operation of the entire system. This moment is called the ignition moment, because. determines the time for ignition of the working mixture in compressed form. Incorrectly set ignition timing entails many problems in the operation of the car. With the help of this article you will learn how to identify the problem, what it means and how to fix it.

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