Technical characteristics of the engine 2103

One of the most popular is the VAZ 2103 engine, which runs on gasoline. Its displacement is 1.5 liters, which makes it possible to produce from 68 to 77 horsepower of maximum power, depending on the year of manufacture, which is achieved at an engine speed of 5600 per minute.

A huge number of cars from domestic manufacturers were equipped with such an engine, which is why it became quite popular. In fact, like all VAZ engines, it is a redesigned version of the 2101 engine, so they have quite a lot in common, but also have distinctive qualities.

Specifications

Peculiarities

Despite the fact that domestic manufacturers almost never made significant changes to the design of their power units, the VAZ 2103 engine block combined a fairly large number of developments. The camshaft is mounted from the 2101 engine, which provides a raw journal between the cams of the second cylinder in the shape of a hexagon.

Certain changes have also been made to the cylinder head in the form of a 2 mm step in the combustion chamber, which is obtained by milling. The gas distribution mechanism is driven by a chain, and the attachments in the form of a pump and generator are moved by a belt.

The crankshaft is installed from the 2101 power unit with a crank radius of 40 millimeters.

The displacement of the VAZ 2103 engine has increased compared to the previous version. This was achieved by increasing the cylinder block by 8.8 millimeters. Thanks to this solution from the manufacturers, an increased piston stroke was obtained.

Many people wonder how much this power unit weighs, and the weight of the VAZ 2103 engine is 120.7 kilograms. A weight of almost 130 kilograms was achieved thanks to the installation of a lightweight cylinder head.

The VAZ 2103 engine number is located on the lower shelf of the air intake, which is located on the right in the direction of travel of the car, so finding the marking plate will not be difficult.

Tuning the VAZ 2103 engine

The characteristics of the VAZ engine that the VAZ 1.5 2103 engine has do not always satisfy their owners. Many people want to have a tuning, souped-up engine.

For this purpose, the following modernization operations are performed:

1. Each cylinder is bored three millimeters under a piston with a diameter of 79 mm, resulting in a volume of 1.6 liters instead of the previous version of 1.5 liters. Thin cylinder walls do not allow further boring.
2. To increase volume and power more, the piston stroke is increased so that its length reaches 84 mm, while the engine speed is reduced.
3. To further increase power, a crankshaft taken from the VAZ 2130 model is used.
4. Finishing of the cylinder head, which consists of polishing and boring the channels, which reduces intake resistance, increases power by another 10 percent.
5. Installing a 0.5 bar compressor also allows you to add additional power. The new power becomes 125 hp. With.
6. Correct selection of camshaft.

The camshaft is selected according to certain rules so that the piston has an increased stroke (for example, a camshaft from Niva).

To further improve the technical characteristics and capabilities of the engine, it is necessary to use turbo classics, in which you will have to invest a lot of money.

Advantages

Since the technical characteristics of the VAZ 2103 engine differ significantly from previous power units, it is easy to assume that the manufacturers made every effort to rework the engine. This has borne fruit, including a fairly large number of advantages:

• Redesigned attachment drive. Due to the fact that the gas distribution mechanism is driven by a chain, and the pump and generator by a belt, noise during operation is reduced.
• Repair of the VAZ 2103 engine is provided by the factory. Manufacturers have designed these power units to be serviceable, so they offer customers repair kits that can be used if the cylinders need to be bored.
• Great resource. Due to the fact that high-quality materials were used during the production of the motors, they were able to operate for a long time, unlike modern foreign solutions.
• The pistons of the VAZ 2103 engine never meet the valves. The chain drive makes it possible to avoid breakage, so the likelihood that the valve will bend is reduced to zero.

Malfunctions

Engine 2103 is characterized by the same malfunctions as other classic VAZ engines. The most common:

There are also other malfunctions when operating VAZ 2103 engines. In general, it is better to diagnose engine malfunctions in a specialized service station.

This is interesting: What engine is in the VAZ 2106

Problems

As befits all Soviet engines of that time, there are more than enough negative qualities in the 2103 power unit. But despite this, owners still drive cars with this engine under the hood and do not complain. The main disadvantages are:

• The VAZ 2103 carburetor is an eternal problem, since they were produced by Weber and Ozon. These fuel cells constantly require cleaning and rebuilding, as well as adjustments. The jets are constantly clogged, so the power unit begins to operate unstably. As a rule, in this case, the VAZ 2103 engine speed begins to fluctuate very much.
• The engine may become very loud. As a rule, this is caused by the fact that the timing chain has stretched, or the thermal clearances on the valves need to be adjusted. If this does not help, then you will have to do a major overhaul, since problems arise in the connecting rod and piston group.
• It is very easy to overheat such an engine. As a rule, owners of cars with such a power unit under the hood encounter this problem due to a jammed thermostat and pump. Less common are cases of antifreeze leakage due to a breakdown of the pipe.
• Oil leaks. This is a standard problem for all engines of that time, usually observed in the area of ​​the pan and valve cover. You will have to come to terms with this, since replacing the gasket will only remove this problem for a few thousand kilometers.
• Failure of the cylinder head gasket. This also happens on modern engines, since high-quality coolant is not always used. If your engine oil level has risen sharply, you need to urgently go to a service center. This will also be noticeable by the fact that the operation of the VAZ 2103 engine will be unstable.

Stages of replacing lubricant VAZ 2103

On classic Lada cars or the more familiar Zhiguli, a convenient drainage of used oil from the engine is provided. The oil filter is also easily accessible and can be reached from the engine compartment.

During the production of the VAZ 2103, a large number of modifications were produced, which were equipped with various engines. Experienced drivers note good maintainability, unpretentiousness in maintenance, as well as consumables.

There are no global differences in versions with different engine sizes when replacing, all actions will be almost the same.

Before starting to replace the lubricant, precautions should be taken. It should be noted that the drained waste will be at a high temperature. Since the replacement is carried out on a warm engine.

Draining waste fluid

Before starting the draining procedure, you should prepare tools, empty containers, as well as new liquids for subsequent filling. If additional protection is installed under the engine, it can also be removed for convenience.

Next, we perform the procedure for draining the liquid from the VAZ 2103:

1. We lift the hood, under it we find the filler neck on the engine and unscrew the plug (Fig. 1).

   
   Fig.1 Oil filler neck

2. Now we go down under the car and place a waste container in the drainage area. You can use a cut canister or an old bucket.
3. Unscrew the drain plug using a 12mm hex key (Fig. 2).

   
   Fig.2 Drain plug

4. The drain plug is not always located at the lowest point, so about 100-200 milliliters of waste may remain in the pan. To remove them, you can use a rubber bulb or a syringe with a hose attached to it (Fig. 3).

   
   Fig.3 Pumping out residues with a syringe

5. Now you need to unscrew the old oil filter, which is located on the right side of the engine under the hood (Fig. 4).

   
   Fig.4 Oil filter

To unscrew the filter element, it is advisable to have a special puller. If it is not available, you can try to unscrew the filter using improvised means. In this case, you can use, for example, an old alternator belt, a regular belt, a bicycle chain or a simple screwdriver.

Unscrewing the oil filter using improvised means

Using this method, you can drain the maximum amount of used oil, after which you can proceed to further actions. The main thing is not to forget, everything that we unscrewed must be put back in place.

Flushing the lubrication system

Flushing the engine on a VAZ 2103 should be carried out only in exceptional cases, which include:

1. Purchasing a used car when you cannot know about the quality, as well as the regularity of lubricant replacements.
2. During operation, the service replacement interval was repeatedly exceeded.
3. Engine operation with constant frequent overheating, which contributes to coking and other deposits.
4. In cases of switching to another type, for example from synthetics to semi-synthetics.

There are several types of flushes for the VAZ 2103 engine:

• Five- or seven-minute, capable of cleaning even the most difficult deposits. They must be used very carefully and strictly follow the instructions printed on the packaging. It is recommended to use them only when absolutely necessary. Since there is a high probability of causing premature wear of the sealing seals. And also clog the oil channels with particles of washed away carbon deposits.
• Special compounds that are added to the oil several hundred kilometers before the expected change. They are more gentle, but there is also a possibility of clogging of the oil channels.
• Flushing oil is the most gentle method of cleaning the engine from the inside. This composition is poured after draining the waste, the engine runs for 15-20 minutes, after which the liquid with deposits is drained. The absence of aggressive additives in the wash composition gently cleans the engine, but is not able to remove heavy contaminants.
• Regular oil that you are going to use when changing. This method is not so popular due to its high price.

Before flushing a VAZ 2103, you should weigh all the pros and cons. And also understand that it will not be possible to completely drain the liquid. Some of it will remain in the channels, which will then mix with the new oil.

Installing a filter, filling in new engine fluid

If the VAZ 2103 lubrication system is sealed and does not require repair work to eliminate leaks, you can proceed to adding fresh engine oil. In addition to the oil itself, we may need a new drain plug, its part number 14325301. As well as the original oil filter 2101-1012005.

Consumables

When everything is ready, let's move on to the bay:

1. Replace the drain plug and replace it with a new one if necessary.
2. We tighten and put the oil filter in place. Pre-lubricate the rubber sealing ring with fresh oil.
3. Pour new oil into the filler neck.
4. We check the level on the dipstick; it should be between the MIN and MAX marks.
5. We start the engine, let it run for 10-15 seconds, then turn it off.
6. After 5 minutes, check the level with a dipstick and top up if necessary.

There are several opinions regarding replacing the oil filter. Some car owners advise filling it with new oil before installation. However, in the official operating instructions for the VAZ 2103, as well as in information from well-known filter manufacturers, it is recommended to simply lubricate the o-ring.

Maintenance

The assembly of the VAZ 2103 engine is not very different from other power units, therefore the maintenance regulations are appropriate. As practice shows, after 100 thousand kilometers, and the engine will pass them without problems, you will have to change the timing chain, otherwise it can stretch and make a lot of noise. The valves are adjusted around 20 thousand, but a more frequent procedure may be required, depending on your driving style.

Oil in the VAZ 2103 engine also needs to be constantly added, since the engine burns about 700 grams for every 10 thousand kilometers. But it also needs to be changed constantly, after passing 30 thousand. If you are interested in how much oil is in the VAZ 2103 engine, then everything is simple - 3.75 liters. But it is worth considering the fact that during replacement the old lubricating fluid remains, so 3.5 liters of new oil must be poured.

Fuel and air filters must be replaced after 40 thousand kilometers. But given the way domestic cars are used in modern realities, it is better to reduce this period to 20 thousand kilometers.

Seasonality

It is important to decide which oils to pour into the VAZ-2106 engine, taking into account seasonality. In summer and winter, if the climate is moderate and the average temperature for the year is above zero, it is important and rational to pour all-season compounds into the oil sump. They usually have viscosities of 15W20, 15W40 and 10W40. But in winter, preference is given to viscosities 5W30, 5W20 and 10W40. They are suitable for VAZ-2106 cars up to approximately 2002. But for versions 2003 - 2006, it is better to use special winter compounds, the viscosity of which is 0W40 or 0W30.

Nulevki did not exist during the development of the VAZ-2106. These are oils with increased fluidity, which are unsuitable for use on machines with excessively worn power units. The “sixes” have survived to this day, only the bulk of them are operated with engines that have serious wear and tear. This led to the formation of gaps, which during frosts will not allow motor oil with index 0W to work normally. So only in exceptional situations would it be wise to buy such mixtures.

Usually, when selecting consumables for a car, the owner only needs to look at the official instruction manual. But in the case of the VAZ-2106, the situation is somewhat different. The cars have not been produced for a long time, plus the manuals are seriously outdated. So going by what the factory recommends doesn’t make much sense. Based on the tips and characteristics given above. With their help, it will be easier for you to make a choice and fill the crankcase with the correct engine oil that corresponds to the current state of affairs. In addition, we will give some useful tips.

1. Manufacturer of motor oils. In the case of the VAZ-2106 car, the priority for most drivers will be domestically produced fluids. But many imported compounds are also suitable for the six. Here, focus not on the geographical location of the brand, but on its position in the market. Try to choose mixtures that have been on the market for a long time. This suggests that they produce high-quality compounds that meet the requirements and standards.
2. Terms of Use. In our conditions and taking into account the technical features of the VAZ-2106, it is not worth delaying too much with changing the engine fluid. Replacement is recommended every 5 - 7 thousand kilometers. The more problems your “six” has, the shorter the intervals will be.
3. Trying to save money. Everyone understands perfectly well that no one wants, and sometimes cannot, spend a lot of money on maintaining such a budget car. But excessive savings can result in serious problems. Do not fill with questionable motor mixtures, but use proven, well-proven oils. Among them there are options at an adequate price.
4. Sales consultants. No offense to some sellers who are really trying to help customers. But most of them pursue personal goals and profit. For them, it is preferable to sell stale goods than to give practical and useful advice. Therefore, it is better to understand the issue yourself.
5. Fakes. The big problem for domestic motorists is the presence of a huge number. In this regard, try to avoid dubious retail outlets, counters and spontaneous markets. Go to specialty stores. Even though the oil there will be a little more expensive, you will be able to get all the documents, look at the certificates of quality and conformity, make claims if you buy bad oil, etc.

Always try to remember what you pour into the engine crankcase and what oil you use for your VAZ-2106, which has a carburetor. This will allow you to purchase a similar liquid next time. The age of the car is the main problem when choosing motor fluid for the VAZ-2106. Therefore, try to take into account all the recommendations given, build on the current state of the car and do not skimp on consumables. Otherwise, you will soon have to send the car to a landfill.

The legendary product of the Soviet and Russian automobile industry, the VAZ 2103, has not been produced for a long time, but remains popular. And many troika owners, after purchasing, think about what kind of oil to pour into the VAZ 2103 engine.

If you follow the original vehicle operating manual, then the following will be suitable for VAZ 2103 or 2106 engine oil:

• M - 6/12G;
• M - 8 GI;
• M - 5/10 GI.

Not all stores will be able to offer motor oil with this marking. Then what kind of oil should you pour into the VAZ 2103 engine if you happen to be the proud owner of this car?