Extraneous sounds always indicate that some problems have arisen. Especially if the noise comes from under the hood. Drivers are especially concerned about sudden strong impacts. This is how the chain guide on a VAZ 2107 behaves when it fails.
It is dangerous to continue driving with a broken damper. This will lead to rapid wear of the guide teeth on the sprockets, which will damage the links of the chain itself. As a result, serious engine damage.
Our instructions will help you understand the structure and features of replacing this important element of the car's design.
Purpose of the sedative
The damper is designed to dampen vibrations and jerks that occur during startup on the timing chain. Without this device, the chain would easily break off the guide gears and break at the most inopportune moments.
Most often, the timing chain breaks at the moment when the crankshaft rotation speed reaches its maximum. The break occurs so quickly that the driver has no chance to react in time and turn off the engine. As a result, all engine valves fail.
After the valves, problems begin in the cylinders. It is almost impossible to restore the engine after such a breakdown. Especially when it comes to seven. After all, the cost of repair work can significantly exceed the cost of the entire car. And it’s easier to sell a car for spare parts than to restore the engine.
Therefore, we can conclude that the timing chain guide is one of those parts that needs constant monitoring. This is the most important protection of your engine from major breakdown.
Timing chain jump and its symptoms
The chain, like any other part of the car, wears out over time. Wear usually shows up as chain stretching. The cause of stretching is the so-called metal fatigue, which affects almost all parts that experience cyclic loads. Having stretched, the chain begins to sag significantly. If the driver does nothing, then sooner or later a situation will arise when the chain on one of the sprockets jumps one or two teeth forward. After this, all valve timing in the engine will be disrupted, as will its operation. Here are the main signs of a skipped timing chain:
All these signs indicate that the timing chain has not only weakened, but also jumped. And the driver needs to replace it as soon as possible. If this is not done, the engine will sooner or later seize, after which you will have to make expensive major repairs.
Mechanism design
This is a simple plate made of high quality carbon steel. It has two mounting holes.
There is also a second design element. It is called the hydraulic tensioner shoe. It is located under the timing cover. To extend service life, the side exposed to increased mechanical stress is coated with durable polymer material.
To replace the chain guide on a VAZ, you need to remove the cover and loosen the tension roller.
Dismantling the VAZ 2107 chain guide
- Turn on neutral speed.
- Remove the engine head cover (it is held on by 8 bolts). This should be done carefully, being careful not to damage the gasket - if it is in good condition, it can be reused.
- Adjust the position of the camshaft sprocket so that the mark on it coincides with the boss on its body.
- Loosen the timing chain tensioner nut (just loosen, there is no need to unscrew completely).
- Using a screwdriver, press down the tensioner shoe, thereby releasing the chain tension.
- While holding the screwdriver, tighten the tensioner cap nut, thereby securing it in the position when the chain is released.
- Hook the tensioner with a hook, threading it through the technological hole. This will prevent the damper from falling into the engine pan after the mounting nuts are unscrewed. Instead of a hook, long tweezers or a magnetic telescopic handle will do.
- Unscrew the two bolts securing the VAZ 2107 damper and pull it out.
Important: if the damper breaks, you can try to remove it with the same hook, tweezers, or magnet. If it falls and it is impossible to get it out, you will have to remove the oil pan and take out the damper from below.
Operating principle of the chain damper
When you start the engine, you force the crankshaft and timing shaft to move. Ideally they should work synchronously. But it doesn't always happen this way. The teeth on the guide gears sometimes break, and the chain stretches and begins to sag.
This leads to the fact that the timing shaft begins to move a few moments after the crankshaft. The chain stretches even more and can easily come off the gear.
That is why cars are equipped with a so-called calming system, which consists of two parts.
This is what a sedative looks like
The shoe is connected to an oil line containing an oil pressure sensor. If the chain slack reaches a high value, the lubricant pressure drops sharply. This results in an additional volume of oil being pumped in, which allows for additional pressure to be created.
The shoe moves and transmits pressure, bringing the tension state into order. All this happens instantly, which protects against circuit breaks.
But due to a sharp blow to the shoe, it begins to vibrate strongly. The vibrations are transmitted to the opposite side, where there is a damper designed to dampen them.
For what reasons can the chain guide on a VAZ-2107 fail?
Experienced car enthusiasts have noticed that the chain guide needs to be changed in several situations:
- When a knocking sound is heard in the area where the chain structure is located.
- When the chain oscillates.
- When the chain links jump over the teeth on the sprocket.
In the first situation, a loud knocking sound is heard from the side of the intermediate shaft cover. It will be evidence that the damper has broken.
Most often, such a part begins to break if the timing chain structure is weakened.
Another reason for the breakdown of this part may be the result of accidentally unscrewing the nut at the place of its fastening. Unscrewing of the nuts occurs due to increased vibration of the running engine. This is due to the location of the part in question:
- opposite the timing chain tensioner shoe;
- secured with two bolts of different lengths.
Signs of a malfunctioning damper
The driver can judge the breakdown by two characteristic signals:
- Strong knocks and grinding noises that are heard under the timing cover. Unpleasant sounds occur when the engine starts, especially if it is cooled.
- The motor loses momentum. This is especially noticeable until it warms up. A non-working part is not able to dampen vibrations, which leads to desynchronization in the operation of the cylinders. The engine behaves inappropriately, does not respond to the gas pedal, and failures occur.
Why does it fail
The stabilizer on the VAZ 2107 faces serious loads throughout the entire engine operating cycle. No wonder it sometimes breaks down. There may be two reasons for this:
- Loosening the mounting bolts. Shocks continuously strike these bolts, causing them to become loose. Gradually becoming loose, the fastening element can easily break.
- Metal destruction. The mechanism is constantly running under voltage. Continuous impacts over time lead to the appearance of microcracks that are invisible to the naked eye. Gradually some of them are increasing. There comes a time when a spare part unexpectedly breaks down.
How to replace a dampener
To work you will need:
- new part (cost approximately 500 rubles);
- 20 centimeters of one and a half millimeter steel wire;
- open-end and socket wrenches;
- flat screwdriver.
- Remove the air filter.
- Using a 13mm socket wrench, unscrew the mounting bolts on the cover. Remove the cover.
- Loosen the cap nut that secures the chain tensioner.
- Using a screwdriver, carefully press out the shoe and hold it in this position.
- Tighten the loose cap nut.
- Insert the wire hook into the eye of the damper.
- Unscrew the mounting bolts, holding the device itself with a hook so as not to drop it into the motor.
- After the mounting bolts have been removed, use a spanner to turn the timing shaft a third of a turn. This will release the chain tension.
- Using a steel hook, carefully remove the damper.
- Put a new one in its place.
- Follow steps 1 to 9 in reverse order.
So in a short time you can easily replace the damper in your garage, saving about 700 rubles. Usually this amount is asked to the service station for similar work.
Repair of timing chain drive VAZ 2107
If problems occur with the chain mechanism, repairs should not be delayed. Otherwise, there may be consequences that will lead to expensive repairs. Let's look at the step-by-step procedure for repairing the timing drive components on the "seven".
Replacing the damper
In order to replace the chain drive damper, you will need to prepare the following list of tools:
- a set of keys and socket heads;
- screwdriver;
- long tweezers, a magnetic telescopic handle or a stiff wire hook;
- engine head cover gasket;
- automotive sealant;
- new chain guide for VAZ 2107.
The procedure for replacing the chain damper comes down to the following step-by-step steps:
- We remove the air filter by unscrewing the 3 nuts securing the housing cover and the 4 nuts securing it to the carburetor.
Video: how to replace the damper on the “seven”
Replacing the tensioner
Replacing the chain drive tensioner requires a minimum of time and tools. The work comes down to a few steps:
- We unscrew the 2 nuts securing the tensioner to the power unit with a 13mm wrench.
Before installing the tensioner, you must unscrew the nut and press the rod, then tighten the nut.
Replacing the shoe
Repair work to replace the shoe begins with preparing the tool:
- screwdrivers;
- spanners;
- mounting blade;
- wrench for the crankshaft pulley nut or a regular 36.
The sequence of actions for replacing a part is as follows:
- We dismantle the crankcase protection of the power unit.
- Having loosened the generator, remove the belt from it and from the crankshaft pulley.
Video: how to replace the chain tensioner on a Zhiguli
Chain replacement
The chain is replaced in the following cases:
- when it is stretched, i.e. when the tensioner cannot cope with the tension;
- after a run of 80–100 thousand km.
Tools you need to prepare:
- hammer;
- screwdrivers;
- spanners;
- mounting blade;
- a piece of wire;
- key for turning the crankshaft.
