Different sneakers

Kalina cross

Different sneakers

CARscope: comparing factory and "illegal"
Kalina cross

Photo: website

“The main thing in this business is not to borscht,” says Alexander Artemenko, and at the same second Kalina Cross under his control soars up the hill, lifts all four wheels off the ground, and I have a little time to think about landing. Especially about what it would have become if this "Cross" was not from the "Avtoprodukt" company, but a serial ...

Artemenko is the same person who in the early nineties brought the LADA brand a victory in the 1600cc class at the New Zealand rally and earned the bronze in the absolute at the Cyprus Rally in the early nineties in a specially prepared "eight". A multiple medalist and champion of the USSR in autocross and rally, at 59 he remains a man with gasoline in his blood. Now he is a test pilot of the Togliatti company Avtoprodukt, which develops and sells suspension elements for all front-wheel drive LADA models.

We fly along the autodrome of the Exhibition and Convention Center in Togliatti, and not along the highway itself, but along the slopes on which spectators usually stand. The feeling of simply prohibitive speed is enhanced by the fact that the interior of a completely ordinary Kalina is around you. But gradually the wild feeling that the car will turn over right now gives way to joyful surprise: "Is this Kalina ?!" Under Artemenko's steel hand, she glides over the unevenness, like a boat on a sea wave. The engine here is completely serial, but there are serious changes in the chassis: wheel rims of 195/55 R16 dimensions, a limited-slip differential and, most importantly, the original suspension - and the rear one is also independent!

“Nobody buys such cars, because we do not offer a car,” says Alexander Baburin, director of Avtoprodukt. Sometimes people call his company and start a conversation with the question “how much does Kalina Cross cost?”, Often confusing it with the serial one offered by dealers. This is a rather unexpected nuance, which the creators of the car did not take into account when they decided to use the spectacular, trendy word "cross" in the name. But Avtoproduct is not going to give up the name, it has become too stuck. By the way, the threats of the then president of AVTOVAZ Bo Andersson to sue the company ended in nothing - it is probably very difficult to sue because of the word used by half of the automotive world.

Something bigger

Baburin is also a native of AVTOVAZ, and he began to discuss the idea of \u200b\u200bsuch a car with the designer Vitaly Ivanov while still working there. But the concept was finally formed only in 2013, when Baburin had not worked at the Volzhsky Automobile Plant for five years and was engaged in the development of original pendants in his new company. By the end of that year, he managed to raise money to buy new Kalina hatchback... They decided to make a show car out of it with an eye to those buyers who “want more”. That is, you want something more. As a result - much more than AVTOVAZ itself with its Kalina Cross did.

By that time, Avtoproduct had developed both a front link suspension on a subframe and a rear multi-link, which allows for all-wheel drive. But the spectacular kitsch body kit, with overlays like those used in the serial Kalina Cross, was finally abandoned - the machine turned out to be frankly sporty, with an eye on the race track, and in a real race such details do not last long. From the body kit, pure functionality remained behind the authorship of the same Ivanov: a front lining that protects the lower part of the bumper, an aerodynamic radiator grill and a rear wing that protects the rear door glass from dirt.

In 2014, a car driven by Artemenko took part in the Orenburg region rally championship. The car passed the entire stage with a “zero crew” (due to the absence of a mandatory safety cage) and immediately showed the fifth result among 25 participants! It became clear that the direction was chosen correctly. Moreover, after the car was shown to the public on May 9, 2014, orders were poured into the company at the CVTs circuit: such a vivid impression was left by this Kalina as a racing taxi. People asked a single question: "When will you start mass production of it?" It was then that I had to explain that Avtoprodukt does not manufacture cars and in no way competes with AVTOVAZ.

Rear suspension

Of course, this car wasn't just made for the racetrack. Controllability and cross-country ability - these are two advantages offered by Avtoprodukt engineers to ordinary drivers. These pluses often conflict with each other, but in this car they get along well. In any case, it is much better than the standard factory Kalina Cross, which we took for this test for comparison. If a rear semi-dependent beam is installed on it from birth, then on the Avtoproduct machine it has an independent suspension with two diagonal ones (one of them is deployed) and one trailing arm on each side. Steel tubular levers are attached to the original beam, which in turn is attached instead of the standard semi-independent one - no additional holes need to be made on the body.

The purely racing triangular rear levers were abandoned during the evolution of this Kalina: the current scheme is better in performance, because it is much less likely to change camber, toe and track under load. It can be developed and complicated with the help of additional levers, but the current version is optimal in terms of the balance of price and the resulting qualities. There are variants for both drum and disc brakes; these components are offered by partners - the CTT or LADA Sport companies. Such pendants can be mounted on Priora, Grant, Kalina, as well as on "eights" and "tens". There is a request from consumers for a similar suspension for Vesta and XRAY, and work with these models is already underway.

Front suspension

The situation is the same with the original front suspension: work has begun with new LADA models, and for the old ones, detailed solutions are offered. The unit is based on a tubular steel subframe, to which two wishbones are attached. The stretcher "closes" the front end power circuit not only horizontally, but also vertically. After all, the serial spar goes above the wheel and in the area of \u200b\u200bthe glass "dives" down to go further under the floor of the car, and the subframe is attached to the front of the cross member and further goes downward, meeting with the spar in the area of \u200b\u200bthe bulkhead. Adds rigidity to the well-known to tuners spacer between the glasses in engine compartment: it kind of "smears" the load, cutting off sharp shock peaks.

Another feature of the front suspension is the rear arm silent blocks. Their axis is not horizontal, as in the serial suspension, but vertical. The loads in this area are predominantly horizontal, and in the standard lever they tend to pull the axle out of the press-in point. With the vertical axis and the silent block under load, it works more correctly, and the anti-bite effect is more pronounced.

Spacers, "bank", self-block

High rigidity and optimal kinematics are two goals that the suspension designers have pursued. But front end stiffness isn't everything. With the help of small additional measures, it is possible to significantly increase the torsional stiffness of the body as a whole, according to Avtoproduct. And yes, these measures are also familiar to all motorsports: a spacer between the rear windows and a steel tubular cross that forms a single structure with it. According to measurements carried out by the company, only the strut increases the torsional rigidity of the body by 8-11%, and in combination with the cross - by 20-25%. A full quarter! Such a high result was achieved partly by high-quality implementation: all joints are made to fit a taper, the fit is obtained with an interference fit, which is virtually identical to welding. And if you need to fold the back of the rear sofa, then removing both the spacer and the cross is not difficult.

The shock absorber struts in the test Kalina are the company's own development, gas-filled one-pipe (although there was experience with "two-pipe"), but in general the client usually decides for himself whether to leave his "native" VAZ struts or put something else. Among the options are the same as those of "our" car, or from a well-known manufacturer, foreign or domestic. Quite a frequent combination is the "Avtoproduct" stretcher and the LADA Sport struts, which are supplied by Demfi. And it happens that a car just bought from the sports division of AVTOVAZ arrives to install a stretcher. This modification of the serial Granta Sport or Kalina Sport is also a fairly common option.

Another feature that distinguishes this Kalina from the serial one is a self-locking interwheel differential. Now a screw is installed here - this option was planned for Cross. But a couple of years ago, the disc was also put here, under the very rally stage, which Artemenko, speaking out of the standings, finished fifth. Both blocking options are also self-developed and manufactured by Avtoprodukt.

Finally, we cannot fail to mention the exhaust tract, which is included in the list of improvements. Due to the original rear suspension, the exhaust has to be adapted, slightly lengthening the track and changing the native rear "can" to the original direct-flow. The company says that such a scheme is suitable for both serial and sports car... Well, this Kalina really sounds a little different than the serial one - a little louder, with hoarse notes typical for sports, but without extreme: it is quite possible to move around the streets and courtyards on this one. But in the engine, as mentioned above, there are no changes - so that it is immediately clear why the car drove so dashingly.

Countrywide

The Avtoprodukt office has seven employees, including two designers, a test pilot, a sales manager, an accountant and a director. Nine more people are employed in the production. The company sells about ten kits every month, each of which includes front (subframe, arms) and rear suspension (beam, arms). How many front suspensions only go monthly, the company found it difficult to say offhand, saying only "a lot, you can't count." No wonder, it turns out that there are as many as 16 types of stretchers alone - for most front-wheel drive VAZ cars, and even in several versions ...

There are stores that sell components of the Togliatti Avtoproduct in large Russian cities such as Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg ... Back in 2013, the dealer network had only 11 stores, and now it consists of more than 80 companies - in Crimea , The Volga region, the Urals, Siberia. And even in the near abroad - in Kazakhstan. There are fewer service centers where the manufacturer recommends installing purchased components, only 20: all of them are listed on the official website of Avtoproduct, which controls the quality of the services they provide. In addition, published detailed instructionsallowing you to install the kit yourself.

And also Avtoprodukt's engineering solutions are in demand in the Russian series of circuit races (SMP RSKG): several championship teams have technical support from the Togliatti company or simply buy components from it. Last year, Vladimir Sheshenin, performing in the "National" class on Kalina with a suspension from "Avtoprodukt", became the owner of the Russian Cup - ahead of 35 rivals, many of whom are driving LADA Kalina, Kia rio and Volkswagen Polo with expensive imported Reiger and Ohlins!

And yet, the bulk of customers are ordinary motorists from among those who "want something else," as Baburin says. But the serial, factory Kalina Cross is also designed to expand the capabilities of the model. Maybe an ordinary motorist will have enough of it?

Go!

The asphalt section of the KVC racetrack makes you remember the true limits of controllability and stability of the serial Kalina Cross. More precisely, like this: here the borders do not look too large. Rolls, light steering, a pronounced lack of understeer ... The car goes around bends under the whistle of tires Pirelli cinturato P1 dimension 195/55 R15, which is amplified by hysterical screeching inner wheel, you just have to add speed at the outlet ... Oh, here would be a self-block!

Everything is different on Kalina Cross from Avtoprodukt. Indeed, not even too thoroughbred sava tires Intensa HP 195/55 R16 is much more difficult to break into a slip or skid, and partly this is the merit of the differential lock - the turns race track the machine writes as if on a template. But in normal operation, you may not need a self-blocking unit - not everyone will like the increased sensitivity of the car to ruts and mixed surfaces, or a pronounced tendency to skid. But obviously decreased rolls and a delightful, completely uncharacteristic of serial Kalina feedback on the steering wheel - this is largely due to new suspension... By the way, the settings for the electric booster and the gear ratio in the steering mechanism remained standard here.

Well, what about the lane? After the tricks of maestro Artemenko on the intersection, it becomes clear that repeating something like this without special training (or at least a helmet and stash for the purchase new car), not worth it - neither on Kalina from Avtoprodukt nor, moreover, on serial car... However, even if we discard the high-speed "grip", the geometric cross-country ability of Kalina with independent suspensions is expected to be better.

Yes, the serial Kalina Cross has been increased to 210 mm ground clearance (empty), but take a look at the hood line, when the cars are standing nearby - the car from Avtoprodukt turned out to be even a little higher, and its suspension kinematics are much more advanced. As a result, the machine easily jumps over a hillock or a couple of small boulders where you would not want to meddle with an ordinary Kalina Cross.

Warranties and prices

When installing the suspensions, there are no modifications to the body, but the exhaust tract has to be slightly changed

In theory, the modifications from "Avtoprodukt", which your car will pass, must be registered with the traffic police. But, as you know, a long and still not thought out in detail procedure with requests first to the State Traffic Inspectorate, then to NAMI, as well as the need to provide a car for initial and final examination, make the idea of \u200b\u200bregistration simply unrealistic. In addition, the modified car loses the factory warranty - at least in the part of the chassis that has changed. But the buyer has all the necessary product certificates, and in case of the slightest problems during installation or operation, Avtoprodukt promises comprehensive support.

On each piece of hardware, the company glues a sticker, which must be ripped off and sent by SMS to the specified number - in response, you will receive confirmation that you have purchased a branded product. A number of products are protected by patents, and some components have even received a lifetime manufacturer's warranty, and they promise to expand the list of such “long-livers” over time.

Space for installing the rear hub. There are rear suspension options for both drum and disc brakes

And now about the prices. We give approximate figures (depending on the modification, they may differ slightly). The front subframe with levers assembly costs 10,000 rubles. Rear independent suspension - 26,000 rubles. You will also need a new main exhaust "bank", and you will pay 3,000 rubles for the muffler (as an option, an almost eternal stainless steel exhaust for 5,000 rubles is available). Installation will cost 2,500 rubles for each suspension. So, for about 50,000 rubles, you get a VAZ car, which in its habits is quite different from the serial Ladas.

On the other hand, there is a branded station wagon LADA Kalina Cross, which has a 23 mm increased ground clearance, a plastic body kit and an original interior trim. In the simplest Classic configuration with an 87-horsepower engine and a 5-speed "mechanics", it costs 525 800 rubles. The usual, not "cross" Kalina in the station wagon and identical configuration will cost 488,500 rubles, that is, 37,300 rubles cheaper. So, if it is more important for you not to "checkered", but to "drive", it is better to buy a serial station wagon and, having slightly overpayed for solutions from "Avtoproduct", get completely different driving qualities.

There is no doubt that the serial Kalina Cross is enjoying noticeable success and will continue to use it. Most of the clients choosing LADA do not need any troubles with alterations and certificates. For them, a spring look, an interesting interior and preservation of the factory warranty are much more important. And over a curb or a small snowdrift and the serial Cross will get over without difficulty. So it turns out that these two Crosses are not two boots of a pair, but completely different sneakers. One is for the general consumer. And the second one is for those who need a little more ...

“Would you like to pump it again?”, - asks Artemenko, and I, jumping into the right seat, already figure out when I can put such a suspension on my Kalina station wagon.

The cross recipe for Lada Kalina Cross is simple: the clearance of a conventional station wagon was increased by 23 mm, to 183 mm, and the body was pasted over with black plastic around the perimeter. Raised the car using other suspension elements and 195/55 / \u200b\u200bR15 tires. But maybe there are also differences with the universal Kalina? Let's look.

Lada Kalina Cross - winter cherry

Lada Kalina Cross - the embodiment of the idea of \u200b\u200bthe penultimate chief of AvtoVAZ - Bu Andersson, how to quickly and inexpensively refresh the lineup without radical changes in the course budget car specifically for Russia.

External changes were in favor of Kalina Cross. The car looks more interesting than a simple station wagon.

External changes of the cross version from just Kalina, these are roof rails, door moldings, plastic body kit and other bumpers.

Lada Kalina Cross

A test car in the maximum configuration Luxe with a 106 hp (1.6 liter) engine and a five-speed manual transmission for 568 600 rubles. Only the version with a robot is more expensive - for 593 600 rubles. Strange, but for Lada Kalina Cross is not available classic machine, which can be in the regular version in combination with a 98 hp motor. In total, the Lada Kalina Cross version has seven trim levels, eight body colors and two interior options.

From the interior trim options, you can choose neutral gray tones, or you can choose youth orange.

Someone loves gray, and Kalina Cross has it.

Lada-Kalina-Cross: The backlight is moderately bright. Not everyone will like green.

Do not put a glass larger than the standard one from Starbucs in the cup holders for the driver and passenger, it will interfere with gear shifting.

Lada Kalina Cross - an off-road vehicle?

It's not worth building illusions about off-road exploits of the cross Kalina. From the off-road arsenal, she only has ground clearance. The motor is not too strong, and only front-wheel drive.

Off-road, thanks to a clearance of 183 mm, the car behaves confidently.

The flip side of the increased ground clearance is behavior on a flat road. The higher the speed, the more unpleasant the ride. At 100 km / h on the highway, the raised station wagon does not keep a straight line and forces you to constantly steer. The regular version also has this problem, but it is less pronounced. Sluggish dynamics add to the nervousness in the ride.

The first 100 km / h Kalina cross is gaining in 10.8 seconds. Overtaking both the car and the driver are given with anguish.

And Lada Kalina Cross consumes more fuel than a regular station wagon. Affects, again, increased ground clearance. On-board computer, with a gearshift guide, will help you stay close to the fuel consumption rating. During the test, it took 10.5 liters / 100 km - in the urban cycle and 6.8 liters - in the highway mode. This is a liter more than the indicators declared by the manufacturer. You need to refuel Kalina Cross with gasoline at least ninety-fifth.

Despite the seeming versatility, Kalina Cross is poorly adapted to long-distance roads and travel.

A driver on a long journey to Lada Kalina Cross will be very tired not only from constant stress, but also from poor landing ergonomics. The steering column is adjustable for height only. The seats have no lumbar support, and the seat cushion height is not optimal for drivers of different sizes.

Tall riders are cramped both behind the wheel and in the passenger seats. The stock of space in height and width is small.

Despite the practical body type, the luggage compartment is small - only 355 liters.

The organization of the luggage compartment space can be called rational. Almost every liter is ready to accept some kind of cargo. For example, a set of wheels will go into the trunk if you place them in a row.

With the second row of seats folded down, which fold in a 60/40 ratio, the volume rises to 670 liters. But for comfortable operation there is not enough flat floor.

Under load, it becomes easier to drive Lada Kalina Cross on the track. The car keeps a straight line better. But along with free liters in the trunk, patency goes away.

Kalina Cross was equipped with two front airbags, ABS, EBD ( electronic system brake force distribution) and BAS (braking assist system), although the body structure is too old for the current level passive safety.

Kalina Cross is equipped with alloy wheels... The spare wheel is standard stamping.

It was originally planned that the core of Kalina Cross's buyers would be active youth eager to travel. But in reality, the main model, that is, Kalina, turned out to be too old for them. But the increased ground clearance was approved by summer residents and people of the older generation - those who are more important to feel more confident on a dirt road or a snowdrift than to drive in the city and on the highway.

Kalina cross is sold in seven trim levels. Prices from 525 800 rubles to 593 600 rubles.

Despite the abundance of shortcomings, Lada Kalina Cross has a right to exist. As a niche product - for sure. For example, for summer residents. The model has no direct competitors, especially considering the prices. But even without taking into account the prices, we simply do not offer other B-class station wagons with a ground clearance of more than 180 mm. And small crossovers are all significantly more expensive.

So, Lada Kalina figured out a fashion trend called "cross". Did you get it out of the chest, donated it from someone else's shoulder, or did you just get better yourself? Sorry, I remember how many hopes at one time we connected with this car, saw its various prototypes. And today, looking at Kalina Cross, I can only say one thing - somewhere I've already seen it. It is a pity that this feeling is not associated with a specific moment from Kalina's past.

LADA KALINA CROSS

Yes, it's worth mentioning right away that the model is associated only with the creators themselves. In our opinion, this is just a rattling "shed", which has the maximum, which can be called increased, is the clearance. In contrast to the traditional, the cross-version has an increased ground clearance of 23 mm (183 mm), achieved as a result of the use of longer springs and - lo and behold - wheel rims 15th diameter. Actually, that's all the "cross-country ability". No all-wheel drive, no additional roll cage, no elastic suspension. However, this does not detract from other advantages of the car. For example, now they don't ring here rear windows in a half-open position, plastic creaks are barely noticeable and the fifth door closes without effort. And what about the additional anti-corrosion coating and decorative plastic body kit, expressed in fashionable door moldings and extensions of sills and arches. In addition, it finally added to the frankly weak 87-horsepower engine. Plus "automatic". True, on our test there was a copy with a five-speed "mechanics", by the way, which received cable drivelike u Datsun on-DO... So what is the car in action?

REASON 1 IF SAFETY IS NOT IMPORTANT

Unlike the eight-valve “brother”, a fresh engine in the company with a “handle” does wonders. “Kalina” starts quite briskly and is quite predictable in overtaking at speeds. That's just it rulitsya, even despite the reinforced fastening of the steering rack and the installation of a more powerful support for the power unit, it is somehow very nervous. Instead of the expected trajectory in the maneuver, you get a sharp jump, which forces you to constant taxiing. Undoubtedly, this is not the same Kalina, frightening with a lateral somersault in a rapid turn, but the handling is still far from ideal.

If you want to calmly, confidently and safely get from point "A" to point "B" - keep your line and everything will work out. Moreover, only one and only one is responsible for safety here. A sort of reward for the driver for choosing this car. And the results of crash tests initiated by the manufacturer cannot be called outstanding, although according to the requirements for passive safety in the Russian Federation, they are recognized as successful. The fact is that, unlike, domestic tests were carried out using only two methods - imitation of a frontal impact with 40% overlap at a speed of 56 km / h (EuroNCAP - 64 km / h) and a side impact - at a speed of 50 km / h. If in the second case, the degree of injury to the driver and passengers turned out to be insignificant, then in the first of the maximum permissible 1000 units, the threshold of injuries received by passengers was disappointing 782. Undoubtedly, the indicator is within the normal range, but because the mannequins were not trapped in the twisted "box" does not mean that they are all right.

REASON 2. LACK OF OFF-ROAD QUALITIES - NOT A REASON NOT TO REMOVE FROM ASPHALT

And how does an undercrossover behave on? We managed to test the capabilities of the "rogue" on an artificial offroad track. In fact, similar to the one that uses its models for off-road driving. And this is a side slope with a run up the mountain, and a 45-degree ascent, and a steep descent, not to mention the stairs and dunes of different heights. What can I say - Kalina Cross drove everywhere, but it gave little pleasure from it. Firstly, on any of the bumps it shakes more abruptly than on a roller coaster (of course, there is no elasticity and softness), and the passengers back row, if they are not wearing seat belts, they fly around the cabin at all. And this despite the fact that the suspension is modernized! Okay, let's close our eyes to comfort, which, in general, has never been in domestic cars, but what about the fact that it pierces, and even with such a crash that sometimes it becomes scary?

Let's say more, if we tested the car in real conditions, in particular, on sand or in mud baths, which, unfortunately, we were simply not allowed to do, it is far from a fact that it would have coped without seeding at the very ground clearance. In short, if you don’t feel sorry for the “berry” and yourself, go forward to the lane, but preferably to the one where mobile phone catches the net.

REASON 3. IF THE PROBLEMS OF REAR PASSENGERS ARE THEIR PROBLEMS

We have already said how tight it is for second-row riders on bumps and potholes. However, if this does not stop either them or you, then we go further. By the way, have you ever ridden in a limousine where, in order to talk to the driver, you need to open a special door that protects the salon from the driver's seat? So: in "Kalina" about the same, only there is no curtain. Let us explain: the conversation between the driver and the rear passengers stops immediately after the car starts to move. This is due to the very weak insulation. No, no jokes - at acceleration or cruising 80 km / h, in order for fellow travelers to hear you, you literally need to shout! Although Togliatti people assure about an additional package of vibration damping materials, including "Shumka" on the rear arches. Apparently, the set was not "additional" enough.

REASON 4. IF YOUR FAVORITE COLOR IS ORANGE

Now about taste. But not about ours with you, but about inherent in the automaker itself. After all, it is completely incomprehensible what guided the plant at issue Kalina Cross, focusing on pungent orange tones. They even brought out a special one - "Orange". Do all consumers like this? Not at all. Thank you, that there are other, less provocative colors in the range of colors. But what about the interior, which is full of catchy and frankly annoying orange accents?

This "sun" has settled even in the seats. According to the "VAZ" people, such a concept definitely refreshes the salon, making it, as they think, stylish and modern. Although this is debatable. Ergonomics and operation of the controls do not cause any complaints - everything functions properly and is perfectly readable. There were no complaints about the review either. But those orange notes ...

REASON 5. IF YOU ARE A PATRIOT

If you have time, then "Kalina" in combination with a 1.6-liter 106-horsepower engine and a five-speed gearbox will get you for 481,300 rubles. True, we must not forget that there is always an alternative to any solution. Moreover, in some cases, it is far from the worst, rather the opposite. For example, in a form that with a 1.7-liter engine and "mechanics" will be released 32,000 cheaper. And she will be with the present all-wheel drive (by the way, about off-road) and comfort that cannot be compared at all. Even cheaper - 409,000 "wooden" will cost the front-wheel drive, but no less comfortable Geely MK Cross in a configuration with a 1.5-liter unit and a gearbox with five steps. Yes, the car is from China, so what? Asians have long made big and obvious strides forward. But if, nevertheless, we are not talking about cheaper purchases, we advise you to pay attention to whose initial price tag starts at 544,000 rubles. Perhaps this is the best option. In any case, the "Frenchman" is not deprived of either aesthetics or reliability, and besides, it has quite decent functionality, in particular, cruise control, 16-inch wheels and a chrome package.

Lada Kalina. The fan of the engine cooling system is constantly running (even at idle speed)

Cooling fan turns on when engine is cold: root causes and solutions

As you know, various malfunctions of the engine cooling system do not allow the motor to reach the optimal temperature regime... The engine can overheat, which is fraught with its quick breakdown, or it can remain cold, that is, not reach operating temperature.

AT modern cars used by combined system ICE cooling: liquid and air cooling. By liquid, one should understand the circulation of antifreeze or antifreeze through special channels in the cylinder block and the engine cylinder head.

The coolant circulates thanks to the pump (pump). For additional cooling, the coolant can also circulate in a small circle (inside the engine) and in a large circle, that is, through the radiator.

Air cooling implemented with a fan that removes excess heat by supplying an air flow into the engine compartment to blow off the engine. The specified fan is activated when the heating of the unit is high enough.
However, quite often, drivers are faced with the question of why the cooling fan turns on on a cold engine, the engine fan works in winter or rotates constantly. In this article we will talk about the reasons for the operation of the cooling fan on a cold engine, the engine cooling fan does not turn off, or the specified fan does not work correctly.

The fan runs on a cold engine: reasons, diagnostics, repair

To begin with, the indicated problem can clearly indicate both a malfunction of the liquid cooling system and a malfunction of the fan itself. In any case, we are talking about a breakdown that cannot be ignored, since the risk of overheating of the internal combustion engine is significantly increased.

For a better understanding, it is necessary to superficially consider the principle of operation of the fan on most modern cars. Airflow is switched on by means of a special sensor located at the bottom of the radiator. Also, many cars use a separate engine cooling fan control unit. There are also models in which the ECU itself is responsible for turning on the fan, but this design is rarely used.

So, after heating the coolant to a temperature of, on average, about 100 degrees Celsius, the sensor or control unit closes the electrical circuit. The fan then turns on, improving cooling of the motor. When the coolant temperature drops to the required value, the circuit is opened and the blowing stops.
As you can see, the fan should not work on a cold engine. So, in order to determine why the fan turns on early, for injection vehicles with an OBD II diagnostic connector, it is recommended to start with a computer diagnostics of the car. The fact is that the ability to read error codes from the ECU allows you to more accurately determine the cause of the malfunction.

We also note that in cases where the control unit detects errors in the cooling system, the fan can spin immediately after turning on the ignition, even on a cold internal combustion engine. This feature found only on some models and is, in fact, protection against overheating of the power unit, since a constantly running fan reduces the temperature.

After repair, in this case, you will also need to reset errors. To erase an error from the ECU, on some models it is enough to remove the terminal from the battery for a couple of minutes, while on others it is reset using diagnostic equipment.

Common cooling fan problems

Now let's consider frequent problemsthat are associated with the cooling system and the fan itself.

First of all, in many cases, the contacts of the air system sensor are closed. In this case, the airflow is triggered immediately after the ignition is turned on.
In the process of diagnostics on a cold sensor, the resistance at the outputs is measured using a multimeter. Deviations from the norm will indicate the need to replace the element.

AT fluid system not enough coolant. In this case, the fan is triggered due to the fact that a small amount of antifreeze or antifreeze heats up very quickly. In other words, the fan is working properly and starts up naturally.
Typically, leaks or low coolant levels in the expansion tank are the main cause. Please note that antifreeze is a mixture of concentrate and water. The water gradually evaporates from the system, as a result the level drops. For this reason, it is recommended to periodically check and add fluid according to special marks.

If there is little coolant in the system, heating occurs quickly. It is also noteworthy that the real temperature of the liquid is very different from the temperature of the internal combustion engine. It often happens that a cold engine is started, on dashboard the temperature arrow has not yet risen, and the fan is already running due to too hot liquid. To solve the problem, it will be enough to fill in antifreeze, remove air plugs from the cooling system.
The fan closes to ground, since the wire may not be screwed on securely enough, the contact point has been destroyed, etc.
In this case, the fan can close to the battery and work without interruption. In such a situation, you need to check all contacts, wiring and other elements. The wires must be securely insulated and properly connected.

The fan sensor, which is integrated into the thermostat housing, is out of order. Enough modern machines structurally have a thermostat, which is combined with a fan control sensor.
This solution enables flexible control of the engine cooling system. However, in the event of a problem temperature sensor in the thermostat housing, the fan can start working without shutdown. The fact is that the control unit begins to receive incorrect signals about how the thermostat is working. As a result, emergency mode is activated, the fan turns on and runs constantly.

In such a situation, you need to check the sensor with a multimeter. Normally, on a cold engine, its resistance is infinite, in other cases the indicator should be 100 - 500 ohms. Deviations in readings from the norm will indicate that the sensor needs to be replaced with a new or known good one.

The outdoor temperature sensor is out of order. This problem occurs on some vehicles that are equipped with ambient temperature sensors. If the temperature rises above the permissible limit, then the indicated sensors activate the fan.
This solution allows for more efficient cooling power unit, especially on cars that have a powerful forced internal combustion engine and multiple radiators. On such units, the fan can be turned on in the warm season even on a cold internal combustion engine to protect against engine overheating.

After turning on car air conditioner the fan runs constantly. Note that on some models this fan operation is normal.
If we talk about malfunctions, on most modern cars, the cooling system is closely related to the air conditioning system. It is for this reason that contamination of the air conditioner radiator can lead to the fact that the engine cooling fan will operate constantly at maximum speed.
To solve the problem, external cleaning of the air conditioner radiator and the cooling system radiator may be required. The fact is that these radiators stand next to each other, dirt, dust and fluff are stuffed between them. Removing such a "coat" allows you to normalize the operation of the air conditioning and cooling system of the motor, to get rid of frequent switching on of the fan and increased noise during its operation.

Wiring problems and electrical contacts... Regardless of how the fan is controlled, contacts are a common cause of problems.
Oxidation of the contacts or damage to the wiring, insufficient fixation at the connections and other defects lead to short circuits, the transmission of incorrect signals to control units, etc. As a result, the overheating protection mode is activated by constantly rotating the fan, etc.
In order to avoid this situation, experienced drivers it is recommended to clean contacts before the onset of winter and summer for prevention purposes. Treatment with special lubricants and protective compounds is also actively practiced.

Outcome
As you can see, the internal combustion engine itself and its systems need regular maintenance. As for the cooling system, it is also no exception and requires increased attention.

Overheating of the engine steam from the radiator pipes We also recommend reading the article about the most common malfunctions characteristic of the car engine cooling system. In this article, you will learn about the main reasons for incorrect operation and possible breakdowns the specified system.
If the driver noticed that the cooling fan began to work all the time at maximum speed or stopped turning off in a timely manner, then the first thing to do is to check the level of antifreeze, the performance of the pump and thermostat.

It should also be borne in mind that the reason for such fan operation may be clogging of the cooling radiator or too high outside air temperature, contact closure, etc. Do not forget that the fan can constantly spin on a cold engine when the air conditioner is running.

REGULATION No. 58-13
In accordance with the ongoing changes at JSC AVTOVAZ to improve customer satisfaction and amend the scope of maintenance of LADA GRANTA and NEW LADA KALINA vehicles
I PRESCRIBE:

1. For LADA GRANTA car from 03/20/2013 the list of works on TO-1 is regulated by Notice No. 430-13 dated 07.06.2013. (only valve adjustment is performed on 8 valve engines). For the NEW LADA KALINA car, the list of works on TO-1 is regulated by Notice No. 424-13 of 23.05.2013.
2. All LADA GRANTA, NEW LADA KALINA cars, regardless of the release date, in which semi-synthetic engine oil (5W30) is used, fall under the changed scope of work. Information about filled in car engine oil is given in the Vehicle Operation Manual, section "To Your Attention!", in the service book for such cars there is no operation on TO-1 about replacement oil filter and oil in the crankcase. When the consumer drives to TO-2, the requirement for the presence of records of the TO-1 carried out on vehicles with a 16 valve engine is unreasonable.
3. At the same time, in the service books for LADA GRANTA cars (circulation since April 2013) and in the service books for NEW LADA KALINA cars, an additional restriction on the passage of maintenance was introduced not only in terms of vehicle mileage, but also in terms of service life. vehicle... In this regard, I clarify that the passage of the next maintenance according to the service life must be carried out at the end of the year of operation of the car, if it occurs earlier than the passage of the next maintenance according to the mileage is provided. The consumer can carry out the next maintenance for the period of operation 5 days before the end of the year of operation of the car according to coupons service book and no later than 10 days from the end of the year of operation of the car according to the coupons of the service book. The end date of the next year of operation and the mileage interval until the next maintenance (plus 15 thousand km from the mileage at the time of the current maintenance and plus or minus 500 km from 15 thousand km) must be entered in the service book in the "Special marks" section, certified with the dealer's seal, the consumer must be informed against signature of the next date and mileage of the next maintenance.
4. If the next maintenance occurs based on mileage, then by analogy with paragraph 3, the end date of the next year of operation (next maintenance) must be entered in the service book in the "Special Notes" section, certified by the dealer's seal, the consumer must be informed against signature about the next date and the mileage of the next MOT.
5. If the consumer of the LADA GRANTA car has an old-style service book, i.e. without restrictions on the passage of MOT, taking into account the period of operation of the car, these cars are subject to the next MOT only with a restriction on the mileage of the car.
6. The requirements of clauses 3,4 in the order of making entries in the "Special Notes" section of the service book also apply to lADA car LARGUS.
7. To bring this information to the consumer by placing the Order on the information stand.