VAZ 2114: replacing the starter (where it is located, symptoms of failure)

It's no secret that the starter for the VAZ 2114 is one of the most important parts, because it is it that allows you to start the car from the passenger compartment by turning the key. Without it, it is simply impossible to start the engine (except “from the pusher”). In today's article we will talk about the design of the starter, the principle of its operation, as well as how to replace it with your own hands.

Starter VAZ 2114

What causes the starter to fail?

Understanding the reasons for the failure of a part, we can say that there are not so many of them:

Manufacturing defects. Due to the design features of the body, the manufacturer had to reduce the size of the mechanism, so it has insufficient power and often fails;
Operation of the device with unacceptable overloads. If you have to turn the engine for a long time, the element can overheat;
Violation of operating rules. For example, a car enthusiast has run out of gas, and in order to move the car to the side of the road, he puts the car in gear and turns the starter, which allows him to move the car. The mechanism is not designed for such a load;
Natural wear and tear of parts.

The mechanism is a defect of the manufacturer and is considered a “sore” of the VAZ 2114 car, as it often fails.

Main malfunctions and their symptoms

The most common breakdowns that occur in the starter are as follows:

The electric motor of the device does not rotate. A short circuit has occurred on the stator windings, the rotor has become soured in the support bushings, or the contacts have oxidized;
The electric motor spins, but at insufficient speed and low power. Either the graphite brushes are worn out or a short circuit has occurred on one of the windings;
The starter works as it should, but rotation is not transmitted to the crankshaft. Bendix wear or breakdown;
The starter starts the engine, but does not turn itself off. The retractor relay mechanism has oxidized or the return spring has burst.

If you notice one of the above signs on the starter, it should be dismantled and a detailed diagnosis should be carried out already in the removed state.

Symptoms of a VAZ 2114 starter malfunction

Understanding the symptoms of a malfunction, we can highlight several points:

When turning the ignition key, the mechanism does not move;
Having started the engine, the bendix does not disengage from the flywheel;
When you turn the ignition key, only electrical clicks are heard;
The starter smokes when trying to start the engine;
The mechanism hums, but does not engage the flywheel.

Useful : Where is the fuse and starter relay on the VAZ 2114?

All the reasons are similar in one thing: the engine does not start rotating during a startup attempt. To determine exactly what the problem is, you will need to remove the mechanism and carry out diagnostics. There are several main reasons for failure:

It doesn’t turn at all: when the winding is shorted, or the armature shaft on the solenoid relay is stuck;
Insufficient speed: the armature or stator winding has broken or shorted, or the brushes have worn out;
Does not transmit speed to the crankshaft: the bendix is faulty;
Does not turn off even after starting: the spring on the clutch is broken or the traction relay is stuck.

Reasons for removing the starter

It is worth noting the main malfunctions of the starter, which will require its removal.

The main problems with the starter that will require its removal are:

When you try to turn on the starter, the traction relay does not work, and accordingly the armature does not rotate.
When you try to turn on the starter, the traction relay is activated, but the starter does not turn or turns only slowly.
When you try to turn on the starter, the traction relay is activated and switched off several times.
When the starter is turned on, the armature rotates, but the engine flywheel does not.
When the armature rotates, the starter makes extraneous noise.

It is also worth noting, and will save your energy and nerves, that before removing the starter, make sure that the problem does not lie in a dead battery, oxidized terminals, broken electrical circuit, oxidized contacts, etc. To do this, familiarize yourself with the problems that affect the operation of the starter:

Which starter should you choose?

When choosing a new spare part, most car owners give preference to the geared version. Its advantages are that it is smaller in size, turns the engine faster even with a dead battery, and works better in winter.

Of the gearbox options, everyone prefers the following companies:

KZATE – 3600 rubles
Eldix – 4500 rubles
PRAMO – 4400 rubles

Try not to save money when buying a new part. As mentioned earlier, the item from the factory is considered the weak link of the car. If you buy a cheap Chinese analogue, you can return to removing the starter on a VAZ 2114 at the most inopportune moment. Read the reviews in stores in your region, this will help you identify quality brands and not fall for a fake, which will also save time and money.

Useful : VAZ 2114 starter connection diagram

DESIGN FEATURES AND OPERATING PRINCIPLE

The starter on the VAZ 2114 (5712.3708) has an operation cycle, which can be divided into four main stages:

After turning the ignition key, the fourteenth battery in the contact chain begins to supply power to the starter and traction relay;
The Bendix gear drive (overrunning clutch) is connected to the flywheel;
At the moment the gear drive is connected, power begins to be supplied to the electric motor of the unit;
The electric motor begins to spin the drive, the revolutions of which are transmitted to the crankshaft of the car, as a result of which the engine starts. When the engine speed begins to exceed the starter speed, the drive and the crankshaft are disconnected.

Now let's look at the design features of the fourteenth starter. In the diagram below you can see the main elements of the device.

Starter device

Housing - is made in the form of a cast steel cylinder at the ends, closed with lids, inside which the cores and the exciting winding (stator) are located;
Solenoid relay - consists of a movable jumper and power contacts. The purpose of the solenoid relay is to close the contacts when the ignition is turned on, as a result of which power begins to be supplied to the electric motor. Upon completion of the operating cycle, the solenoid relay disconnects the power and the device turns off;
Bendix of the VAZ 2114 starter (aka overrunning clutch) - at the beginning of the operation of the device, the bendix is connected to the crankshaft and transmits the electric drive speed to it through the engagement gear; at the end of the cycle it is disconnected. The serviceability of the entire device depends on the normal functioning of the bendix, since if disconnection does not occur at the moment when the engine speed exceeds the speed of the electric drive, the unit will be damaged;
Anchor - is a cast axle made of alloy steel, onto which collector plates and a core are pressed;
Brushes and brush holders are structural elements that are necessary to supply power to the armature. Properly functioning brushes increase the power of the device's electric drive;
The starter bushing - there are three in total: the rear and front - are pressed into the body, the third is located at the junction of the armature and the bendix. The bushings are responsible for fixing the drive shaft.

The cost of a new device varies between 3.5-5 thousand rubles, depending on the manufacturer. Owners of fourteen speak positively about devices manufactured by Eldix, KATEK and PRAMO. If you buy Bendix separately, it will cost you 300-500 rubles.

Replacing the starter on a VAZ 2114

Before removing the starter, you need to clear the engine compartment by removing the air filter housing. This will give us more access to the element's location. How to remove the starter on a VAZ 2114 without a pit? Access to the bolts is also open through the engine compartment; the only thing you have to do is tinker a little with the bottom bolt. Afterwards you can start repairing:

Remove the positive terminal from the battery. This must be done so as not to short-circuit the wiring and remove the voltage from it.
Then disconnect the plug of the red wire that pulls in the relay.
We take the key for 13 and disconnect the second wire from the body.
Now you can start removing the part itself. We unscrew the three 13mm bolts that secure the part to the box.

The starter no longer holds anything and you can remove it from its seat and pull it out.

When installing a new part, try to tighten the bolts firmly, but do not overdo it so as not to bend the threads or studs.

How to properly remove the starter?

We put the car in the pit and remove the engine protection by unscrewing the four fasteners.
Open the hood and remove the negative terminal from the battery.
Disconnect the wire block from the starter.
Remove the crankcase protection as shown in the figure.
Unscrew the fastening nut and remove the wire from the contact bolt of the starter traction relay.
We climb under the car and unscrew the 2 starter fasteners from below as shown in the figure.
We go up to the top and unscrew the last, third fastening of the starter.
Then we climb back into the hole and remove the starter.

Replacing the solenoid relay

It is not always necessary to replace the starter; sometimes simply servicing it is enough.

You can replace the solenoid relay without removing it, but then you will have to work a little, as this is quite inconvenient.

You can learn how to replace the relay correctly from the video:

Following the instructions from the article, replacing the starter on a VAZ 2114 with an 8-valve engine will not be so difficult. The starter is one of the most complex mechanisms in a car because it consists of many parts that wear out and fail over time. Although the system is only concerned with starting the car, there are many processes going on inside the case that must work in time and pass enough current to start the engine. It is impossible to monitor the condition of the internal parts, the only thing is that if you notice that the starter turns weakly and sometimes does not work, it is better to immediately remove it and take it for repairs or fix it yourself. This will save money on the subsequent purchase of a completely new element.

Do-it-yourself disassembly and repair

When you remove the starter, you need to disassemble it, otherwise you cannot repair it. To do this you need to follow this algorithm:

Using a key set to “13”, unscrew the nut and release the solenoid relay from the wire.
Using a Phillips or flathead screwdriver, unscrew the bolts that secure the relay.
Use a screwdriver to unscrew the bolts from the back cover.
Using a flathead screwdriver, remove the retaining ring. It is located on the rotor, on its back.
Unscrew the two nuts from the studs with a “10” wrench.
Unscrew the bolts that secure the wires coming from the windings to the brush holder.
Remove the entire starter brush assembly of VAZ 2112, 2114, etc.
Using a drift, remove the pin that secures the Bendix fork.
Remove the rotor, now it and the stator are separate.
There is a retaining ring on the rotor; after removing it, you can replace the bendix.

Please note that the length of the new brushes is about 10 mm.

If in your starter their length is less than 3.5 mm, then they definitely need to be changed. Perform the following manipulations:

Remove the bushing from the brush holder and press a new one in its place.
Clean the rotor lamellas. To do this, you can use a thin knife or screwdriver.
Replace the bendix and fork if necessary.
Inspect the solenoid relay and, if necessary, replace it with a new one.
Use an ohmmeter to test all the windings on the rotor, stator, and retractor. If there is a short circuit, replace the defective part.
Remove the brushes from the brush holder. After installing the new ones, check how easily they move. There should be no jamming, as in this case the contact may be lost.

However, that’s all that can be said about the renovation. If you are planning a major overhaul of the VAZ 2114 starter, then follow the instructions above. There is nothing complicated, everything is doable, but you have to be careful.

But you need to calculate whether the game is worth the candle. If the price of a new starter is approximately 3,000 rubles, and you need, for example, to change the stator or rotor (expensive elements), and along with them a bunch of parts, then wouldn’t it be easier to replace it entirely? Save your time. But if you have a lot of it, then you can easily do the repairs yourself, a pretty penny will remain with you.