Lada Vesta engine tuning and methods of boosting the internal combustion engine

Not much time has passed since the start of sales of new products from the domestic automobile industry, but tuning enthusiasts have already begun to work on improving the car. Tuning Lada Vesta SV Cross is a series of activities aimed at improving the car. Namely, external styling, which affects the exterior of the car. For example, installing non-standard body kits or new rims. In fact, external tuning of the Lada Vesta SV Cross is most often aimed at improving the appearance. Such tuning has virtually no effect on speed characteristics. However, for deep customization of the car, external styling can also contribute. For example, a properly selected body kit improves not only the appearance, but also has a positive effect on aerodynamic characteristics. And lightweight rims affect the handling and acceleration of the car. Therefore, external tuning of a car does not always make changes only to the appearance.

In addition to the usual tuning of the exterior, you can also work on the interior. For example, a regular interior re-upholstery will not affect performance in any way. In general, in the interior of the Lada Vesta SV Cross there is a whole expanse for tuning. For most people, tuning means installing a powerful audio system or soundproofing a car. For people involved in motorsports, tuning the interior is to make it as light and strong as possible. Often all plastic, seats, and panels are completely thrown out of the interior. Instead of the driver's seat, a sports bucket is installed, and instead of the instrument panel, special sensors are installed. To prevent deformation of the body during an accident, a special safety cage is installed in the cabin - bolted or welded.

Engine modifications

After making adjustments to the exterior and interior, all that remains is to tune the Lada Vesta engine.

lada vesta wtcc engine

The best option to influence the performance of this car is to chip it. Vesta chip tuning is convenient because such a modification is not expensive financially, and at the same time it is possible to significantly improve performance. Such tuning of the Vesta engine is available for all power plants that are equipped with this car - both gasoline and diesel engines.

The essence of chipping is that the electronic unit responsible for the operation of the engine systems is reflashed and software with changed operating parameters is installed into it.

As a result of chipping, it is possible to increase the power performance of the machine, as well as reduce fuel consumption. Alternatively, you can adjust the position of the accelerator pedal. This modification, together with chip tuning, will further improve the performance of the power unit.

For more radical tuning of the engine, you will have to make changes to its design.

Owners of this car, which uses turbocharging in its design, can increase the performance of the cooling system to eliminate the possibility of engine overheating. If such an operation is carried out, some adjustments will have to be made to the cylinder head design - the cooling system channels will have to be processed, and this will require special equipment.

After such modifications to the engine, you will have to change some of the components - use new spark plugs, select high-quality synthetic motor oil for the Lada Vesta, as well as coolant, etc.

But it is worth noting that it is better not to make any design changes to the engine if the car is under warranty. Due to the modifications, the manufacturer’s warranty will not apply to such a car, so if the engine breaks down, you will have to restore it yourself and at your own expense.

But this does not apply to chipping. Lada Vesta, tuned in this way, remains structurally unchanged, so there will be no problems with the warranty.

If everything is done correctly, the tuning Lada Vesta will not only delight with its appearance, standing out from the general stream, but will also perform well in terms of technical indicators.

External styling spoiler, bumper and door sills

Tuning Vesta, in our opinion, begins with visual changes. It is more pleasant to see and feel the changes first than to feel them while actually driving the car. Fortunately, the body kit of the domestic Lada Vesta costs adequate money. We would start refining the interior with yarplast, we are tired of the constantly dirty coating, but here we just wipe it with a rag - it shines. Rear tuning for the Lada Vesta bumper involves installing Xmug, there is the same bumper in front, together they look harmonious. Recently, sedans from VAZ have begun to please with their appearance - Vesta is direct proof. It’s far from ideal, it requires a lot of work on styling and on the engine, but it’s a level higher than what it was before. The appearance of the body is acceptable, I just want to see a trim, sporty look. It will suit the average user, but there is no tuner. We think it is necessary to change the front bumper. It’s too boring and there’s also a rook in the middle.

Vesta interior tuning

Breakthrough or failure Test drive of Lada Vesta SW and SW Cross station wagons
Lada Vesta has a modern, cozy interior, thoroughly worked out by AvtoVAZ designers in all details, so it practically does not need tuning. However, at the request of the owner, you can change the color of the upholstery:

seats;
dashboard;
the inside of the roof;
doors.

You can also replace the gear knob and steering wheel with ones that are more stylish and equipped with additional features. All these accessories are sold in numerous auto stores and can be installed by the owner himself.

Purchasing a set of branded mats will make cleaning your car much easier.

Understatement

Subsequently, Stance tuning of the Lada Vesta followed the path of lowering the car. To do this, the following was done:

The Demfi suspension is installed - shock absorbers with limited stroke, offset operating range and lowering.
Refinement of the front struts - the body was cut by 10 mm, a cup for the spring and a bracket for the stabilizer were located in the standard place.
Springs from the Tehnoressor brand with a lowering of -50 were installed.
Wheels with parameters R18 5×112 66.6 ET34 were purchased and installed.
Nankang Ultra Sport NS2 tires with parameters 215/40R were purchased and installed.

At this point the understatement stage was completed.

Features of chip tuning

Review of Lada Vesta with high mileage

The operation of a modern engine is controlled by on-board computers or electronic control units (ECUs). They are the ones who manage the fuel supply system, set the ignition timing, and ensure the synchronous operation of all vehicle components. Chip tuning allows you to choose other options for the installed parameters. This is done by changing the engine control program. The electronic unit contains memory cards in which the engine operating programs are stored. Access to these cards is possible using special electronic equipment and professional software.

On modern cars, reprogramming is carried out through the OBD diagnostic port directly on the car. By adjusting the engine control program, you can change the air-fuel mixture supply mode, ignition timing and other characteristics.

Advantages and disadvantages of the procedure

Numerous brochures and websites are replete with advertisements about the fantastic possibilities of chip tuning. They report that only by updating the controller it is possible to increase engine power by up to 50%, torque by up to 30% and reduce fuel consumption by 15%.

All these advertising statements contradict the laws of mechanics. The law of conservation of energy says: “Nothing comes from nothing and nothing disappears without a trace.” The power of internal combustion engines is the product of torque times the number of revolutions. Therefore, to increase the motor power it is necessary to increase one of the indicated factors.

It is almost impossible to programmatically increase torque on naturally aspirated engines, which are equipped in the Lada Vesta model range. But you can increase the number of revolutions per unit time by reducing the ignition timing. However, this increase in power is limited and does not exceed 5-7 percent.

The consequences of such an “improvement” must also be taken into account. Over-ignition causes an increase in temperature in the combustion chamber and an increased content of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide in the exhaust gases. This not only harms the ecosystem, but also poses problems when passing emissions control. Also, such modernization significantly reduces the service life of an expensive catalyst and reduces the engine's service life. As a result, the tuned car becomes sensitive to the quality of fuel and the octane number of gasoline.

Main stages of chip tuning

If you still decide to start upgrading the car, you first need to restore the factory technical specifications, otherwise the cost of chip tuning will not pay off, and the tuning itself will be useless. The chip tuning procedure consists of three stages:

Reading the standard program in the ECU - this procedure is carried out through the OBD diagnostic connector.
Editing a downloaded program.
Uploading the edited program back to the controller.
Checking the operation of all vehicle components on a special stand equipped with control and measuring equipment and mechanical rollers, and at a test site in the field.

According to the above algorithm, the procedure for modifying the car software can be repeated several times to achieve the desired effect.

Tuning a Lada Vesta car is a set of measures related to improving the exterior by installing modern body kits and changing some interior parts. You can perform chip tuning of the engine, which allows you to increase the power of the power unit within certain limits and improve the smoothness of the car. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the negative consequences of such changes.

Tuning modification Lada Vesta Cross SW

A daring budget employee: Lada Vesta Cross SW with premium tuning is a universal solution for the family, and for active and even sporty driving. All work to modify the machine is similar to what we described in this article. Taking the Vesta Cross as a basis, as a more interesting option from the Lada Vesta models, and giving it to a hotel, you can achieve advantages over stock. The advantages of this process are obvious - improvements in ride quality, visuals and comfort, the ability to customize the car for yourself, making it unique. Unfortunately, there are some drawbacks; the Vesta station wagon may suffer a little during modifications. When chipping an engine, on average, 5-10% of the engine's life is lost, which is not critical, but you should know. The work done may require investments ranging from 10 to 150 thousand rubles for chipping the engine, which will lead to the dealer refusing to repair the car. Simply put, if you want a fast, cool car, you will sacrifice reliability and warranty repairs.

Rails for Lada Vesta

Engine in Lada Vesta

Installing roof rails allows you to create additional space for transporting goods. Luggage can be placed directly on the roof or in a specialized airbox. Car tents are also attached to the roof rails.

At the moment, roof rails and arches are not included in the basic equipment of the 2015 Lada Vesta. Nevertheless, on the accessory market there is a wide variety of different options for attaching additional luggage compartment to Vesta. Factory roof rails are included in the basic equipment of the Lada Vesta station wagon, which goes on sale in the second half of 2022.

Turbine

Now the most interesting part is the technical part. Without these modifications, the tuning of our Lada Vesta cannot be considered complete. The first step in increasing power was the installation of a turbine. Here, the modest skills of a beginner are no longer enough; you would have to pay a tidy sum for installing and configuring this option. I immediately bought the entire kit, which also includes injectors, piping, spark plugs, cooler, hoses, hardware, and a turbocharger. If you don’t stop at the turbine, as they say, just walk away.

Is it worth doing chip tuning of Lada Vesta, disadvantages and possible consequences

It is quite obvious that many owners are interested in how firmware changes affect engine life, whether the warranty on the new car is still valid, etc. First of all, you need to understand that the chipped engine of the Lada Vesta and any other car will have a shorter lifespan compared to the stock version.

At the same time, flashing only one cannot significantly reduce the life of the internal combustion engine. More precisely, the reduction in engine life is around 5-7%. However, this can be stated if the chip tuning was performed by professionals, high-quality software was used, etc.

The high probability of accelerated failure concerns the gearbox rather than the engine, since the load on the gearbox will inevitably increase

You should be especially careful when chipping a Lada Vesta with an AMT robotic gearbox. To implement the task correctly, it is also necessary to modify the “robot’s” firmware, and in this case additional difficulties arise

As far as the vehicle warranty is concerned, no one will be connected to the ECU as part of normal maintenance. However, if problems arise with the engine or gearbox, and the client decides to apply for warranty service, the fact that the factory firmware has been changed will be established. It is logical that this will serve as a strong argument in favor of the dealer completely waiving its warranty obligations.

Some car enthusiasts practice a method of saving the factory program, which is “poured” back into the ECU of a warranty vehicle if problems begin with the engine or gearbox. However, this method also does not always work.

You also need to take into account that the factory firmware was tested by specialists in the factory; the internal combustion engine with such software was tested in a variety of conditions. As for alternative firmware, in any case it will be an individual modification of the standard program.

Large tuning studios, in the process of creating firmware, necessarily “test” the program by installing the car on special stands, reading various data, monitoring the operation of the engine in all modes, etc. Often the engine of test samples is even disassembled and its condition is visually assessed.

Also, often after chipping, an additional “break-in” is practiced online, that is, correction occurs directly while driving in real time. Such studios provide a guarantee, and such chip tuning itself can be considered safe. The only thing that makes sense is that the price of reflashing the ECU will be quite high.

Given the high cost of chipping, professionals, as a rule, will always have more affordable offers. At the same time, you need to be prepared for the fact that such firmware is “no name”, that is, without indicating the author of the assembly, in this case no one tests or tests it. There are also no guarantees.

In practice, large studios usually warn about possible risks for the car owner, small organizations can only partially address this issue, chipmakers from the garage will simply “upload” unknown software at their own peril and risk. It’s good if garage craftsmen carry out additional running-in and calibration, since many do not even do this. Moreover, in the latter case, the warranty ends when the car leaves the garage.

As a rule, after using programs that are freely available, there are frequent cases of increased fuel consumption, floating speed, rapid failure of the catalyst, etc. Sometimes, in order to increase power, non-professionals “drive” the engine into operating mode only on rich mixtures and shift the OZ so that the engine operates on the verge of detonation.

It also happens the other way around, when the customizer practically does not change important parameters in order to protect himself from possible risks. However, the result of such chip-tuning is almost invisible, although you still have to pay for the service.

But what to do when the standard tuning of the Lada Vesta SV Cross is no longer enough?

Undoubtedly, any motor has its own resource and maximum. For example, from a standard 1.8 Lada Vesta SV Cross engine you can squeeze out 200-230 hp. But the life of such an engine will last for several thousand km... Maybe more, if you're lucky. In order to avoid such a situation, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel and build a new motor, but install a new one, but from a different car. Projects are now gaining popularity on YouTube, where auto bloggers install an already pumped up engine in simple cars. What do we get as a result? Firstly, we get the resource we need so much. Agree, if an engine is designed for 300 hp or more, then it is made with a reserve of service life. Secondly, we get an increase in power and a new field of activity - now you can tune a new engine.

But there are also disadvantages. One of the most serious is the difficulty of installation. Everything needs to be calculated correctly and installed correctly. You will also need to connect and configure everything, which is also an initially complex process. But we do tuning, and we don’t hang stinkers on mirrors. So? Therefore, we can do anything.

Improving the salon

sports salon Lada Vesta

In addition to the external tuning of Vesta, the interior is also subject to modifications. But unlike earlier AvtoVAZ models, this car has much less work on the interior to increase comfort and functionality. In general, the main interior improvements include:

Installation of a multi-steering wheel (for cars as standard);
Refinishing the seat to increase levels of adjustment;
Installation of an automatic luggage compartment opening system;
Refinement of the cabin filter of the Lada Vesta to increase its protection;
Installation of the “Start-Stop” engine starting system;
Use of decorative overlays on the front panel;
Installation of additional accessories (armrests, holders, mats, etc.);

leather sports interior Lada Vesta

This car is quite well treated in terms of sound insulation, so there is no need to finish anything. The only thing is that you can additionally make noise on the doors and the storage compartment (glove compartment).

Styling

It all started with styling the car, during which he finalized the interior and exterior, after which he took up the technical part. All this cost him a significant amount - 175,000 rubles. Due to these costs, the following was done.

EXTERIOR

Position	Price, rub.)	Delivery (RUB)	Installation (RUB))
Body kit – door sills, new bumpers and spoiler	23000	3500	5000
Tires (summer) Yokohama Parada, size 205/50 R17. Used tires were purchased.	3000
Tires (winter) Michelin. Used tires were purchased.	11000
Wheels MiM Pesaro R17. Used wheels were purchased.	17000
Specialist. wheel camber	5000
Body coating (ceramics)	18000
Aerodynamic fin on vertical door pillar	1000
Brake pads and discs from the UBS brand	7500	2500
Bifurcated exhaust in VAG Audi style	10000
General expenses	106500 rubles

INTERIOR

Position	Price, rub.)	Delivery (RUB)	Installation (rub.)
Eco-leather seat covers	9500	From 3000 to 5000
Monza leather steering wheel	3500
Door card inserts	5300	5000
Steering wheel keys	4500	3500
Painting interior plastic	3000	2000
Another color for the backlight of the instrument arrows	–	–	–
Tidy firmware	1500
Plastic door sills, transmission tunnel and seats	8000
Multimedia complex (Android)	17500
Front strut brace	1500
General expenses	67800 rubles

As you can see, the costs are frankly considerable, but the new appearance and interior of the Lada Vesta are worth it!

Increasing the power of Lada Vesta

Taking into account the above, it becomes clear that by improving the standard firmware, certain characteristics of the internal combustion engine on the Vesta model can be improved. At the same time, you should not expect a serious increase from ordinary naturally aspirated engines with a volume of 1.6 and 1.8 without other modifications to the internal combustion engine itself, intake, exhaust, power system, etc.

So, with one chip tuning you can increase power by an average of 3-5%. Also, in the case of in-depth customization and depending on the qualifications of the specialist, this figure can be increased to 6-7%

However, it is important to consider that power is actually an increase in torque, and without making changes to the design of the Lada Vesta engine, it is almost impossible to improve the torque characteristics. The only thing is that you can programmatically shift the engine cut-off, which will allow you to slightly increase traction in the upper speed range

As you can see, we are not talking about a really noticeable increase in power after chip tuning. Then why, in this case, does the car still pull better and accelerate faster? The fact is that the main task of a chip tuning specialist is to improve the elasticity of engine operation.

In other words, if it is not physically possible to increase power, then all that remains is to add traction in the low and mid-range rpms. Otherwise, the operating parameters of the internal combustion engine are programmed to be adjusted at the speeds that the driver uses in everyday driving.

As a result, the Lada Vesta will accelerate to 60 and 100 km/h in the same time as on the “stock” firmware, but the sensations from acceleration will be somewhat different. Acceleration will be “easier” for the engine, the speed of response to pressing the gas pedal will improve, “thoughtiness” will disappear, and there will be no jerks or dips during acceleration.

There is also a high probability of a decrease in fuel consumption, since as part of flashing the ECU, the ignition timing (ignition timing) changes. This manipulation increases the toxicity of the exhaust as a result of an increase in the number of nitrogen oxides, while Vesta’s fuel consumption decreases slightly. However, in practice, improved throttle response encourages the driver to drive more aggressively, so many drivers still struggle to achieve true fuel efficiency.

By the way, just to improve the response to pressing the accelerator pedal, it is not necessary to reflash the engine control unit. It is enough to install a special corrector that replaces the real signal from the gas pedal and transmits it to the computer. In a nutshell, signal substitution allows the unit to “think” that the pedal is pressed a little harder than it actually is.

Construction of a naturally aspirated engine Lada Vesta SV Cross

As a rule, the second stage of engine tuning is the construction of an aspirated engine.

Here, too, there are many options for the development of events. Most often, pistons and valves are replaced with lightweight analogues, tuning camshafts, an enlarged throttle, more efficient injectors and a fuel pump are installed. Next, the whole thing is run in and flashed to the new ECU program. As a result, with the help of such simple manipulations, we get a good motor and increase the power by about 30-40%. At the same time, you can drive this engine every day. And such tuning will not greatly affect the resource. But, for most people, this type of tuning is only the second stage before building a turbo engine.

Refinement of Lada Vesta. New car - old mistakes

Knock of racks. This problem occurs due to the insufficient length of the part. Therefore, when driving over uneven surfaces, a knocking sound is heard. It is unclear why the engineers did not pay attention to this problem when fine-tuning the car. Perhaps they were just in a hurry to put it on the assembly line. Starting in the fall, cars with completed suspension will be sold. On cars that have already been sold, dealers eliminate the problem by installing additional washers under the pillar;
Some cars experience leaking from the front doors after rain. The reason is a poorly secured seal. To eliminate this drawback, the door is disassembled and the glass is removed. The sealant is seated on the sealant, and everything is assembled in the reverse order;
Short wipers. Windshield wipers clean a small area of the windshield. This is not enough for normal control of the traffic situation. Therefore, drivers often replace standard wipers with longer ones.

“Which are better car wipers, frame or frameless”;
“Why wipers don’t clean the windshield well.”

AutoFlit.ru

Threshold covers

Removing the front sill trim:

Unscrew screw No. 3 (Torx T20).
Remove seal No. 2 of the doorway in the area where it interfaces with the threshold trim.
Remove the threshold trim by pulling it with a force that overcomes the forces of the plastic holders.

Removing the rear sill trim:

Removing the trim is done by removing the trim of the side arch (see below) and the rear seat cushion.
Unscrew screws No. 5 (Torx T20).
Remove seal No. 2 of the doorway in the area where it interfaces with the threshold trim.
Remove the threshold trim by pulling it with a force that overcomes the forces of the plastic holders.

Changing the appearance of the car

modifying the Lada Vesta with your own hands

First of all, the owners carry out tuning of Vesta regarding its appearance. But as usual, exterior modifications are standard and are carried out using:

Sets of plastic linings. The car accessories market offers a large number of all kinds of overhead elements, and to modify the Lada Vesti you can find spoilers, deflectors, arch extensions, protective and decorative covers on the sills, doors and their handles, gas tank hatch, mirrors;
Body kits. A set of tuning attachments - bumpers, door sills, spoilers, hood deflectors will give your car a sporty style;
Large diameter wheels with low profile tires. Such tuning of Lada Vesta can significantly improve the appearance, regardless of the color of the car itself;
Optics tuning. In a simple version, tuning Lada Vesta headlights is carried out using overlays that allow you to change the appearance of optical devices. But some seriously rework lighting equipment by installing LED lamps and tinting it. You can also choose tuning optics for Lada Vesta;

tuning optics Lada Vesta

Brake tuning Lada Vesta SV Cross

It is not enough just to accelerate the car, it is also important to stop it. To do this, experts recommend tuning the brakes of the Lada Vesta SV Cross.

The most common changes are larger brake discs, which can be ventilated and perforated, as well as stiffer brake pads. Even replacing standard brake discs with larger ones can significantly improve the braking system. If there are drums at the rear, they are replaced with disc brakes. But this is not always enough, since greater efficiency of the braking system itself is needed. For this purpose, sports brake systems are used in combination. The price of such modifications can result in costs that are several times higher than the cost of a standard brake system. But for effective braking it is very important.

Refinement of the Vesta body

There are a large number of individual elements on sale that allow you to tune the Lada Vesta. It can be:

spoilers;
overlays;
moldings;
deflectors;
additional accessories.

A full-fledged concept for refining the Lada Vesta appeared relatively recently. The set of parts and individual components, as well as elements of their fastenings, were developed by designers and designers of the AvtoVAZ subsidiary. The trade name of the body kit is “Lada Vesta X mug”, the package includes: front and rear bumpers, side skirts, spoiler and deflector. The “X mug” body kit completely transforms Vesta, its proportions, it gives the car a bright appearance. The updated radiator grille of the Lada Vesta looks especially impressive. “X mug” increases the aerodynamic characteristics of the car, thereby improving engine airflow. By increasing the grip of the wheels on the road surface, driving the car becomes safer.

The body kit can be matched exactly to the color of the car and can be easily installed on standard mounts with your own hands.

Enhanced tuning of Lada Cross - all innovations

For each motor, a certain limit is set on its maximum capabilities and resource. Let's say the standard 1.8-liter Vesta SV Cross engine can produce no more than two hundred, maximum two hundred and thirty horsepower. However, with such a resource the engine will travel no more than several thousand kilometers. If the driver does not have enough power, but does not want to shorten the life of the engine, it is better to try using an engine from another car and install it in a sports Lada. To see how to do this and which power unit to choose, just go to Utube.

There are many videos here about installing pumped engines in regular cars. What does this procedure lead to? First of all, the owner will be able to obtain the necessary resource. If, according to the manufacturer, the motor is designed for a power of up to three hundred horses, do not forget about the resource reserve.