Do additives help reduce the whine of a VAZ gearbox?

April 30, 2021 Lada.Online 22 673 13

We have written about the howl and hum of VAZ gearboxes (manual and AMT) more than once. The reason is gear vibrations. The problem can be radically solved only by updating the factory equipment, which is not planned in the near future. Is it possible to reduce increased gearbox noise using transmission oil additives?

We have identified three of the most popular gear oil additives. Here's what LADA car owners write about them.

Why does first gear howl in an automatic transmission?

Sometimes the gearbox hum only appears when driving in first gear. When switching to the second, the unpleasant sound disappears. This means that the problem is in the planetary gear, or rather, in one of its satellites - a group of gears. Over time, the howl of the automatic transmission in first gear only becomes stronger. This leads to transmission scattering and complete engine stop.

The planetary gear needs to be repaired. You can, of course, not rush into a trip to the service station and wait for the mechanism to completely collapse, but such a delay can hurt your wallet. A complete replacement of a planetary gear is more expensive than repairing one of its planetary gears.

By the way, if an unpleasant sound appears only during forced (fixed) transmission, then there is no need to rush into repairs. Try changing the working fluid. But if the noise also appears while driving, this is a serious matter.

Will disassembling the manual transmission help eliminate the howling?

Most Lada car owners, having tried the methods listed above, calm down, manage to get used to the noise and continue driving their car. But some are ready to go all the way, so they decide to disassemble the box themselves or contact a service center for this service. Is it possible to achieve the desired result using this complex procedure?

Sometimes when opening the box, significant defects in individual gears are revealed. In this case, the transmission usually makes a loud noise when engaging a particular gear. There may also be problems with the clutch and release bearing. Sometimes replacing these parts solves the problem.

New Lada: Everything about the Lada Granta fuse box: where it is, location, diagram and decoding

In most cases, installing new parts does not make the gearbox quiet, because all gears are made on the same equipment, which, as already mentioned, does not allow for an ideal configuration.

The procedure for removing and disassembling the gearbox is lengthy and expensive, but may not yield results, so it is hardly worth going through the gearbox if howling is the only problem.

What to do if there is a hum?

In any case, from the listed reasons it is clear that the problems can be quite serious and will lead to expensive repairs, so this “signal” should not be neglected. You will need the help of a specialist, there is no way around this, because as a person unfamiliar with the mechanism, it is difficult to independently determine the problem with one hundred percent accuracy. I would like to give some important tips when diagnosing a transmission:

1. Find out what exactly caused the howling. If it is the main pair shaft, then keep in mind that it has already had its effect on other parts of the mechanism. Therefore, it is likely that replacing only this will not be enough.

2. Think about the feasibility of repairs; perhaps the costs of purchasing new or used parts will be high. Then it’s easier to find a contract transmission or a used one, but in good condition, than to repair a “dead man”.

3. Stopped for repairs, buy only high-quality and original parts, this will extend the life of your car.

Bearings Lada Granta

This inexpensive but relatively comfortable car produced by AvtoVAZ OJSC, according to the developers, will soon become a favorite of Russian car enthusiasts, since it combines such qualities as comfort, reliability, safety and, most importantly, a low price for its class.
As in other VAZ models, domestically produced bearings are installed here. This material covers the nomenclature of these products used in cars, as well as their imported analogues (do not forget that Chinese bearing manufacturers, and, for example, the Vologda Bearing Plant (VBF), which is among For some reason, motorists are considered the standard of quality, although VAZ mainly uses bearings from the European Bearing Corporation (Volzhsky and Saratov Bearing Plants)).

List of bearings used in the Lada Granta car that can be easily replaced

To view information on a specific bearing, simply click on the number.

It should be noted that in the vehicle documentation, bearing numbers are often indicated with a lot of additional (and often long-outdated) letter designations, which you can ignore. The same applies to accuracy class 6. Nowadays, quality standards are implemented in such a way that bearings with a declared class 6 from one manufacturer can be an order of magnitude worse than the zero class of another.

AVTOVAZ’s developments do not stand still, and in 2013 the company’s management, together with the design department, decided to switch to a new type of cable-driven gearbox. These gearboxes are installed on Lada Granta and Kalina 2 cars.

Appearance of the gearbox

Why power steering is no longer used in new cars

Power steering has long been part of the automotive industry. Such equipment allows motorists to maneuver the steering wheel without any problems. Older models did not have power steering, so steering was much harder. All power steering can be divided into types. They differ in type of design and principle of operation. Previously, hydraulic boosters gained great popularity, and then they began to be replaced by electric boosters. Now the pressing question is why automakers no longer install hydraulic boosters on new models.

Electric power steering can be combined with various autopilot systems

Electric power steering on modern vehicles has many advantages over hydraulic power steering. And this is explained by several factors. Firstly, such devices have less weight. Secondly, they do not consume a lot of energy. In addition, they are distinguished by a convenient layout and the absence of the need to carry out routine maintenance work.

Electric boosters can be combined with various autopilot systems. This may include automatic parking or a system for keeping the car in one lane. Recently, such designs have gained another advantage - they are cheaper to produce. As you can see, electric power steering has a whole list of advantages. Despite this, many motorists note the shortcomings and refuse to use such systems in their vehicles. As a rule, criticism of electric boosters can be heard from the older generation of motorists.

A more modern type of amplifier is spreading in the passenger car market. Despite this, hydraulic boosters are still in demand

The main drawback, according to many, is inaccurate and artificial feedback. However, developments do not stand still and experts are constantly trying to improve electric amplifiers, so such problems have long been solved. A more modern type of amplifier is spreading in the passenger car market. Despite this, hydraulic boosters are still in demand. They are used for trucks and special equipment. This is due to the fact that the hydraulic booster is able to withstand higher loads.

If you prefer carefree movement from one point to another, then you should choose electric power steering

Motorists who are accustomed to driving vehicles comfortably and feeling feedback from the car should pay attention to classic hydraulic boosters. Such a device does not require expensive maintenance. The car owner should only periodically check the fluid level in the system and monitor the condition of the oil in the expansion tank. If any breakdowns occur in the amplifier, you will not need to spend a large amount of money on repairs. If you prefer carefree movement from one point to another, then you should choose electric power steering. Such equipment requires less attention. The owner will not need to monitor the fluid in the system. Note that cars equipped with electric power steering are less responsive to driver inputs. This does not mean that the car does not obey and drives as it wants - there is simply no feedback from the steering wheel.

Bottom line. Electric power steering is gradually replacing hydraulic power steering from the market. And this is explained by the advantage of the former over the latter. They do not require maintenance and have a convenient layout.

Automatic transmission

“Automatic” was installed on the car of the Tolyatti Automobile Plant from July 2012 to March 2022 - this is 4 speed. Automatic transmission from Japanese manufacturer Jatco.

Grant's four-speed automatic transmission - model JF414E, classic type, with a torque converter; similar units are equipped in Nissan, Mitsubishi, and Suzuki passenger cars.

This type of transmission on Granta is paired only with the 98-horsepower VAZ-21126 power unit.

The gearbox is highly reliable; with careful operation and timely maintenance, it can run up to 200 thousand km.

It is necessary to replace the transmission fluid every 60 thousand km; the manufacturer recommends filling with Nissan branded ATF EJ-1 or Matic-S oil.

The quality of the Lada Granta automatic transmission does not cause any major complaints; if the transmission requires repair, it is mainly due to the fault of the driver:

• as a result of slipping, the clutches burn out;
• after overheating, gaskets and seals begin to leak;
• When you hit an obstacle, the automatic transmission pan breaks through, and then a thorough repair is definitely required.

Removing and installing the gearbox

Clutch housing fasteners to gearbox housing

If it is necessary to replace a component of a manual transmission on a Lada Kalina, you will need to remove the mechanism in question. The car is placed on a lift. Apply the parking brake and turn off the ignition. Then open the hood and disconnect the negative terminal from the battery. The oil filler cap is removed. Remove the screen and install the previous element. The fixation clamp is loosened. The inlet pipe hose is disconnected from the corresponding sensor. The air intake nut is unscrewed. The checkpoint is removed.

Upon completion of the repair work, the manual transmission is installed in its original place. CV joint grease-4 is applied in a thin layer to the outer surface of the corresponding clutch bushing. The finger fixing bolts are turned towards the steering knuckles. If the bolt nut that secures the left control arm is back toward the body bracket, then the last fastener is removed and the control arm is removed.

The oil from the manual transmission is drained into a container. The wheel drive is turned out of the gears of the differential axle shafts. In their place, the plugs are dismantled. The brackets for the rear and left suspension mounts are installed on the gearbox.

During the operation of a car, various malfunctions can occur; there are breakdowns that are most typical for each car model. On the Lada Kalina, car owners quite often encounter a problem - the reverse gear of the manual transmission does not engage, and when such a defect appears, many car owners are prepared for serious repairs. But breakdowns occur for various reasons; the fault can be caused by either a mechanical or an electrical part. In order not to do unnecessary work, you need to start looking for the defect that has arisen from the most basic one, maybe the wire is simply frayed, or there is a bad contact in the plug.

How to eliminate the howling of a VAZ box

The first thing you can do is contact the service center and request that the noise be eliminated as part of the warranty repair. This process is long, painstaking, requires patience and does not always end in victory. In most cases, the manufacturer claims that the sound during transmission operation is normal and the vehicle is not subject to warranty repair. But if the sound is very loud or the buyer is very persistent, the manufacturer suggests replacing the box. But, judging by the reviews of drivers who managed to replace the manual transmission under warranty, this does not always solve the problem. The fact is that a howling box is a manufacturing feature, not a defect, so whether it’s worth replacing it with exactly the same one is up to you to decide.

Modification of the clutch cable

Sometimes the noise is due to vibration transfer between the fork and the clutch cable. This problem can be solved with a simple modification that does not require financial investment. You need to remove the clutch cable from the fork, replace the standard rubber insert with a washer made of softer rubber, which dampens vibration well. The element is glued to a plastic part, which serves as a stop for the cable.

This method does not help everyone and will not allow you to achieve ideal silence, but it makes the unpleasant sound much quieter. In any case, it won't hurt to try to implement this simple modification.

Interior noise insulation

Another option is good sound insulation of the cabin. Of course, the howl of the box in this case will not go away, but it will be less audible. This event is expensive, but it will make the car more comfortable. If the performance of the transmission is not in doubt, and only noise is annoying, you can use this option.

Do I need to add oil?

It is difficult to check the oil level in a cable-driven box; this model does not have a dipstick. The only way to do this is to unscrew the oil filler plug. If at the same time the oil begins to flow out slowly, then the level is normal; if not, it is better to top it up. In this case, it is imperative to use exactly the same technical fluid as already poured in the box.

To add oil to the maximum level, you need to jack up the car from the side where the oil filler neck is located and add oil until it begins to flow out. For convenience, it is better to use a syringe. As soon as the liquid flows out, the plug must be quickly tightened. If you do not raise the correct side of the car, the transmission fluid level will be low.

In some cases, this procedure helps get rid of the howling or makes the box a little quieter. Some motorists noted that they had to add about 0.5 liters of oil to the manual transmission. But in most cases, the procedure does not eliminate the howling problem.

Does oil quality affect transmission noise?

At the factory, manual transmission 2181 is filled with budget oil of dubious quality. Many people prefer to replace it immediately. This not only makes the transmission quieter, but also extends its life. Does changing the oil eliminate the noise? In some cases, this procedure can improve the situation somewhat, but it is not a panacea. In most cases the box continues to howl.

Heater damper does not lock

The situation with the air distribution damper on the stove body is much more serious. This is a signature disease of all VAZ cars. Even the Priora had such a defect from birth, but for some reason it was successfully transferred to the Lada Vesta and Xray. And, apparently, they are not going to liquidate it.

So, let's do it ourselves.

The first signs of such a defect are that when the airflow is turned on only in the legs, air is supplied to the windshield and to other air ducts. This can be clearly seen if you turn on the airflow at full power and turn on only the bottom air supply.

The problem is that the damper already has play from the factory. This means that it does not completely block the air duct channels when it wants, then it supplies air to both the glass and the panel deflectors. To eliminate this mess, we first get to the heater housing and gain access to the damper.

Fortunately, there is no need to remove the front panel for this. It is enough to unscrew the 5 screws securing the glove compartment. They have TORX T20 bit heads.

Now you need to carefully turn off the glove compartment light. It is advisable to reset the negative terminal from the battery.