According to the natural laws of nature, the sun and warmth are replaced by rainy autumn, followed by a snowy, frosty winter, and with it sad thoughts about the fate of the car. What should I do? To stand or to drive - “that is the question.”
The combination of various conditions: time of year, operating experience, the presence of a garage and others makes it possible to build many combinations, each of which has its own nuances. However, the most difficult operating conditions are winter period, so let’s focus on it.
Car storage in winter
Winter. Until better times, the car is located in an open paid parking lot. Many, especially young car enthusiasts, carefully wrap their cars in the hope of somehow making wintering easier for their “pet.” An experienced car enthusiast will not do this. It must be remembered that even in winter the sun often shines, the temperature sometimes rises significantly above zero and then under the tarpaulin (or, even worse, under the film) a “steam room” is created, figuratively speaking, which is much more harmful than dense snow cover. Of course, in this situation, you can find a “Solomon” solution, i.e. protect the car from snow and rain using the same materials, but covering the car with them so as to imitate an awning or tent, i.e. ensure air circulation between the car and a blanket.
You can do this yourself by installing small (20-25 mm) spacers on the roof, doors and wings, which are easiest to attach to suction cups.
If you want the seasonal “dwelling” of your car to look presentable, purchase an awning with a frame, the production of which has been mastered by the industry. Such light garage will protect the car from rain and snow drifts.
Preparing the car for winter hibernation
When preparing the car for winter storage How on open parking lot, and in a cold, unheated garage, it is very useful to put the car on four blocks, which should be installed under the bottom of the body in the places recommended in the car’s operating instructions, so that the wheels do not touch the ground. We also advise you to reduce the tire pressure to 0.5 kgf/cm2. These operations will unload the car's springs and provide the tires with a normal winter.
It is advisable to turn out the spark plugs and pour 30-50 grams of oil used for the engine lubrication system into the spark plug holes of each of the four engine cylinders. Spark plug holes in this case, it is recommended to close with wooden plugs. After performing this operation, you need to check crankshaft engine by two or three revolutions so that the oil covers the surface of the cylinder mirrors with a film.
When all the “organs” of the car are resting, the battery is awake. In her, life does not fade away for a moment.
To keep your battery from dying, careful care and attention is required. Relax this attention, and you will have to look for the cause of her illnesses, of which there are quite a few.
What needs to be monitored so that the battery is always, in any weather, full of strength, energy and, at the first request, infects all the numerous organs of the car with its energy?
The plugs covering the filler necks have ventilation holes. These openings must always be kept clean. Gases must be removed through them and, if the holes are clogged, the gases look for other paths and eventually find them, at the same time swelling and destroying the mastic.
It happens that electrolyte splashes out through the holes in the plugs, and this is natural if you have filled it more than normal. There should be enough electrolyte so that it covers the plates and its level is 10-15 mm higher than the safety shield. Believe me, everything excess quantity The battery will splash out the electrolyte, and besides, “in the excitement” it can also splash out part of what is needed. As a result, the exposed plates become sulfated and the battery loses capacity.
Sometimes electrolyte splashes out even at normal levels. This is a symptom of another disease. This phenomenon occurs if charging current more than normal. This disease is more complicated; you need to have a device and certain knowledge at hand in order to competently solve the problem.
It is very easy to discharge a battery (multiple engine starts, long-term connection of a portable lamp, sidelights left on at night), but restoring its lost power is sometimes more difficult. Therefore, care and attention are the key to her confident service.
Where and how to store the battery?
Now about storing batteries in winter time. This question causes fierce debate among car enthusiasts. To shoot or not? Where to store: cold or warm? What monitoring and maintenance is required during long-term storage? It is impossible to answer all these questions unambiguously, since the storage method depends primarily on the “age” of the battery. New batteries with normal electrolyte density are best kept at sub-zero temperatures, but not lower than minus 20 °C. Under such storage conditions there will be virtually no self-discharge and water will not evaporate from the electrolyte. It must be remembered that at temperatures below minus 20 °C there are cases of mastic peeling off the walls of the monoblock, and therefore it is still safer to remove the battery from the car in order to prevent hypothermia. In the first month of storage, it is necessary to check the constancy of the level and density of the electrolyte 2-3 times. If you do not find any noticeable deviations from the norm, then you can rest assured during the entire period of hibernation.
For batteries “not in their first youth” (three years or more), storage conditions should be consistent with their age. The fact is that over time, lead sponge forms on the edges of the plates, the amount of sludge (oxidation products) increases at the bottom of the cans, and self-discharge increases sharply, reaching 3-4% of the battery capacity per day.
Naturally, such a battery requires an eye and an eye. An oversight can lead to self-discharge, a dangerous decrease in the density of the electrolyte, its freezing and ultimately to rupture of the battery case. As you can see, such rechargeable batteries cannot tolerate passive existence in frosty conditions. They must be removed and stored at above-zero temperatures, systematically monitoring and “correcting” health. Do not forget that lower limit the density should be considered 1.23 g/cm 3 at a temperature of +15 °C.
For reference, we provide a simple table of electrolyte density at different degrees of charge of the battery (see table below).
To avoid corrosion, coat all chrome parts with a protective varnish or lubricate them with a thin layer of oil (you can use engine oil for convenience).
Operating a car in winter
Let's look at the next option, possible in winter. Are you confident enough to drive a Zhiguli car in winter? Remember that driving a VAZ 2101-2107 in winter requires a lot of experience and skill. It is known: the design provides everything to make engine starting in winter as easy as possible. However, here too you need to adapt to your car and, of course, prepare it for the conditions winter operation.
First of all, it is useful to replace the engine oil with winter oil and at the same time replace oil filter, since at low temperatures the oil becomes viscous, which makes starting difficult, increases wear on the working surfaces and increases fuel consumption. If the engine was filled with universal ( all-season oil), then changing it to a winter one is impractical.
You should make sure that it is correct, since even a slight deviation from the norm in winter conditions will immediately affect the engine starting.
Considering that severe frosts exceeding minus 25 °C can suddenly “hit”, we advise you to use simple countermeasures that will make starting the engine easier. The operation is as follows: in the evening, when parking the car, turn off the ignition and pour in 0.3-0.5 liters of AI-92 gasoline through the oil filler hole (breather). Start the engine and run it at low speed crankshaft 1-2 minutes, in the morning, even at the most severe frost, the starter will easily “turn” the crankshaft. Practice has shown that such an event does not dilute the oil. Within 15-20 minutes, as the engine warms up, gasoline evaporates, and the vapors, passing through the crankcase ventilation system, are freely sucked into the engine cylinders, where they burn.
Battery: checking condition and charging
To facilitate starting, the “power” of the battery is very important. Therefore, do not be lazy to check the density and level of electrolyte in each battery and, if necessary, recharge the battery. By the way, we would like to remind you of two devices with which it is very convenient to control and recharge the battery at home.
In order to control the density of the electrolyte without spending a lot of time and labor, it is advisable to purchase a simple PE-1 device. The density meter consists of a plastic body with a tip and an aspirator. The body contains seven floats, calibrated for densities respectively: 1.19; 1.21; 1.23; 1.25; 1.27; 1.29; 1.31 g/cm3. On the outer surface of the body opposite each float is marked the nominal value of the electrolyte density at which this float and all previous ones float.
To determine the density of the electrolyte, you must: remove the plugs from all batteries; squeeze the rubber bulb of the density meter and lower the tip of the housing into the battery; take a sample of the electrolyte, drain it and take a new sample.
It is necessary to ensure that during sampling the instrument body is positioned vertically and the density scale is on the inspector’s side. To prevent the floats from sticking to the walls of the housing, tap the housing with your finger. The density of the solution in a given sample is determined by the last floating float. For example, when taking a sample, floats with the following values surfaced: 1.19; 1.21; 1.23; 1.25. Therefore, the density of the electrolyte is 1.25 g/cm3.
To avoid burns, do not allow electrolyte to come into contact with the skin of your hands.
After measuring the electrolyte density, rinse the inner and outer surfaces of the device with water. The device must not be washed with acetone, gasoline or other organic solvents. Dimensions of the device are 200x70x60 mm. Weight - 60 g. Scale division 0.02. Electrolyte density can be measured in the temperature range from minus 20 to plus 45 °C.
Charging the battery
To recharge the battery at home, you can use the Rassvet device, currently produced by industry, which combines all best qualities modern rectifiers and chargers. The name of the device may differ, so before purchasing an automatic charger Check its main characteristics with sellers and preferably compare models. In large auto stores you can choose a device that is right for you not only in all respects, but also in price, ranging from cheap Chinese options to expensive professional models.
An important advantage of the device is that you do not need to monitor it, and at the same time the battery. "Rassvet" is connected to a network with a voltage of 220 V, a battery is connected to it, and then everything happens by itself, since as the battery charges, the current automatically decreases. Thus, the battery can be automatically recharged during long-term storage. During the day, this unit will consume only two kopecks worth of electricity, but at any moment the battery is ready to get to work fully armed.
If you were unable to purchase the Rassvet device or its equivalent, use the simple and inexpensive design of a charger from one of the Moscow car enthusiasts. The device is used to “add” 20-22 Ah, wasted by the battery during operation, in 1-2 days.
The rectifier (see diagram below) is assembled from four diodes 2 of type D7 with indices D, E or F and a regular light bulb 1, which limits the charging current.
With a network voltage of 220 V and a 100 W light bulb, you will receive a charging current (flowing through battery 3) of about 0.5 A, and with a voltage of 127 V you will need a 60 W light bulb with the same current in the circuit.
To avoid freezing of the fuel pump valves, nozzle holes, and the formation air jams don’t be lazy to blow out the power supply systems compressed air. This not very complicated operation will subsequently save you from unexpected stops.
Exclusively important for safe driving winter roads have brake adjustment and tire condition. Braking of the right and left wheels should begin simultaneously, and the front wheels should be blocked later than the rear ones. It is necessary to monitor the tire pressure, which should be the same in the front and front, respectively. rear wheels. Otherwise, the contact area and adhesion road surface will be different, which can lead to skidding.
It goes without saying, don't forget to change summer tires for winter!
To tell the truth, it is somehow immodest to give advice to a person who has firmly decided to drive a VAZ car in winter. However, there are very brave and impatient young car enthusiasts, and we recommend that they pay attention to other useful tips on our website, which will be useful not only when operating a car in winter, but also all year round.
In winter, when there are low temperatures, problems with vehicles often arise. This can happen to both a foreign car and a car domestic production. It is especially difficult to start a car that has been sitting in a cold garage or in the cold for a long time. Next, we’ll take a closer look at how to start a VAZ 2107.
Starting a VAZ 2107 in the cold
- IN as a last resort, you can always call a tow truck or a mechanic who will solve this problem. However, such actions should be resorted to only as a last resort. You can try your hand at starting your favorite car in the cold.
— First of all, you need to check the condition of the battery. To do this, lift the hood and check that the indicator lights up. It should burn brightly. Otherwise, it will not be possible to start the VAZ 2107 if the battery is completely discharged.
Also on topic: When car generator breaks down most often?
— If the battery is completely discharged, you need to look for another vehicle, which will allow you to charge it. Otherwise, the car can simply be pushed. To do this, we ask passers-by for help. In this case, you need to depress the clutch all the way and shift from first gear to second gear. The car should start, which will allow you to drive to the service center and charge the battery.
- There may be a problem with the spark plugs if the battery light is bright. Oil may leak onto the spark plugs. In this case, you just need to clean the spark plugs. Maybe it will be possible to start the VAZ in the cold.
— In winter, you must put the battery in a warm room if you are not planning to travel. It is also worth keeping the car in a warm garage and starting it every day, even if you do not plan any trips. So we have answered the question of how to start a VAZ 2107 in winter.
Also on topic: What do you need to pass a technical inspection in 2015?
How to start an automatic car in cold weather?
As mentioned above, frost negatively affects not only domestic cars, but also cars with automatic transmission. Next, we’ll take a closer look at how to start a car with an automatic transmission in the cold:
— We need to prepare more responsibly for low temperatures to all owners automatic transmission transmission It is recommended to buy a new battery if the old one is more than four years old. It is also worth changing the engine oil. You also need to change all other fluids in the car.
— In the store you can buy special additives that improve the properties of fuel and allow the car to start in winter. It is definitely recommended to use such additives to improve performance characteristics gasoline.
Also on topic: How often should you change the fuel filter on a Land Rover?
— If you are unable to start the engine, it is recommended to inject a few milliliters of ether into the suction manifold. This method will allow you to start the engine faster in winter.
- Can be used starter-charger if the engine fails to start after several attempts. You can restore the battery capacity using other cars. You can always contact the service center.
The debate about the need to warm up the engine has ended. We put the environment first, so all manufacturers recommend warming up the engine while driving at low and medium speeds and lower gears. What happens if you violate these recommendations? At low loads, engine wear is not great and there will be no significant impact on the service life. And in terms of fuel costs, it’s more profitable - while driving, the warm-up time is reduced. It’s good to write instructions, but the traffic flow often sets its own conditions! And it’s not always possible to drive 30-40 km/h without causing traffic jams behind you. What happens if you immediately accelerate to 90 km/h? Why is it so important not to put too much load on a cold engine?
Here's an example. On the way home from work, we started the engine and drove 300 m along the side streets, and then drove onto the highway, where the traffic speed was 90, there were a lot of trucks, the road was ascending. If you drive slowly, a “tail” immediately gathers, you have to “sink” and drive like everyone else. And so every working day. Over the course of one winter, the engine became “shaky” - the camshaft and valves began to rattle, and the pressure light flashed at low speeds. The oil was filled good - dear synthetics.
What happened? Cold oil did not have time to be pumped through narrow channels, penetrate small gaps and lubricate parts; the result was “dry” friction, which led to rapid wear details. Especially “got it” valve mechanism And camshaft. And if a thicker mineral water had been poured in, the engine would not have survived even a month. This means that in this case it was necessary to warm up, for example, while standing on the side of the road.
How to be?
If the car is parked in the yard, under the windows and for a long time warming up, you “poison” your neighbors exhaust gases, then you can plan a “warm-up route” in advance for yourself, driving along those streets where the flow speed is low. Or find a place where you can stand and warm up the engine to 50 - 60 degrees. If you think about it, there will always be ways and you will be able to find a balance between the environment and engine life!
Warning
Daylight hours are much shorter in winter, so you'll have to drive more in winter. dark time days, which is unsafe in the absence of stable skills.
EXECUTION ORDER
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rear wheels stops (bars, sticks, etc.). A serviceable car does not require winter preparation. For operation in the northern regions of the country and large cities, we can only recommend carrying out a series of control and verification activities and special additional training to eliminate accidents.
Everyone understands the importance of a serviceable battery during winter vehicle operation. The electrolyte density of a fully charged battery may differ from the nominal one by no more than 0.02 g/cm 3 .
When checking the battery with a special load fork The readings of the built-in voltmeter should be 12.5–12.9 V with the load off and not drop below 11 V with a load for 10 s. Such a battery will serve for a long time and reliably.
Most famous brands batteries are Bosch and Varta. We can recommend good batteries from the Turkish company Inci, the Spanish Tudor and the Czech branch of Varta, from the domestic Tyumen and Podolsk battery factories.
When choosing a battery, pay attention to the following parameters:
- capacity. In accordance with the operating instructions, it should be 55 Ah. It is allowed to use batteries with a capacity of 45–60 Ah. Too small a capacity will create problems with “winter” starting the engine, if too large, the generator will not provide fully charged battery and battery life will be greatly reduced;
- starter discharge current, A, according to DIN 43 539. The larger its value, the better, especially during winter operation. This is a guarantee that the starter will turn the crankshaft with sufficient high frequency
rotation and, if the engine does not start on the first try, you will have a chance to do the second and third, rather than getting the tow rope.
Do not purchase batteries from “southern” manufacturing countries: there are no frosts there, and their starter discharge current may be significantly less than that of batteries adapted to Russian winter conditions.
If the battery is still “dead,” you can use “lighting” cables with alligator clips. When purchasing, it is better to choose cables designed for heavy loads (from 200 A). Using a less viscous winter engine oil makes it much easier to start a cold engine. International classification SAE J–300 contains six classes winter oils
. “Winter” classes are designated by the letter W (winter).
In temperate climates, it is permissible to use all-season (universal) motor oils in winter, which are now widely used. From domestic brands we can recommend such as “Rexol Universal”, “Rexol Super”, “LUKoil Standard”, “Norsi”, “Spektrol”, “Ufalub”;
from imported ones - Castrol GTX, ELF-Sporty, ESSO Ultra Oil X ESSO or Super Oil X, as well as Shell Super Plus. However, when purchasing oils, especially imported ones, you should beware of counterfeits, so it is best to purchase oils in specialized stores that provide product certificates.
Remember that during intensive city driving, changing the oil (and, accordingly, the oil filter) must be carried out in strict accordance with the factory operating instructions for the vehicle, reducing the replacement frequency by 20% every 50 thousand km starting from 100 thousand km. Flush the lubrication system when switching to another brand of oil. Various “boilers” that supposedly heat the thickened oil in the crankcase do not give any practical effect other than premature failure of the battery.
The engine cooling system of the Volzhsky Automobile Plant uses special low-freezing liquids - antifreeze: aqueous solutions of alcohols, glycols, glycerin and inorganic salts with the addition of special additives.
One type of antifreeze is antifreeze, an aqueous solution of ethylene glycol with additives.
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To prevent the liquid in the cooling system from freezing with serious consequences for the engine and engine and heater radiators, you need to check its freezing point. Recently, special hydrometers for antifreeze have appeared on sale, calibrated both in g/cm 3 and in degrees of freezing temperature. |
Temperature correction to hydrometer readings when measuring electrolyte density |
Electrolyte temperature, °C
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Amendment, g/cm 3 |
Electrolyte density at 25 °C, g/cm3 |
Climatic region (average monthly air temperature in January, °C) |
Season |
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Fully charged battery |
Battery low |
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by 25% |
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by 50% |
Very cold (–50...–30) |
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Cold (–30...–15) |
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All year round |
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Moderate (–15...18) |
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Warm humid (0...+4)
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Hot dry (–15...+4) |
Characteristics of winter oils |
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SAE class Minimum temperature, °C |
pumping |
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oil pump
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turning the crankshaft with the starter |
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Temperature range of application of universal motor oils (according to SAE classification) |
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Temperature range of application of universal motor oils (according to SAE classification) |
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Temperature range of application of universal motor oils (according to SAE classification) |
Correspondence of viscosity classes of motor oils according to SAE and Russian classifications
It is strictly prohibited to use water in the cooling system in winter. This is explained by the fact that when the heater fan is turned on full power The circulation of water through the radiator may stop completely and the water in the radiator will freeze while driving. When the car is stopped, there will be no circulation through the radiator and the engine will “boil”.
Before starting winter operation, it is useful to fill the gas tank with special additive, for example Gasoline Treatment from ABRO (USA), to remove water from the tank and power system.
Advice
To make starting easier carburetor engines, a special starting fluid is also used, but this reduces the engine life, since the liquid washes away the oil from the cylinder walls, which leads to dry friction of the piston in the cylinder at the time of start-up.
The operating instructions require replacing spark plugs every 15 thousand km. But given the experience of repair work, it is better to do this once a year, regardless of mileage, before the start of winter operation, or more often if the machine is used very hard in big city, or on gasoline of questionable quality, or the mileage per year exceeds 15 thousand km.
It is better to use spark plugs from imported manufacturers: PAL (Brick), NGK, Bosch, Beru, Champion, etc., approved for use in engines of the 2108 family.
Winter use, especially on the “salty” streets of big cities, greatly increases the corrosion of body parts. Regular washing in winter is necessary if the car is stored outside, and absolutely necessary every day if the car is stored in a warm garage. Water washes off salt well, and in addition, the “compress” of wet mud takes a very long time to dry, increasing the harmful effects of salt on the paintwork of the body. As a last resort, wash your car more often when it thaws, and before it gets cold, wash it and wipe it dry, ideally dry it in a warm room. Before starting winter operation, be sure to carry out additional anti-corrosion treatment of the body. This treatment is best carried out at a specialized car service center using special protective equipment and technology. Anti-corrosion treatment There are two types: bottom treatment and hidden cavities bodywork and body paint treatment. The latter can be easily done independently. It includes washing, drying and treatment with special protective compounds usually based on wax or silicone. We can recommend products from ABRO (USA): car shampoo with carnoba wax Wash-N-Glo, gold car wax with Teflon Car Wax Super Gold, silicone car wax Heavy Duty Silicone Cleaner & Car Wax. If, when processing the body, you find deep scratches, treat the bare metal with a rust converter (modifier), for example, domestic “Feran” or imported Rust-Eater.
Plastic fender liners reduce abrasive wear anti-corrosion coating on inside wings, but if they are not installed properly, poorly ventilated cavities may form between the wing and the fender liner, in which additional pockets of corrosion will appear due to penetrating moisture.
If you use studded tires, be sure to change them as a set, and do not, as some “experts” advise, limit yourself to only the front pair of wheels, as this sharply increases the likelihood of a front-wheel drive car skidding.
Finnish ones have proven to be the most suitable for our winter. Nokian tires Hakkapeliitta Q, but they are quite expensive. For constant city driving, studless tires are preferable. By the way, if you drive “on spikes”, keep in mind that on dry asphalt (this happens in winter) adhesion properties worse, which means braking distances increases. Don't forget: in accordance with traffic regulations must be placed on rear window triangular sign
with the letter Ш to warn other drivers.
Among the numerous other brands of tires with a “winter” tread pattern for “Sputnik”/ “Samara”, the most optimal are non-studded winter tires of the domestic brand NIISHP and the Slovakian Matador with a directional tread pattern, which at a reasonable price have good grip qualities and greatly facilitate driving on slippery and snowy roads.
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Main indicators of an aqueous solution of ethylene glycol |
Volume ratio, % |
Freezing temperature, °C |
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Density, g/cm 3 |
Ethylene glycol |
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Water
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Main indicators of antifreeze (TU 6-02-751-78) |
Index |
A–65M |
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A–40M |
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Density at 20 °C, g/cm 3 |
Freezing temperature, °C |
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Not standardized |
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Boiling point, °C Compound, %: |
96 |
60–64 |
50–56 |
As they say, you shouldn’t walk on ice and snow in summer shoes; your car should also be re-shoeed for the winter. Are tires with the following markings “W” (winter-“Winter”) or “M+S” suitable for driving a car in winter? stands for "mud + snow". This marking is sometimes combined with icons in the form of a cloud and a snowflake. It is best to choose tires that are slightly narrower than summer tires, but the size range should be as wide as possible for your car. The tire tread must squeeze out the mud and snow until it is well covered, and narrow tires do this well.
Not recommended for use in winter all-season tires, marked “AW” (all weather). The capabilities of these tires in winter conditions are very weak; these tires behave best in European countries with little snow. Studded tires hold up very well on snow and ice, but if the asphalt is clean, steel studs slide incredibly easily over it when braking and the likelihood that the wheels will be blocked increases by an order of magnitude, then you can simply skid, and the braking distance increases.
One of the main problems of operating a car in winter conditions is cold engine and problems with its launch. Most often, engines with a carburetor suffer from this, but in severe frosts, engines with an injection system also encounter this. The reasons for this engine behavior are known - decreased battery capacity, frozen oil, insufficient evaporation of gasoline.
Here we need the experience of some countries with harsh climates, where wide application found pre-launch electric heaters. It is enough to insert the plug into the socket, set the timer and by a certain time the engine will warm up. Any cars can be equipped with imported breathalyzers. One of the disadvantages of electric heating is that you need to have an electrical panel with a special socket near your office or home.
Oil changes are usually carried out in relation to the mileage of the car, and not to the season. The vast majority of currently produced motor oils are all-season, but winters are not the same - both with severe frosts and slushy-warm ones. When selecting oil to determine its suitability based on temperature, you can use a simple technique that any driver knows. This technique is called the “rule of 35”. For example, 15W-40 oil. If you subtract 15 from the number 35 (viscosity index in winter), you get the maximum pumping temperature (35-14=20). This means that 15W-40 oil is suitable at temperatures of -20 degrees.
To operate a car in winter, the most convenient way would be to install a DVR, which will help you understand any traffic situation. With such an assistant you can confidently drive your car even in winter. Car DVRs can also be ordered through online stores, which are delivered immediately.
