Changing the oil in a LADA Priora gearbox: what kind and how much to pour, video about when to change and how to replace the lubricant with your own hands

09.20.2021 7 203 Transmission

Author: Victor

Correct operation of the Lada Priora car transmission is possible only with high-quality lubrication of its internal components and parts. The lack or use of used fluid will cause serious problems in the functioning of the gearbox, so every car owner should sometimes change the oil in the Priora gearbox.

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When to change?

First, let's look at when it is necessary to change synthetic or semi-synthetic oil in the transmission system of a Priora car. According to the official regulations, the procedure for changing the lubricant is carried out after a mileage of 75 thousand kilometers. Or five years after the substance is poured, this is its service life. Taking into account the harsh conditions of vehicle use, experts recommend changing the lubricant every 50 thousand kilometers.

What signs may indicate the need for an urgent lubricant change:

There are deposits in the oil. Their formation indicates that the substance has lost its properties.
Burnt smell from gearbox. You can feel it in the cabin, but it will be more audible when you open the transmission inspection hole.
The appearance of difficulties with shifting the gearshift lever. Sometimes the selector is knocked out of its set position, this is due to malfunctions caused by the use of low-quality fluid.
Noisier operation of the unit.
Vibrations in the area of the gear shift lever.

The amount of oil in the Priora box

According to the factory standard, 3.5 liters of gear oil are poured into the Lada Priora gearbox. To replace, you will need 3.2-3.5 liters, depending on how much can be drained and what losses occurred during the operation of the car.

It is worth mentioning one well-known opinion that can often be heard from Prior owners. The fact is that gear oil is mainly supplied in four- and five-liter cans.

And many car owners, not knowing where to use the remainder after filling the required 3.5 liters from a four-liter canister, add the remaining half liter into the gearbox. This is explained by the banal “you can’t spoil porridge with butter.” Some drivers even note that the manual transmission shifts smoother and is quieter.

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However, if you pour more oil into the Priora gearbox than necessary, this may negatively affect the performance of the manual transmission, namely the lubricant life.

Oil may lose its properties by 20-30 thousand kilometers and cease to effectively protect rubbing surfaces, which will lead to accelerated wear of loaded manual transmission parts.

Foamed gearbox oil

This happens due to more efficient mixing of the lubricant and the formation of foam. Foam prevents the formation of a uniform film on the surface of rubbing parts. Also, excessive saturation of the lubricant volume with oxygen due to foaming leads to accelerated oxidation.

Therefore, you should not pour oil into the box of the Lada Priora. It’s better to leave that half a liter in case of topping up or for other technical purposes.

What oil is better to use?

At the factory, during the production of cars, specialists fill in transmission fluid Lukoil TM 412, but its use is allowed only for running in the car. According to the manufacturer's recommendations, after some time the car owner should change the substance to a more recent one, taking into account the parameters specified in the service manual. The manufacturer advises using synthetics or semi-synthetics that correspond to the viscosity class 75W-90.

But here a lot depends on the region of operation, especially if you add oil for the winter:

75W - such a product begins to crystallize at a temperature of -45°C, but its thickening occurs already at -30;
80W - the oil loses its properties at -15°C, as it begins to thicken, but the liquid completely solidifies at -30;
a liquid with a viscosity class of 85W thickens already at -10°C, and it can solidify at a frost of -15.

As consumer reviews show, many car owners use Castrol 75W-90 Syntrax Universal or Zik Top oil with the same viscosity class. It is possible to use products from other manufacturers; it is important that the liquid is of high quality.

Replacement frequency and lubricant selection

The manufacturer has determined that oil changes in the Priora gearbox are required at intervals of 75 thousand km. This is a fairly large gap, designed for the fact that synthetic-based oil will be poured into the box. The conditions in which the vehicle is operated often dictate a reduction in this interval. For example, the car constantly “walks under a trailer” or with increased loads on the transmission.

Then it is better to remove the oil level dipstick as often as possible and monitor not only the lubricant level, but also the technical condition: contamination and fluidity, especially if the service mileage is more than 50 thousand km. Another reason for early replacement of the lubricant in the box can be buying a car second-hand without marks in the service book. The answer to the question of what kind of oil to pour into the Priora transmission should be sought first of all in the car’s operating instructions.

Traditionally, AvtoVAZ recommends products for use. Lubricant produced by the same company is poured into the gearbox of new VAZ cars; it acts as a break-in and flushing lubricant until the first maintenance; after replacing it, you can select a product from another company. Here are brief recommendations on how to choose the right gear oil for the VAZ 2170.

The viscosity grade must correspond to that specified in the operating instructions.
It is not recommended to use mineral based oil. The service mileage determined by the manufacturer is accepted for synthetic or semi-synthetic oils. When pouring mineral water, you will not be able to correctly determine the service interval, because the mineral base deteriorates faster than the synthetic one.
It is preferable to purchase liquid lubricants from official dealers located in your city. This may also be useful in an unusual situation, when you need to add oil to the gearbox due to a leak. A sales representative will help you choose the right brand of oil for topping up.
You should not add various additives and additives to your gear oil. As a rule, all the necessary additives are already present in the lubricant; nothing else is needed.
Before purchasing, you should read reviews about this product. This can be done on the Internet, filtering out rave reviews from agents selling lubricants.

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We present the types of all-season gear oils according to the SAE classification in the table.

SAE viscosity grade	SAE 75W – 80	SAE 75W – 90	SAE 80W – 85	SAE 80W – 90
Ambient temperature range at which the oil is used	From -40 ⁰С to +35 ⁰С	From -40 ⁰С to +35 ⁰С	From -26 ⁰С to +35 ⁰С	From -12 ⁰С to +45 ⁰С

How much oil should be in the gearbox and checking the level

To purchase the required amount of oil, you need to understand how much fluid should be poured into the unit. The volume of lubricant that will enter the transmission is 3-3.3 liters.

The level checking procedure is carried out after placing the car on a horizontal surface:

Locate the volume dipstick; it is installed at the rear, at the top of the transmission housing. To gain access to the meter, you will need to remove the air cleaner housing and air duct.
Remove the dipstick from the inspection hole. Wipe it with a cloth and reinstall it completely again.
Pull out the meter and check the volume. Ideally, it should be located near the MAX mark.

If the gearbox does not have a dipstick, then the volume is diagnosed using the filler hole. The liquid level should be near the bottom edge. If there is less lubricant, it must be added to the system.

How to replace it yourself?

You can change the oil in the gearbox of a VAZ Priora 16 valve model of 2015 and other years of production with your own hands.

Tools and materials

The procedure for changing the substance occurs using:

wrench 17;
fresh lubricant;
a syringe with a connected transparent tube;
containers into which you will drain the “working off”;
clean rags.

You can learn about changing the lubricant yourself and all the nuances that the car owner will encounter during the task from the video shot by user ValeRiaN.

Stages of work

How to drain and fill fresh oil in a Priora gearbox:

The car is driven into a garage with a pit, onto a lift or onto an overpass. This is important because you will have to gain access to the underside of the car.
Depending on the fasteners, use a screwdriver or wrench to unscrew the engine mudguard fastenings. Set the splash guard aside.
Locate the drain hole on the vehicle's transmission. Place a container under it. Unscrew the plug of the control or filler hole, if there is one, or remove the dipstick from the neck, this will reduce the pressure in the lubrication system when draining the “working off”. If access to the dipstick is difficult, remove the air filter housing and move it to the side.
Using a wrench, unscrew the drain cover. Be careful when unscrewing. At first, the oil will come out of the system in a thin stream, but after the plug is completely unscrewed, it will begin to flow under great pressure. Use gloves. It is advisable that when draining the fluid the engine is not cold, due to this the substance will be more viscous and will drain out of the transmission faster.
While the oil is draining, visually assess the condition of the drain plug. If it is too dirty, clean it of debris and wear and tear. Check the condition of the seal; if it is badly worn, it is recommended to replace the part. Otherwise, you may encounter a problem with lubricant leakage.
When the liquid has drained, assess its condition. If the gearbox is functioning properly, it should be free of metal dust and other impurities. The presence of deposits indicates contamination of the unit, so it is recommended to wash it. To clean the transmission, the filler hole must be closed and flushing is performed using a special product. There is a large selection of such liquids; the product is purchased at a car store. To flush, pour about 1.3 liters of cleaner into the gearbox housing. Then the front part of the car must be hung, for this the wheels are placed on a jack. Start the engine and engage first gear, press the gas. Due to the fact that the front of the car is raised, you can drive in first gear for several minutes. After this, the procedure for draining the waste fluid from the system is repeated. If the flushing oil is too dirty after cleaning the unit, the procedure must be repeated. After this, wipe the drain and fill plug again.
Remove the dipstick from the inspection neck to check the level.
Now you can fill it, it is done through the control hole. You must pour fresh oil into the transmission using a syringe with a connected pipe, otherwise you will not be able to refuel the unit. One end of the hose is inserted into the control hole, on the other side the liquid is supplied into the system using a syringe. About 3.1 liters of oil is poured into the gearbox, the volume of the substance is controlled by the dipstick.
When the filling procedure is completed, install the meter in place. Reinstall all previously removed components in reverse order. When the process is complete, take a test drive of the machine and check the lubricant level again.

Remove the dipstick from the inspection hole of the Priora gearbox

Unscrew the cap and drain the used oil from the box

Pour fresh lubricant into the unit, monitoring its volume using the dipstick level

What will happen if you don’t change it in time?

If the car owner does not change the lubricant in a timely manner, faster wear of the internal parts of the unit occurs. When an oil loses its characteristics, it becomes the reason why it cannot perform its duties.

This is fraught with the following consequences:

The friction components of the transmission operate under high loads, which leads to their rapid wear and failure. Bearings are the first to break because these parts work under heavy load.
When worn, metal dust flakes off the bearings, which can clog the lubrication system lines. Because of this, the pressure in it increases greatly, which leads to the squeezing out of oil seals and seals. This ultimately causes a leak.
As a result of wear of the bearings, sounds uncharacteristic of the operation of the unit will appear. The driver may also feel vibrations from the gear lever.
Due to problems associated with the operation of the unit, difficulties arise when changing gears. Sometimes the gearshift lever is knocked out of its set position. When changing gears, there may be a crunching noise and extraneous noise.

If internal parts wear out, changing the oil in the Priora gearbox will not solve the problem at the root. Damaged transmission components must be replaced.

Functions of oil in a manual transmission in a car

Lubricant in a manual transmission (MT) essentially has one function - reducing excess friction that occurs during the interaction of moving parts (for reference, a manual transmission is, in fact, a set of various gears and shafts). This is necessary to reduce wear on parts and improve the performance of the gearbox . With increased friction, the speed of the car decreases, changing gears is difficult, fuel consumption increases and problems with the engine begin. Therefore, the functions of the oil in a manual transmission on a Lada Priora are always the same - reducing this very friction to an acceptable level.

A car driver should know what the consequences of using a lubricant that has exhausted its service life are :

There are problems with switching speeds. The shift lever moves with some difficulty, and a knocking sound is heard from the gearbox when changing gears.
The speed limit changes. With increased fuel consumption, the vehicle speed decreases and the engine makes more noise.
The movement of the car is uneven; when the speed decreases, jerks begin, as if you press the brake pedal.

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The described signs mean, among other things, that it is time to change the oil. But it is also recommended to check the condition of the fluid itself - in certain situations, the listed problems are caused by breakdowns of other components in the car. itself changes as follows : it becomes thicker, darkens, and inclusions of soot and metal shavings appear in it.