How to choose and replace antifreeze on a VAZ 2107: instructions and photos

The engine cooling system is an important part of every car, through which the normal operation of the engine is ensured. A significant part of the cooling system is devoted to refrigerant or coolant, which can be presented in the form of antifreeze (in most cases), antifreeze or distilled water.

During the operation of any car, including the VAZ 2107, it is important to promptly replace the coolant, which will improve the efficiency of the cooling system. In this issue, we will look in more detail at how to correctly replace antifreeze on a VAZ 2107, what is required for this and where to start.

Instructions for replacing antifreeze

Antifreeze, compared to water, is quite resistant to frost - it does not freeze. It is also not a source of scale, which means it does not clog the cooling system.

But, subjected to constant temperature influences and fluctuations, antifreeze loses its properties during operation:

Engine radiator drain

The next step in replacing antifreeze on a VAZ 2114 will be draining the cooler from the radiator. It is more convenient to do this on a viewing hole or a lift. In the lower corner of the radiator there is a special valve, which also brings owners a lot of trouble due to constant leaks. You can get rid of them using sealant. Before draining, it is necessary to prepare a clean container with a wide neck. You should open the tap carefully, as it is made of plastic and can easily crumble in your hands. Therefore, when performing this operation, you should play it safe and get a spare one.

If there is slight contamination, the liquid from the radiator can be reused, so the filled container must be put aside, first covered with something, avoiding debris.

Having completed this operation, you can begin replacing the radiator or expansion tank, but it is important to know that not all the coolant has been drained. For maximum efficiency, the cooling system operates in two cycles. Since a certain temperature is required for the best operation of an internal combustion engine, the cooling is configured in two circles:

Small cooling circle.
Large cooling circle.

The first is designed to warm up the engine as quickly as possible and achieve a comfortable operating temperature. When the temperature rises, a special damper opens, which allows the coolant to flow into a large circle passing through the radiator. The second circle is intended just for cooling the engine. To better achieve this goal, a special sensor is installed on the radiator - a thermostat, which turns on the fan when a certain temperature is reached.

On most cars, this temperature ranges from 90 to 95 degrees Celsius.

The fan on the radiator creates air flow, thereby reducing the temperature of the running engine.
One of the reasons for a car overheating can be a non-working fan or a faulty thermostat. If the breakdown is more serious or complete cleaning of the cooling system from slag is required, it becomes necessary to drain the antifreeze from the VAZ 2114 unit. The inaccessibility of the drain hole on the engine block of cars of the Samara family complicates the work. To get to this point, you will need to remove the starter, since the plug is located underneath it. This strange design decision makes replacing antifreeze on VAZ cars the most labor-intensive.

Some craftsmen manage to perform this operation without dismantling the starter, but this is not always convenient or practical.

Draining the antifreeze from the engine block must be done into another container, since it is not always possible to avoid dirt from getting into it from the car body. After waiting about ten minutes, you can start working.

Features of antifreeze and antifreeze

Let's start with the fact that Tosol is a type of antifreeze developed in the USSR. But as often happens with us, the name has become a household word and many liquids for car cooling systems are called Antifreeze.

Antifreeze and antifreeze are based on ethylene glycol (less commonly propylene glycol), distilled water and various additives. And the main difference between them comes down to the additive package.

Antifreeze is made from equal parts of water and ethylene glycol using traditional technology, which includes additives based on salts of inorganic acids.

But antifreeze already includes carboxylate additives (from salts of organic acids).

Thanks to additives, these liquids have anti-cavitation, anti-foam and anti-corrosion properties.

But the traditional manufacturing technology that is used in the production of Antifreeze is already somewhat outdated due to additives. Additives made from salts of inorganic acids cease to perform their functions over time. Antifreeze has a longer additive life.

At the same time, the additives themselves work differently . The anti-corrosion additive in Antifreeze covers all metal elements of the system with a thin protective layer. But this same layer makes it difficult to remove heat.

In antifreeze, this layer is much thinner than that of Antifreeze, and at the same time it covers only those elements of the system that are susceptible to corrosion.

If you look at it in general, then in a debate - antifreeze or antifreeze for VAZ, in terms of its performance properties, antifreeze wins. But not everything is so simple and a lot depends on the VAZ model itself.

The fact is that most domestic cars are primarily designed to work with Antifreeze. It is the main liquid, although the operating instructions often indicate that antifreeze can also be used.

Flushing

Many experts agree that the system should be flushed before replacing the coolant. But how to do this and is such an event really mandatory?

If the coolant being drained shows signs of rust and contamination, then the system should still be flushed. This preventive measure will never be superfluous. Therefore, try to allocate some of your precious time to the procedure. The engine will remain grateful to you.

Expansion tank

The cooling system is washed quite easily:

Drain the old fluid by unscrewing the drain plug;
Fill the system with water through the filler neck;
Distilled or boiled water can be used as a washing composition. Plus, there are special cleaning compounds. They are more expensive, but their efficiency is higher;
Start the engine with flushing water inside and let it idle for about 30 minutes;
Drain;
If it is very dirty, repeat the procedure;
Add new coolant to the system.

We recommend: Removing scratches on a car body without painting

Why does it flow

There are many options for why coolant may leak. It is very difficult to determine this location of the leak. The main ones are:

View all pipes; perhaps one of the clamps is not clamped properly.
The pipe itself has cracked from time to time.
The cause of mechanical damage is in the radiator. This can be corrected by welding or gluing. You can determine the location of the leak in the radiator using dismantling or gel sealant.
Water pump. Over time, the pump, like any other part, can wear out and leak. In this case, the pump will have to be replaced.
The element leaks out from under the head. It is better to correct such a leak at a service center, since this will require disassembling the engine.
When the element leaks directly into the vehicle's cabin. This can be determined by lifting the floor mat on the driver or passenger side.

How to replace antifreeze on a VAZ 2107

Now it's time to fill in new antifreeze. To do this, open the radiator cap and insert a funnel there. Remove the plug from the cylinder block and ask your partner to pour in antifreeze in small portions. At this time, tighten the bolt, and as soon as antifreeze flows out of the BC, immediately tighten the bolt. This is necessary to prevent the creation of air jams. Then pour antifreeze into the radiator until it is completely filled. Next, without screwing the cap on the radiator, pour antifreeze into the expansion tank until it reaches the radiator. After this, screw on the tank cap.

Replacing the coolant: why is this event being carried out?

The cooling system of modern cars is presented in the form of a liquid-type system, which means heat is removed from the car engine through liquid. The coolant circulates through the system, removing heat from the engine and cooling in the radiator. The pump or water pump redirects the cooled portion of the liquid to the engine to cool the latter again. The heat exchange process occurs continuously while the car engine is running and the pump is rotating.

We recommend: Repair and maintenance of forklift engines

As the coolant is constantly exposed to different temperatures, it loses its properties over time. When antifreeze loses its properties, its boiling point decreases and approaches the boiling point of ordinary water. Most often this happens after a mileage not exceeding 60 thousand km. It is at this mileage that it is recommended to completely replace the antifreeze in order to avoid unforeseen and undesirable consequences. Before we begin the replacement, let’s find out how to properly drain antifreeze from a VAZ 2107.

How to properly drain used fluid

To drain antifreeze from a VAZ 2107 car, simply opening the tap is not enough, through which all the liquid will flow out of the system. Both antifreeze and antifreeze are toxic substances, so when working with them you should follow safety rules. Before draining, it is necessary to prepare a container into which the waste will be drained. The volume of such a container should not be less than 10 liters. The best option for such purposes is a trough or basin.

It is easy to carry out the work without an inspection hole, so it is recommended to install the car on the handbrake, and then place a trough or other container under the engine. We begin the process of draining the liquid, for which the following steps are performed:

The first step is to open the hood, then unscrew the cap from the expansion tank. This is necessary in order to reduce the pressure in the system, thereby speeding up the process of draining the waste. It is also recommended to unscrew the cap on the radiator.
It is necessary to open the heater tap from inside (move the lever to the “warm” position) in order for the coolant to drain from the heater radiator.
The next step requires unscrewing the plug bolt, which is located at the bottom of the cylinder block.
Now you can start unscrewing the drain plug. located on the radiator. After unscrewing it, drain all the used fluid into a container, which may take up to 10 minutes.
At the next stage, you need to loosen the fastening of the expansion tank, and then lift the latter up to drain the remaining liquid from it. How much antifreeze will be in the system depends on how often the car owner added it there.

The capacity of the cooling system of VAZ-2107 cars is just over 8.5 liters, so you need to wait until the last drop flows out. While the antifreeze is draining, you can prepare a new canister that will be poured into the system.

It is important to know! It is strictly forbidden to start the car when there is no antifreeze in the system.

Features of filling coolant

During the process of replacing the coolant, you can perform the procedure of changing the sealant or clamps on the pipes if leaks were noticed earlier. To do this, it is necessary to remove the pipes, check their integrity, remove any old sealant, then apply a new one and put it back in place. If the pipes have obvious defects, then it is better to replace them immediately, so that after a while the new antifreeze does not end up under the car.

Before adding a new type of antifreeze, you should tighten the drain bolt on the cylinder block, as well as the lower plug on the radiator. Remember to complete these steps before you begin the pouring process. We recommend doing the filling as follows:

Before filling, unscrew the sensor located between the spark plugs of the 3rd and 4th cylinders, slightly higher, from the cylinder block. This will prevent the formation of an air lock in the car's cooling system;
now antifreeze is poured into the VAZ 2107 through the hole in the radiator until it flows out of the hole from the sensor in the block in an amount of about 5 liters;
screw the sensor into place and continue pouring;
It is necessary to pour until the radiator is completely filled. You can additionally move the pipes to release air from them;
After filling the radiator, you need to close its cap and add coolant into the expansion tank to the range from “MIN” to “MAX”.

It is important to know! Replace the coolant on your car only when the engine is cool. Antifreeze is very toxic, so inhaling its vapors can affect your well-being.

On VAZ 2107 cars, the injector and carburetor differences in the cooling system are insignificant. The only difference is that the temperature control system sensor is installed on the injector and the throttle body is heated. The carburetor engine of the "seven" has a more simplified cooling system, but they work on the same principle. There is no difference in the coolant capacity of the cooling systems of carburetor and injection engines. Above is a video about how antifreeze is replaced on a “seven”.

HOW TO DRAIN THE COOLANT CORRECTLY

Somehow, unnoticed, the time has come when it is necessary to replace the coolant on a VAZ 2114. You do not need to have a higher education in order to replace the antifreeze on a VAZ 2114. Even novice drivers can do it. Let's try to take a closer look at the question of how to drain the coolant. To do this, you need to stock up on empty containers for drained antifreeze, and prepare some tools.

Wrenches for “8”, “13” and “17”;
Screwdriver Set;
Rags;

It will be useful: Drive belt on a Chevrolet Cruze: when to change, replacement

It is best to drain the coolant from a “warm” engine and always with the interior heater radiator valve open. The further procedure for draining antifreeze from a VAZ 2114 will be as follows:

Remove the engine protection so that the coolant can be completely drained;
Remove the cap on the expansion tank;
Place an empty container under the radiator and open the drain plug. It is necessary to ensure that the drained liquid does not flood the generator set. The draining process can take about 15 minutes. After draining is completed, wipe the plug with a rag and put it in place;
The next step is to drain the coolant from the engine. Move the container under the engine drain plug and open it. It is found under the ignition module, which is best removed while draining the coolant. The process also lasts approximately 15 minutes. The cork is wiped with a rag and screwed into place. This completes the draining process.

Timing for replacing coolant in VAZ 2107

The purpose of the coolant in the VAZ 2107 is to remove excess heat from the car’s engine. Indeed, during operation, many parts of an internal combustion engine reach temperatures of 300 degrees C. If the engine is not cooled in time and sufficiently, it will fail. Coolant solves this problem; it is supplied to a running engine, flows through the channels, thus taking away excess heat from the internal combustion engine.

After heating, the coolant goes into the central radiator, which is constantly blown by the fan. After cooling in this unit, the liquid returns to the engine cooling channels. This is the procedure for continuous liquid cooling of the VAZ 2107 engine.

The general principle of operation of the VAZ 2107 cooling system can be studied using the diagram below.

How to understand what kind of coolant is required for a VAZ 2107 - antifreeze or antifreeze? Since we are talking about Russian cars, we should distinguish between concepts such as antifreeze and antifreeze to clarify concepts.

It should be noted that such division and differentiation is accepted only in the Russian Federation. To answer this question, you must first understand: what is coolant?

We recommend: Replacing the radiator of the VAZ 2109 stove

So, the basis of the coolant is ethylene glycol, less often propylene glycol. Special additives are added to it, which protect against corrosion. Each manufacturer adds different types of additives.

Let us differentiate the coolants available on the modern market according to additive production technologies:

traditional, in which additives are made from salts of inorganic acids: silicates, nitrites, amines, phosphates;
carboxylate, additives are made from organic carbonates;
hybrid, consists of a mixture of organic carbonate additives and inorganic salts (in smaller quantities, including phosphates or silicates).

So, the main difference between antifreeze and antifreeze is that coolant made using traditional technology is called antifreeze, while coolant made using carboxylate technology is called antifreeze.

Advantages and disadvantages of using antifreeze

Pros:

protective film. Thanks to the inorganic salts contained in antifreeze, a protective film is created on the surface of the cooled parts, protecting them from corrosion. The film reaches 0.5 mm. In the picture below you can see how antifreeze creates a protective layer, the disadvantage is that it interferes with heat removal;
color change. If the driver forgot to change the coolant, a clue to the need for the procedure will be the color of the liquid, which is easy to notice just by looking into the car's expansion tank. The changes are that as the antifreeze loses its useful properties it becomes darker, and completely unusable antifreeze cannot be distinguished from tar;
affordable prices. Coolant produced using traditional technology is 3 times cheaper than antifreeze.

Disadvantages of antifreeze:

replacement frequency. Antifreeze has a short lifespan, becoming unusable after 50 thousand kilometers;
negative impact on aluminum parts. The additives used to create antifreeze negatively affect the aluminum surfaces in the main radiator (which significantly reduces its service life);
due to the tendency to form condensation, it negatively affects the water pump of the VAZ 2107, as a result - premature wear of its impeller.

Let's look at the advantages and disadvantages of using antifreeze

Pros:

service life is longer - 6 liters of antifreeze is enough for 150 thousand kilometers;
temperature selectivity - due to the presence of carbonate additives, antifreeze more actively protects the engine surface that is heated the most;
antifreeze does not interfere with heat dissipation, and also protects corrosion areas with the help of local layers;
long engine operation due to temperature selectivity and timely engine cooling with antifreeze;
there is no condensation, which means antifreeze cannot damage the radiator and water pump of the VAZ 2107.

The disadvantage of antifreeze is obvious - its high cost. In terms of price, it is on average 3 times higher than antifreeze.

Replacing fluid on a VAZ-2107

Carrying out all the work on this car is not that difficult. Tools you will need:

Key to 13;
Key for 30 (possibly);
Screwdriver;
Drain container;

You should also take care of purchasing new fluid. In this car, its quantity in the system should be 8.65 liters.

The work is carried out in the following order:

The car is placed on the platform and time is given to cool down (if the engine is warm);
Remove the caps from the radiator filler neck and expansion tank. Also in the cabin, on the heater control panel, we move the lever to heating, thereby opening the heater radiator tap;
Unscrew the drain plug at the bottom of the radiator. On older models there is no such plug, so on them the temperature sensor is unscrewed with a 30 key. There is also a drain plug on the engine, which we also remove. We collect the leaking liquid into a prepared container;
After draining, install all plugs in place;
We wash the system. To do this, distilled water or a special detergent is poured into it. In order to completely fill the system and displace the air, remove the pipe going to the intake manifold. As soon as water or liquid comes out of it, we put it in place;
We start the engine so that it flushes the system through circulation;
Drain the water through the plugs. Fill in new coolant. We start the motor for circulation. Then we are interested in the amount of liquid in the system and, if necessary, add it to the expansion tank to the required level.

Cooling system elements

The process of draining coolant from the radiator

In order to understand how and why it is necessary to drain the coolant, you need to have a little understanding of the design of the car and the cooling elements. Also, you need to know how the coolant circulates in the engine and have an idea of the places where it can be drained.

So, let's look at the complete diagram of the engine cooling system and how the coolant circulates:

Cooling system diagram

1 – element in the form of a plug for the expansion tank; 2 – expansion tank; 3 – hose for draining liquid from the pipe; 4 – hose passing between the radiator and the expansion tank; 5 – hose leading from the radiator; 6 – tank to the left of the radiator; 7 – aluminum tube; 8 – plug systems; 9 – tank to the right of the radiator; 10 – drain plug; 11 – middle of the radiator; 12 – casing for electric fan; 13 – plastic wings of the electric fan; 14 – electric motor; 15 – toothed pump pulley; 16 – pump impeller; 17 – camshaft drive belt; 18 – engine block; 19 – pump pipe; 20 – radiator hose with supply function; 21 – heater radiator hose with drain function; 22 – hose supplying coolant to the throttle pipe; 23 – exhaust pipe; 24 – hose for refilling; 25 – heater radiator hose with supply function; 26 – thermostat; 27 – coolant temperature sensor; 28 – coolant level indicator sensor.

Coolant drain options

There are two options for draining coolant from the system. They depend on what operations the motorist intends to perform with the car. So, let's look at both options separately.

Draining without removing the engine

This method is often used to replace coolant in the system, as well as to change cooling elements. The procedure is quite simple. Let's look at how to properly drain the liquid from the cooling system completely:

We find the cooling system plug on the cylinder block.

Location of the coolant drain plug on the cylinder block

Remove the expansion tank cap

Unscrew the plug on the radiator to drain the coolant

Installation of faucet

Drain faucet

For the convenience of subsequent draining and repair work, you can install a faucet. Moreover, you have already unscrewed the standard plug.

Draining with engine removal

The second method is easier than the first and is used when the engine is planned to be removed. Let's consider the sequence of actions aimed at draining coolant from the system:

Unscrew the plug on the expansion tank.
We unscrew the plugs from the cylinder block and radiator.
Next, when the liquid has flowed out, you need to unscrew the pipes leading to the radiator.
Of course, some liquid remains in the system and must be drained completely. This can be done in two ways: by blowing it out with a compressor or by disassembling the engine.

Why do you need to drain the coolant?

This “slurry” has already served its term

Let's look at the main reasons why you will need to completely drain the coolant from the system:

Development of a full resource of use . It is recommended to carry out once every 90-100 thousand km. This is due to the fact that the coolant, due to a constant temperature difference, which is its operating temperature, loses its technical and physicochemical properties. After such a mileage, it can no longer effectively provide cooling of the engine and its elements, which can lead not only to failure of the thermostat and pump (most often these are the spare parts that suffer), but also to boiling of the engine, which can have unpleasant and material consequences .
During engine overhaul . When the engine is dismantled for major repairs, the coolant will need to be completely drained.
Replacing the radiator will also require draining the coolant completely from the system, but it is done according to a simplified option (the second one, which is indicated above).
Replacement of other individual elements that will require draining the coolant from the system.

It will be useful: Nissan Terrano configurations: technical specifications

Coolant functions

Maintaining normal temperature during engine operation (injector).
Maintaining low temperature in the gearbox (hydraulic fluid that needs to be poured into the automatic transmission).
Interior heating in winter. Pouring antifreeze provides heat to the car by passing through the heater. The motor heats the liquid, and the fan blows air and transfers heat. Thus, heated air enters the cabin.

Antifreeze in the VAZ 2107 should be replaced every 45,000 km. or once every two years, whichever comes first. Because over time the quality deteriorates and this leads to adverse consequences.

Radiator cap open