1982 Lada Niva

[GoceKU]

Today with less than an hour to spare, i quickly put the engine on a stand, made a mess and found a mess. With the engine block upside down i heard couple of chunks fall out and found couple of pieces of steel. Remove the bolts from the oil pan and took it off, this is the first time it's being taken off and the rubber gasket is still in great shape. That revealed the big problem i suspected this engine having. The oil pan was full of garbage, pieces of steel, rubber and babert material. The big pieces of steel are from the timing chain guides that has disintegrated and someone install new one and left them floating. Took off the pistons and the bearing has chunk missing, it never spun a bearing but from setting the oil has eaten the bearing material, i'll take some better pictures later, the main bearing worn even worse and the crank and lots of lines in the journals, i'll be using the crank from the other engine or i'll have this one regrind. The engine block is in good shape, the cylinders have a ridge at the top but no other defects. Because of my time restraints i had to stop, but i'll get my micrometers and measure everything out to know do i need to have the cylinders bored or just have the block and head resurfaced. I hope you like seeing staff like this, it as bad as i expected, i'm surprised i've not found and wrench or screwdriver in the oil pan.

 

[silverhawk]

At least the block looks decent. I'm curious to know if it is cracked. That kind of garbage in the pan usually results in other stuff that is broken. Here's hoping you find a good working block.

joe

 

[RandyWilson]

Other than all the US versions using a rubber band (aka timing belt), that sure does look familiar. It used to be a regular job to replace the dented oil pan and the broken oil pump where someone whacked on a curb.


I rebuilt another 5speed Spyder box the other week. I thought about grabbing some pictures.... but not until it was already back together.

 

[GoceKU]

With the engine disassembled i made couple of decision, the engine block will be reused, i'll get it resurfaced, and i'll have the machine shop take about 1,5 mm of the top of the engine block to raise the compression. And that is what i did took the engine block and the cylinder head, they told me come back in 2 hours. Went back to the big garage, started to arrange and inspect the other parts and found 4 cracks in the flywheel, also the pressure plat has some graves from the clutch disk being worn down to the rivets, i gave the pressure plat a hand sanding but is not looking good, i also need a camshaft, the machines looked at it and ask me did the engine even run, told him yeah, he told me that that is the most worn out cam hi has ever seen. With that information and after asking how much they cost new i went to my local junkyard, they had clutch set with the flywheel read to go already removed, loaded them. They had 21 lada's but only 2 of them had engines in them so i removed the camshafts from both of them, i also got the rockers, one valve cover, all the springs and accessories like sprockets, Chain Tensioners. They also had a lada 5 speed gearbox that jumps out of 3 rd gear, i got it as well (Maybe looks familiar Rundy). I'll use the 5th gear gears to fix the one that i got laid that is a good working unit. Just as i load everything is started to rain and hail i paid 25$ for all the parts including the gearbox in the junkyard and went to the machine shop and picked up the engine block and head, they did good job on the engine block but the surface finish is a bit rough on the head anyway it's a Lada should be fine, a also paid 25$ for the machine work.

 

[GoceKU]

Today is the last day of warm weather, so i decided to get all the work i can do outside. The engine block was very very dirty after the machine work so a spray bottle will take too long so i loaded it, the cylinder head, and all other parts and took them to the small garage and pressure wash them, i used a heavy duty degreaser and adjusted my pressure washer to its max 160 bar, the engine block has some grains in gunk on the outs that needs some more cleaning but on the inside and its cooling jackets clean up spotless, i also run lots of water and degreaser thru oil passages, the head clean up very little, the other part also need a lot of cleaning. I also found some more damage on the oil pan. But my cleaning time got cut because the outside temps drop below freezing, you can see the icing on the bottom of the bumper that was parked next to where i was washing them. I did blow off and oil the steel parts after i got them back in the big garage, next on the list is to finish the parts washer and make some custom parts on my lathe, i also need to order the last of the parts needed for this rebuild.

 

[GoceKU]

Today i finished the parts washer and picked up the parts i've been needing to start the built on this engine. New bearings for the crank and conrods are really cheap 20$, the gearbox mount is difference between 4 speed and 5 speed so i bought me a new one 15$, last thing is a new clutch disk i got me a bigger clutch kit from the junkyard but it's a false economy to install the clutch disc with half life when new is 17$ and for that price i got the reinforced one.

 

[GoceKU]

Last few days i.ve been cleaning parts form the engine of the little niva.


Today i finished cleaning the bottom end parts and started assembly. Started with the breather, and the new main bearings, then the crank went in and got tighten and check the endflow. Then i started installing the pistons but run in to a problem, the new rod bearings had no holes for the oil jets, so i had to drill 4 bearings, you can see the old one at the top with flakes missing. With all 4 pistons in i install the oil pump and new crank oil seal, i'm debating should i paint the engine block the factory paint is worn off. Hope you like seeing some old school work done.

 

[GoceKU]

Today i continue working, i do have less time today, but i continue where i left yesterday. One thing i did not mention, the original front pulley has grooves and was the oldest style, the new one is a bit different, lighter beside being cast iron and is not protected, so i gave it a quick coat of black paint. Then i got to cleaning the rest of the parts in my Diy parts washer. I had one hard task in cleaning the valves for them i used wire wheel and one by one clean them, 8 from the original engine and 8 more from the spare one so i can have choose. Next in line are cylinder head, camshaft, rockers, springs, head bolts but i had to leave them for tomorrow.

 

[GoceKU]

Today i've put in some work on the little niva, most of the work got done under it, i uncouple and remove the gearbox, i'll be swapping it for a 5 speed, removed the tranny mount it will get some attention. Then i disassemble the front suspension, i've bought new bushes for the upper and lower control arms. The parts that have been off come off easy but others not so much, removing the bottom thru bolts will be a very difficult task, also the engine bay will need a cleaning.

 

[GoceKU]

I've been busy with some wheels, but i still found some time to clean off the the valves from the original head and from the spare head. The valves from the OE head are in much better condition and are probably going to get reused, i'll have the others as spares incase i can't get one to seal.