← 2106-03
Autopapyrus · Lada 2106-03 1.5 (VAZ-2103, 1980)
https://autopapyrus.com/guides/lada/2106-03/timing-chain-replacement/
Compiled automatically from service literature and owner experience. Specs are for the typical configuration — check them against your exact car before you start.

Lada 2106-03 1.5 (VAZ-2103, 1980): Timing Chain Replacement

On the VAZ-2103 engine, the camshaft is driven by a double-row chain with a tensioner shoe and a hydromechanical tensioner. Replace the chain if it is noisy at idle, stretched (the chain "rattles" or the valve timing jumps), or if the shoe is worn. The key to the job is aligning the timing marks precisely during assembly.

Difficulty: Hard Time: 3-5 hours Steps: 16 Tools: Socket and wrench set (10, 13, 17, 19 mm), torque wrench, crankshaft gear puller, chisel, plastic mallet, wire hook, screwdrivers, oil drain pan, new gaskets.

Part

  • 🔩 VAZ-2103/2106 camshaft drive chain (double-row, 116 links), tensioner shoe, chain tensioner (if worn), chain damper, front engine cover gasket, valve cover gasket, front crankshaft oil seal, camshaft sprocket bolt lock washer

Step by step

16 steps
  1. Disconnect the negative battery terminal. Drain the coolant if you plan to remove the radiator or water pump for easier access. Remove the air filter with the carburetor (or move it aside), and if necessary remove the alternator belt and the fan with the radiator.
  2. Remove the valve cover. Turn the crankshaft to align the mark on the camshaft sprocket with the projection on the camshaft bearing housing, and the mark on the crankshaft pulley with the mark on the timing cover (this corresponds to TDC of cylinder 1).
  3. Remove the crankshaft pulley (ratchet/starting jaw) by undoing its bolt, holding the crankshaft still (with the transmission in gear and the parking brake applied).
  4. Bend back the tabs of the lock washer and remove the camshaft sprocket bolt. Do not remove the sprocket yet; first loosen and remove the chain tensioner.
  5. Remove the oil pan (in particular its fasteners to the front cover, the three bolts joining the pan and the timing cover), then the timing cover bolts, and remove the cover itself along with its gasket.
  6. Mark the auxiliary drive gear (oil pump and distributor drive) with paint or a chisel to preserve its position during assembly.
  7. Remove the camshaft sprocket together with the chain. Remove the tensioner, then the tensioner shoe (17 mm bolt) and the chain damper.
  8. Remove the auxiliary drive gear bolt (17 mm) and take off the gear with the chain. Unscrew the chain stop pin and remove the chain.
  9. Inspect the crankshaft, camshaft and auxiliary drive sprockets. If the teeth are pointed or "hooked," replace the sprockets along with the chain. Use a puller to remove the crankshaft sprocket if it needs replacing.
  10. Installation: Install the crankshaft sprocket and make sure its mark lines up with the mark on the block. Lubricate the new chain with oil and place it over the crankshaft sprocket. Install the chain stop pin.
  11. Fit the auxiliary drive gear according to the marks made earlier and snug up the bolt lightly. Tension the driving (tight) side of the chain and use the hook to lift the chain up to the camshaft.
  12. Place the chain over the camshaft sprocket with the marks aligned, install the shoe and damper, then the primed (cocked) tensioner.
  13. Turn the crankshaft 2-3 revolutions by the pulley and check that the marks on the camshaft and crankshaft line up again at TDC. If the marks do not match, re-seat the chain.
  14. Tighten the sprocket bolts and fold the tabs of the new lock washer against the bolt flats. Check the torque specifications for the camshaft sprocket bolt, auxiliary drive gear bolt and pulley bolt against the manufacturer's specification for the VAZ-2103 (as a rough guide, the pulley bolt is tightened very firmly, about 100-140 N·m (74-103 lb-ft)).
  15. Install the front cover with a new gasket and a new crankshaft oil seal, then the oil pan, pulley, and valve cover with a new gasket. Refill the engine oil and coolant, then check and, if necessary, adjust the valve clearances and ignition timing.
  16. Start the engine and check for leaks and unusual chain noise. After the engine warms up, check the oil and coolant levels.

Common mistakes and warnings

  • If the marks do not line up after turning the engine over, do not start the engine. Incorrect valve timing will cause poor running and overheating. Keep dirt out of the drive mechanism during assembly and do not reuse the old lock washer.
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