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Autopapyrus · Lada Niva Travel 1.7 8V (2023)
https://autopapyrus.com/guides/lada/niva-travel/cylinder-head-disassembly-and-reassembly/
Compiled automatically from service literature and owner experience. Specs are for the typical configuration — check them against your exact car before you start.

Lada Niva Travel 1.7 8V (2023): Cylinder Head Disassembly and Reassembly

The Niva Travel 1.7 engine (VAZ-21214) is a classic overhead camshaft design. Cylinder head disassembly is needed to replace the head gasket, repair the valve train, replace valve guides, or during an engine overhaul. The procedure includes removing the accessories, removing the head, disassembling the valve train, and reassembling in the correct order and to the specified bolt torques.

Difficulty: Hard Time: 6-8 hours Steps: 26 Tools: 10/12/13 mm sockets, torque wrench, valve spring compressor, wooden block, tweezers or pliers for valve keepers, coolant drain pan, shop rags

Part

  • 🔩 Cylinder head gasket 21214-1003020 (Victor Reinz, EZATI, BTsM; metal with sealant coating, for 82 mm cylinder bore). Also: exhaust manifold gasket, intake manifold gasket, cylinder head bolts (replacement recommended when reusing after removal), valve stem seals (if needed)

Step by step

26 steps
  1. Disconnect the negative battery terminal. Drain the coolant through the drain plugs on the radiator and the cylinder block into a prepared container.
  2. Remove the throttle body. Disconnect all coolant hoses from the cylinder head (inlet and outlet pipes), the sensor connectors (temperature, knock, camshaft position), and the spark plug wires from the ignition coil.
  3. Disconnect the fuel lines and the injector connectors. Remove the intake and exhaust manifolds (secured with 13 mm nuts). Mark the position of the exhaust downpipe before removing it.
  4. Remove the cylinder head cover (valve cover) by unscrewing the mounting bolts. Align the marks on the camshaft sprocket and the bearing housing (top dead center of cylinder 1). Unscrew the timing chain tensioner.
  5. Secure the timing chain with wire or a zip tie so it does not fall into the crankcase. Remove the camshaft sprocket bolt (13 mm socket) and take off the sprocket together with the chain without separating them. Hang the sprocket and chain from the hood with wire.
  6. Unscrew the nuts securing the camshaft bearing housing and remove the housing together with the camshaft. Remove the rocker arms and lay them out in order (mark them so they are not mixed up during assembly).
  7. Remove one 13 mm cylinder head bolt (next to the ignition module bracket) and ten 12 mm bolts (head-to-block). Loosen the bolts in the reverse of the tightening sequence (from the edges toward the center) to avoid warping the head.
  8. Lift the cylinder head straight up without tilting it. Remove the old head gasket from the mating surfaces of the head and the block. Clean the surfaces of sealant residue and carbon deposits (use a plastic scraper so you do not damage the surface).
  9. To disassemble the valve train, place the cylinder head with the combustion chambers facing up. Place a wooden block under the valve head. Install the valve spring compressor: hook the retaining arm onto the stud that holds the bearing housing, and the pressing foot will rest on the spring retainer.
  10. Compress the valve spring with the compressor and remove the two keepers with tweezers or pliers (the keepers are tapered and sit in the groove of the valve stem). Remove the spring retainer, the outer and inner springs, and the spring seat washer. Pull the valve out of the valve guide from the bottom up.
  11. Repeat the procedure for all eight valves (four intake, four exhaust). Keep the valve train parts for each cylinder separate, in the order removed: keepers, retainer, springs; the valve stem seal stays on the guide.
  12. Inspect the valves for wear on the sealing faces, the stems for scoring, and the springs for sagging. Check the valve guides for play (rock the valve sideways; allowable clearance is up to 0.1 mm for intake and up to 0.15 mm for exhaust valves).
  13. If necessary, replace the valve stem seals (pull the old ones off with a puller and press the new ones on with a drift until they seat against the spring seat). Lap the valves to the seats with lapping compound (coarse, then fine) if the valve faces are unevenly worn.
  14. Before assembly, check the cylinder head mating surface for warpage with a straightedge and feeler gauge (allowable flatness deviation is up to 0.05 mm). If it is exceeded, have the head resurfaced at a machine shop (a total of up to 0.3 mm may be removed over the life of the head).
  15. Lubricate the valve stems with engine oil and insert the valves into the valve guides. Install the spring seat washer, then the inner and outer springs (the springs have variable coil pitch and are installed with the more closely spaced coils toward the head, meaning the tighter coils face down).
  16. Place the spring retainer on the valve stem and compress the springs with the compressor. Insert the keepers into the stem groove with tweezers (lubricate the inner surface of the keepers with oil to hold them in place). Slowly release the compressor and check that the keepers are seated (tap the end of the valve stem with a hammer through a drift; the keepers should settle in).
  17. Place the new head gasket on the cylinder block (the gasket is metal with a sealant coating and is installed without additional sealant). Align the gasket holes with the two locating dowels on the block.
  18. Carefully lower the head onto the block, aligning it with the dowels (do not shift the head after it is seated, to avoid damaging the gasket). Insert all eleven mounting bolts (ten M12 bolts and one M10 bolt next to the ignition module bracket).
  19. Tighten the head bolts with a torque wrench in four stages. The tightening sequence goes from the center outward in a spiral (typically: 6-4-2-1-3-5-10-8-7-9, then bolt 11). Stage one: bolts 1-10 to 20 N·m (15 lb-ft). Stage two: bolts 1-10 to 70-86 N·m (52-63 lb-ft), and bolt 11 to 31-39 N·m (23-29 lb-ft).
  20. Stages three and four: turn each bolt (1-10) an additional 90 degrees, then another 90 degrees (180 degrees of angle tightening in total). Use a mark on the wrench head or a protractor. Clean the bolt threads of oil before installation, because oily threads distort the tightening torque.
  21. Install the rocker arms in their original order (short arm toward the valve, long arm toward the camshaft). Lubricate the rocker arms and camshaft lobes with engine oil. Install the camshaft into the bearing housing, aligning the mark on the camshaft sprocket (dot or line) with the mark on the housing.
  22. Install the camshaft bearing housing and tighten the nuts evenly in several stages (torque 18-22 N·m (13-16 lb-ft)) so the housing does not warp. Turn the crankshaft two full revolutions and make sure the timing marks line up.
  23. Fit the camshaft sprocket into the chain (the chain must not sag) and align the sprocket keyway with the camshaft key. Tighten the sprocket bolt to 40-50 N·m (30-37 lb-ft). Install the timing chain tensioner and tension the chain with the automatic tensioner.
  24. Install the valve cover with a new gasket (bolt torque 2-4 N·m (1.5-3 lb-ft); do not overtighten, or you will crush the gasket). Install the intake and exhaust manifolds with new gaskets and tighten the nuts evenly in a crisscross pattern to 20-25 N·m (15-18 lb-ft).
  25. Reconnect all coolant hoses, fuel lines, sensor and injector connectors, and spark plug wires. Fill the radiator and expansion tank with coolant. Connect the negative battery terminal.
  26. Start the engine and warm it up to operating temperature (until the cooling fan switches on). Check for coolant and oil leaks from the head gasket, valve cover gasket, and manifolds. Listen to the engine: there should be no valve noise (if there is, adjust the valve clearances on a cold engine using adjusting shims).

Common mistakes and warnings

  • When tightening the cylinder head bolts, strictly follow the tightening sequence and torque specifications; a skewed head will cause gasket failure and engine overheating. It is recommended to replace the head bolts with new ones after removal (they stretch when tightened). Do not turn the crankshaft or camshaft while the timing chain is removed; the valves may hit the pistons (the 21214 engine is an interference engine). If you have no experience working on engine timing, leave the procedure to a professional; an error in setting the timing marks will bend the valves at startup.