Applied (operating) fluids and filling volumes. What kind of oil to pour into the field gearbox and engine What kind of oil to pour into the gearbox on the field

Changing the lubricant in the transmission and engine is a fairly simple procedure if you carry it out yourself. But if you don't feel like wasting time self-replacement, then you can bring the car to the service station. Any car enthusiast who buys a cornfield before the winter season should take care of a timely replacement. Nowadays, the choice of lubricant is quite a difficult task. The special viscosity for winter and summer creates many subclasses of oils. Oil change is carried out in the transfer case, gearbox, engine and axles. This article will help you choose the most optimal lubricant for VAZ NIVA 21213,21214 and 2131.

What does lubrication matter

Models of this car, such as VAZ 2131, 21213 and 21214, are characterized by the fact that all engine parts are constantly under enormous stress. The reason is that all parts are rubbing. And when driving outside the asphalt pavement, the service life is significantly reduced. The value of transmission oils is quite high. In general, oils are used to prevent rubbing parts from wearing out, as well as to reset the temperature. In rubbing parts, the temperature can be about 150 ° C, and in chain drives, where teeth are present, it reaches 300 ° C. Rapid warm-up in cold weather should be the main lubrication criterion.

Engine lubricant

So, the car enthusiast needed to replace the lubricant in the engine. An experienced one will use one that has already been tested by him. And what should an inexperienced car enthusiast do? There are two ways out - search the Internet or ask knowledgeable drivers. Unfortunately, the opinions of many owners of this car are very different. This article will describe one type of engine oil - Shell 10W40. This semisynthetics is quite inexpensive, and the reviews about it are extremely positive. The car starts at very low temperatures. Up to -28 ° C. At -30 ° C it is simply unreasonable to go anywhere in the field. Since not only oils freeze, but also the lubricating component of the engine can freeze. Basically, you can try Lukoil Lux. Semisynthetics, almost identical to Shell. But still worse, because many motorists do not recommend it. The reason is that Shell grease deposits are much easier to remove. But for those who will drive Lukoil for a maximum of two or three months, the difference will be insignificant. By the way, it is also necessary to timely check the oil indicator for dashboard... There are VAZ Niva models that begin to consume this petroleum product immeasurably. And you have to top up it every six months. To drain all mining from the engine, it must be warmed up before starting the procedure.

Add Methods lubricating fluid for domestic engine vehicle

Transmission grease

The transmission consists of:

  • Front axle
  • Handouts
  • Rear axle
  • Gear boxes

Changing the oil in the gearbox, axles and transfer case does not differ much in complexity from changing the lubricant in the engine. The only thing that can be replaced less often - once every 750 km, or once every 5 years. But not all motorists pay due attention to replacing the oil component. And this is a very important procedure, because the checkpoint can become unusable, and then bridges and razdatka. For winter, it is necessary to select species with a lower viscosity than in summer. Therefore, 70v90 is, after all, better suited for the winter period, since it has a fairly low viscosity. You should also know that synthetics are thinner than mineral water. Where and what oil product to pour? On this issue, the opinions of motorists differ. Some advise pouring into the front and rear axlewe have one lubricant, and in the gearbox and distributor - another. Others pour the same grease into the box and the axles. Actually, if shallow water bodies are crossed during the ride, then it is better to pour a thicker one, since it will be diluted with the water that has fallen. In winter, it will be best to fill in inexpensive semisynthetics - TNK 75W90. It is suitable for both Niva 21213 and 2131 vases. Replacement can be carried out in a service station. Per this procedure will have to pay about 2500 rubles. But if you have enough experience and knowledge, then this procedure can be carried out independently. Car service workers who have such a car advise TNK, but if there is a desire to fill more expensive ones, then SHELL SPIRAX is the best choice.

Changing grease in the gearbox

In order to carry out a replacement in the gearbox, you will need some tools, an inspection pit or overpass and, in fact, the lubricant itself. Having lowered under the car, it is necessary to substitute any container under the drain hole. Next, you need to take a hex key and unscrew all the bolts on the drain plugs. After all the mining is drained, you need to take a magnet, which is specially installed on the box. All metal debris is removed with this tool. An important point - the more metal particles, the shorter the life of the car. Now you need to flush the crankcase. This procedure is performed using special liquid... It is poured in about 1 liter, the plug is screwed on, and then the engine must be started and allowed to run for about 5 minutes. During this, you need to engage in neutral gear and shift in ascending and descending order. After that, you need to drain all the liquid and fill in the grease. And then you need to start the car, turn on the first gear and leave it for five minutes.

How, where and what should be put into the transmission?

In order to properly fill the grease into the transmission, you need to know the types of oils that are suitable in terms of viscosity for a particular season. Winter types used not only in winter but also in summer. In Russia, this is most common, as it is more often cold than warm. In order to choose the right and good lubricant, there are a few tips to follow before replacing:


Oil change is quite important for a VAZ Niva SUV. Each type of vehicle requires a different type of lubricant, otherwise system problems may occur. Or as the worst option, some part may fail.

Car maintenance: adding lubricant

And a little about the secrets of the Author

My life is not only connected with cars, but also with repair and maintenance. But I also have a hobby like all men. My hobby is fishing.

I started a personal blog where I share my experience. I try a lot of things, various methods and ways to increase the catch. If interested, you can read it. Nothing more, just my personal experience.

Attention, only TODAY!

Even a novice driver can easily pour oil into the Chevrolet Niva transmission and its bridges. The main thing is to know the regulations maintenance, in order to monitor the condition of the units and know when the oil is changed. So, every 15,000 km of run should be checked:

  • tightness of the gearbox housing;
  • front and rear axles for fastening reliability and oil level.

The transmission oil changes after the first 60,000 km.

Important: after total mileage at 120,000 km it is necessary to change the oil every 40–45,000 km of the distance traveled. This is necessary due to wear of the parts.

Often, after 150,000 km, the most worn parts have to be replaced.

Oil selection

Before replacing, you need to figure out which oil you need to fill and where. Chevrolet Niva car for better cross-country ability equipped four-wheel drive... Therefore, the transfer case, front and rear axles need oils with different viscosities. This is due to the different temperature conditions in the box and on the bridges.

The gearbox should be filled with oil viscosity:

  • 78 w -90;
  • 80 w -85;

For bridges, oil of the required viscosity:

  • 80 w -90;
  • 85 w -90.

Important: you do not need to add universal oil for the crankcase and gearboxes - this can affect the car's running.

The replacement will require 0.8 liters of oil for the box, 1.2 liters for the front axle and 1.3 liters for the rear. Only 3 liters for the entire replacement. You should not try to mix different oil formulations in different parts. A small volume in each of the parts, when mixed, will quickly respond with a malfunction.

Preparing for replacement

All major work will be carried out under the vehicle. Therefore, you should foresee in advance how to do this - either a viewing pit or a lift.

Important: it's worth it in advance, get a syringe for pumping oil. It will help you fill in the oil accurately and level.

For work you will need:

  • a piece of cloth (to remove oily smudges);
  • empty container for waste liquid;
  • wrench and hex wrench.

The oil change should be carried out with a warm car. As the temperature rises, the fluidity of the oil increases (the viscosity decreases), it will be convenient to drain it.

Oil prepared for replacement should be kept in a warm place. This will make it easier to pump into the box and bridges.

Oil change

Oil change in Niva starts with the gearbox. First you need to clean everything around the filler and drain plugs on the box. After cleaning, we first twist the filler plug located on the side of the gearbox unit. Next, we twist the drain plug with a hexagon. In advance, place a drain container under the drain hole so as not to spill waste. On a warm car, the oil should drain quickly. The drain plug has a inside a special magnet that collects metal shavings. This shavings are formed during the operation of the box and enter the oil compartment.

Important: If there is a large accumulation of metal shavings on the plug each time it is replaced, its collection efficiency decreases. Pay attention to this and change the drain plug in a timely manner so as not to clog the oil compartment.

Next, you should clean the plug from chips and screw it back. Now you need to flush the crankcase. For this procedure, you need to buy 1 liter of specialized cleaning liquid. After filling it through the filling hole with a syringe, start the engine. During operation, it is necessary that the transmission be in neutral, then turn on each speed in turn. The whole action should take 3-5 minutes.

We turn off the engine, go down under the car and again twist the drain plug. All cleaning liquid must be drained into a container. Then we put the plug in place. After that, we collect the required amount of new oil with a syringe and pump it through the filler hole. After pumping, screw the plug back into place. We start the car again and let it run for 5-10 minutes in first gear. Then we muffle and measure the oil level in the box under the hood with a dipstick. If the level has dropped, add the required volume.

The next step will be to change the oil in the axles of the car. The steps are not very different in complexity from the previous ones. It is important to understand that the filler holes on the axles are required to indicate the oil level. Therefore, the machine must be on a level surface before replacing. Drain bolts must be cleaned prior to replacement work. Next, you need to unscrew the drain hole with a hexagon. Then, substituting the container in advance, drain, twist the drain plug and wait until the oil drains completely from the bridge. We clean the magnets on the drain plug and screw it back. After that, using a filling syringe, fill in the oil to the desired mark, and then screw the filler plug back.

These actions are performed on each bridge. To carry out all the work according to the technical regulations specified in the manual, after the oil is changed, you need to remember at what mileage mark it was. So the next oil change will not be skipped.

This class of car is intended mainly for off-road driving. This is characterized by its all-wheel drive gearbox connection. The car behaves well in overcoming various off-road obstacles in various weather conditions. These factors greatly affect the transmission design as a whole. To maintain the reliability and efficiency of the transmission, it is necessary to choose the oil responsibly. The quality of the gearbox operation directly depends on the quality of the selected oil. Only use the correct grade of oil. If you fill in oil with a lower class, loads, expressed in temperature drops or overcoming serious off-road conditions, can damage the transmission.

To prevent this, you should carefully follow the following recommendation:


Gearbox device in domestic car Chevrolet Niva has no complex technical details... The car has proven itself on the good side in terms of performance and quality of transmission. The service does not cause complaints about cost and timing. Carrying out the necessary repair and replacement according to the regulations supplies, the car will serve for a long time and will bring pleasure when driving to its owner.

In this article, we will talk about how the oil is changed in the box, razdatka and bridges of the Chevrolet Niva. The use of high-quality lubricants for vehicles plays an important role in the operation of any car. The most common for correct work transport is oil change process... It is possible to change the oil on your own, without resorting to the help of auto service employees, while significantly saving money.

The Chevrolet Niva is a full drive vehicle. Correctly selected oil for the transfer case, as well as all the bridges of an SUV, is a guarantee of long-term operation of all auto transmission mechanisms. The oil helps to reduce friction, which means that the wear period of the parts is significantly increased. The table below shows the characteristics filling liquids for Chevrolet Niva, taken from official instructions on the operation of the machine.

What kind of oil to pour into the Chevrolet Niva transmission?

Choice of transmission oil auto Chevrolet Niva is carried out according to the principle of non-mixing of oils, the compositions of which are different. As for the viscosity characteristics of oils, it is better to give preference to the use of the following oils:

  • 75w-90;
  • 80w-85;
  • 80w-90.

Oils intended for dispensing in an SUV are designated by the API GL-4 index. A small amount of oil is required for replacement: about 0.8 liters.
During the first filling of oil into the Niva distributor, remember how much of it is used. This will allow subsequent oil changes to be carried out without difficulty.

From the experience of auto repairmen and car enthusiasts good oil for the Chevrolet Niva transmission are produced by the following manufacturers:

  • Gazpromneft: G-Box GL-4 / GL-5 75W-90, G-Box GL-5 75W-90;
  • Lukoil: TM-4 75w-90, TM-5 75w-90;
  • Shell: Spirax S4 G 75W-90 (Getriebeoil EP), Spirax S5 ATE 75W-90 (Transaxle Oil), Spirax S6 AXME (Spirax ASX);
  • Castrol: Syntrax Universal Plus 75W-90, Syntrans Transaxle 75W-90, Syntrans Multivehicle 75W-90;
  • TNK: Trans KP Super 75W-90, Trans Gipoid Super 75W-90;
  • ExxonMobil: Mobilube 1 SHC 75W-90

Changing the oil in the Chevrolet Niva gearbox

To change the oil in the Chevrolet Niva gearbox, you will need the following tools:

  1. steel hex key 12;
  2. wrench 17;
  3. container for draining the used lubricant.

Sequence of actions for oil change in gearbox The fields are as follows:

  1. Set the auto over inspection pit or drive it onto the flyover for ease of work. Before draining old gear oil, be sure to warm up the engine... This is necessary in order to drain the oil out of the box as much as possible and without residue.
  2. Go down into the inspection hole and place the container under the drain hole, taking into account the bend of the outgoing jet. It is convenient to use a funnel.
  3. Clean the locations of the filler and drain plugs at the checkpoint, as shown in the photo above.
  4. First, it is better to unscrew the filler plug, and after that the drain plug with a hexagon.
  5. Now you need to wait for all the used oil to drain to the last drop.
  6. The drain plug has a special magnet to which all metal shavings are attracted. If there are steel particles on the plug, they must be removed. And further important point from a diagnostic point of view - the more of these particles present on the cover, the less the transmission will last.
  7. When the old used oil is glass, you need to screw the drain plug and start flushing the crankcase. To do this, you need to fill in about 1 liter of special flushing fluid and let the car run for 2-3 minutes. In this case, you need to turn on the neutral in the transfer case and shift the gears with the clutch.
  8. Further, the flushing liquid is drained in the same way and instead of it new oil is poured in the required volume.
  9. After filling the oil, check the oil level on a level surface and. Within 2-5 minutes you need let the motor run in first gear position. After that, the oil level is checked and if it falls, then you need to top up a little more.

Carrying out an oil change in a Chevrolet Niva distributor

As for this car model, it is necessary to change the oil every 50-80 thousand kilometers... As soon as the car passes more than 120 thousand kilometers of track, the oil should be changed every 45 thousand kilometers.
For information! The vehicle operating instructions contain information on the frequency of oil changes, which each car owner must follow. But it will be more correct if the oil change procedure is carried out a little more often. This is due to the fact that car oil accumulates dust and dirt in itself, which eventually leads to contamination of transport mechanisms. That is why many car owners advise changing oils more often than indicated in the instructions.
So that the oil can be drained without problems, you should start changing it after a trip. On the way, the oil has time to heat up, thereby taking on a more liquid consistency.
Changing the oil in the dispenser is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. To replace it, you need to drive the transport to the inspection pit, or raise the car on a lift. You will need a container designed to drain the oil, as well as a rag with which you need to remove all smudges. Do not forget about the hex key (size 12), and you also need to have filling syringe .

Draining and pouring oil into the Chevrolet Niva distributor

1. The first step is to unscrew the drain plug. Then the oil is poured into a prepared container.
2. The old oil is checked for metal shavings. It is also worth paying attention to the built-in magnet - inspect it.
3. Impurities and impuritiesi on the cork should be cleaned. After that, the plug should be screwed back on.
4. The filler hole has a screw plug and must be unscrewed.
5. The gear oil is filled through the filling syringe.
6. Subject to inspection and cleaning vent valve.
7. It is necessary to remember or mark in a notebook the mileage that was on the car at the time of the oil change.

A more detailed oil change in the Niva razdatka is shown in a good video below.

The choice of oil for the front and rear axle Chevrolet Niva

In order for the axles of the Chevrolet Niva brand all-wheel drive car to work smoothly and for a long time, attention should be paid to purchasing high-quality oil. Front gear has a filling volume of oil, equal to 1.15 liters, and the rear 1.3 liters... To change the oil, approximately three liters are required.

Changing the oil in the axles of the Chevrolet Niva SUV

For this procedure, it is recommended to observe the maintenance of the transport, as well as the rules for repairing an SUV. Oil change in the bridges of the car should occur every 40 thousand kilometers (applies to cases of operation of Niva under normal conditions). If the car is operated for more difficult conditions, then the oil change should be done much earlier.

Preparation for changing the oil in the Chevrolet Niva axles

Changing the oil in the axles of the vehicle is identical to the procedure for changing the fluid in the transfer case. You should drive the SUV onto the inspection pit or onto a lift. The amount of oil required is the same as for the transmission. Warm up the Niva before changing the oil. Next, you need a 12 key - a hexagon, a 17 socket with a wrench, a container for draining the used oil, a rag. You should also take care of the availability filling syringe.

May 10, 2017

Not so much time has passed since the moment I bought a brand new "Niva", when the figure on the electronic odometer approached 1000 km. Many car enthusiasts know that on any new car, it is at this mark that an oil change is required in all nodes in the 21214 field. In the case of "Niva", due to its difficult off-road "breed", there will be quite a few such units. The following units must be filled with new oil:

  1. engine;
  2. gearbox (gearbox);
  3. transfer case (manual transmission);
  4. front axle;
  5. rear axle;

A planned oil change at this mark is obligatory for a number of reasons: it is not known how much, how and where the car was in the warehouse before the purchase and in what condition the oil is now; during running-in new car all details are "rubbed in" occurs heavy wear and production, which in turn affects the working properties of the oil, and also sometimes contributes to the formation of metal chips that get into the oil, which is completely undesirable; finally it is just a recommendation from the manufacturer. By changing the oil, you yourself will already know what is in your car and thereby control its condition.


Choosing the right oil

So, we figured out the guarantee, but there is also no desire to go to the service to change the oil. If the hands grow from where it is necessary and there are no problems with the head, then there is nothing complicated in the oil change procedure. It is much more difficult to choose this oil correctly, not to run into a fake and not to be mistaken with the oil class, viscosity and other parameters.
Although for the "Niva" the question is not so terrible and the load on the chassis and the engine will not be prohibitive due to the design (in comparison with some BMW), but still, the attitude to the maintenance of mechanisms will directly affect the durability, efficiency and driving performance... It's trite, having bought a fake oil - we risk getting on overhaul engine or at least seriously "spoil his health." This is where the time comes to understand all the intricacies of the choice. suitable oil once and for all, which will be written later.

In general, this topic is so voluminous and, in a sense, inexhaustible that it is possible to write a huge treatise without getting to the point. But let's try to limit ourselves to the main points. The main thing to remember is that in this case we are talking about the choice of oil specifically for "Niva", therefore, advice for other car brands will not be entirely universal, although in many respects the meaning is the same.

Before choosing the oil, let's get acquainted with the filling volumes for all units in the "Niva", where it must be replaced:

  • 3.75 liter engine;
  • Gearbox (gearbox) 1.6 liters;
  • Transfer case (manual transmission) 0.75 liters;
  • Front axle 1.15 liters;
  • Rear axle 1.3 liters;

Focusing on these figures, we will buy oil with a small reserve, about 1 liter, so that we can fill it up and for unforeseen cases. There is no point in buying more, since it is unlikely to be needed and will simply become discarded money. Thus, we need 5 liters of oil for the engine and about 6 liters for the entire transmission.

Let's go further. If someone does not know, then butter happens two types: motor and transmission... This will be a fundamental point when choosing an oil in a store; you cannot mix up the types of oil in any case, because they have different properties, which is critical in our case.
There are also two types of engine oil - for gasoline or diesel units, in the case of Niva, I think it is clear that we are talking only about gasoline. Here is a set of basic criteria by which you can start looking for the right oil on the shelf of an auto store. Since oil is imported, it is not always intuitively clear which is which, if you are guided by the inscriptions on the label. Therefore, try to avoid the words "diesel" on the oil label and read all the information as carefully as possible.

This is just the beginning of the problem with the choice of oil. Now let's deal with the required oil viscosity. On the can / package, two numbers are usually indicated, revealing the essence of these parameters. Usually this number looks like this: "10-w40" or various variations. Why do we need to know these values, what are they responsible for and what do they affect? Viscous oil - one of critical characteristics oil, it essentially tells us the temperature range of the environment (not operating temperature!) at which the oil "works", or retains its properties.
In other words, these numbers tell us at what minimum-low temperature the oil begins to thicken too much, and at what maximum-high temperature it will begin to thin out unnecessarily (going beyond the working properties in each case). For normal work and the long-term preservation of all nodes with oil should not undergo critical transformations, and the viscosity should be kept at an average level. The same parameter directly affects the oil pressure in the system and its timely pumping by the pump to all parts of the engine. Calculated solely based on operating conditions, oil change intervals, etc. If you actively operate the car in winter and summer, and the oil is changed before the change of the "winter / summer" season, then it is advisable to fill in oil with the first index lower for the winter, and in the summer, accordingly, choose the oil so that the second index is higher. Based on this, it becomes clear that the first digit in the formula "10-w40" is responsible for maintaining the working properties of the oil at low (subzero) temperatures, and the second digit is responsible for its performance at high temperatures. But not everything is so simple and unambiguous.
The weather is capricious and often changeable, often severe frosts winter does not happen anymore (of course it depends on the region), and summer does not meet in recent years with extreme heat. Therefore, chasing extreme values \u200b\u200bin the viscosity index is stupid, it is enough to choose a universal oil with an average temperature range. In this sense, for winter with frosts not lower than "minus 25" and for summer heat with temperatures not higher than "plus 30", the best choice would be oil with a viscosity of "10-w40". It is the most common and often found in stores and is ideal for the operating conditions of the Niva. Of course, in each specific case this question is individual and if you operate the car in the harsh conditions of Siberian frosts or the scorching African sun, then the viscosity must be chosen in strict accordance with climatic conditions. The table below lists the most common oil viscosities in relation to temperature conditions:

The difficulties of choice do not end there. Having decided on the viscosity, it is worth considering the main type of oil, there are three of them: mineral, semi-synthetic or synthetic... What are the differences between oils different types? In general, the difference is quite clear and understandable: mineral motor oil (as the name implies) is made from natural petroleum products (oil fractions of oil, purified from impurities), while synthetics are made exclusively chemically from artificial substances (chemically synthesized homogeneous organic compounds). Based on what was said, semi-synthetic oil is a mixture of mineral and synthetic the right proportion (usually 50/50, although sometimes mineral predominates) to ensure the required performance properties.
It would seem, what is the difference and what gives this or that composition? As with any field, each type of oil has its own advantages and disadvantages. Initially, when the automotive industry was just beginning to develop, only mineral oils were in use due to their availability and cheap manufacturing. But with the constant improvement of engines, the requirements for oils, the preservation of their properties in various temperature ranges and operating conditions, also grew. This was the impetus for the emergence of synthetic oil, which better retains all of its performance characteristics, operates in a wider temperature range, and also has a significantly greater durability during operation and excellent energy-saving properties. The main weighty advantage of artificial synthetic oil lies in its chemical stability, or in other words: during operation, it practically does not change its properties and thus does not lose its working state, does not turn into another substance / substance.

However, in practice, it is not always advisable to use expensive synthetic oil, especially for obsolete engines that are not so demanding on temperature ranges and do not work at their limit at crazy speeds. This is just a vivid example of a Niva car with an engine developed in the 60s of the last century. Moreover, in some cases, purely synthetic oil can be harmful, because due to a more liquid consistency, high fluidity and penetrating ability, as well as a peculiar molecular composition, it is more demanding on the quality of rubber engine seals, with which things are very bad on the Niva. As a result, it turns out that synthetic oil is certainly good in all respects, you can even say that it is in some sense ahead of time and, if you do not run into a fake, it is much more likely to protect the engine in a wide variety of operating conditions.
But for the owners of Nivas, this oil (just like its cosmic properties) is generally useless and will be rather unjustified and at the same time a risky investment. Risky, because even for a new car, there is a high probability that the bay of synthetics, Niva in a few days or weeks (in best case) oil seals will flow, and this is not very good and threatens to replace these same seals along with disassembling the engine. And this oil will be useless because the engine of the Niva, in general, is not very good and the extraordinary supply of working properties that synthetics have is needed, and the most mediocre ones are quite enough. Thus, the most reasonable and optimal choice for the Niva engine will be a semi-synthetic oil that has balanced / average viscosity characteristics and high-quality additives, but is almost guaranteed to save the car owner from an annoying leak. True, semi-synthetic oil is relevant only for new and fresh cars, and if it is very worn out and "tired", then the only choice is mineral oil... Again, the exception would be if the machine is operated in harsh environmental conditions and at extreme temperatures - in these cases, alternatives synthetic oils simply no.

We figured out the types of oil and realized that our wise choice for Niva in most cases is semi-synthetics. We go further, for those who are completely confused (although for the owner of the "Niva" this is generally not very important), quite valuable information is often indicated on the oil cans, which will tell you about the compliance of this or that oil with the standards of the unified API classification system (American Petroleum Institute) ... This information is usually written in the smallest print on the oil packaging, and sometimes it is not indicated at all. But in fact, as usually happens, this text is the most valuable for the consumer and will tell about the oil belonging to a certain type, based on the existing classification. Thanks to this, we can very accurately select the oil to suit our conditions and mechanisms, as well as avoid overpaying for unnecessary marketing to anyone, choosing the product wisely. International classification API has been developing since 1969 to the present day, almost all oils are marked according to this system, which is very convenient, because the classification includes only three classes:

  • S (Service) - consists of quality categories of motor oils for gasoline engines, in chronological order.
  • C (Commercial) - consists of categories of quality and purpose of oils for diesel enginesin chronological order.
  • EC (Energy Conserving) - energy saving oils - new row high-quality oils, consisting of low-viscosity, low-flowing oils that reduce fuel consumption in gasoline engine tests.

Multipurpose oils suitable for both gasoline and diesel engines are indicated by two symbols of the respective categories: the first symbol is the main one, and the second indicates the possibility of using this oil for a different type of engine, for example, API SM / CF.

If you really understand this classification and completely calm your nerves, then on the label you should look accordingly for the S (Service) class for gasoline engines. This entry should look something like this: API SM. If deciphered for clarity, it turns out that according to the classification API oil belongs to the "S" class for gasoline engines and belongs to the "M" quality category. Quality categories according to the API system were entered by letter values \u200b\u200bin ascending order of the English alphabet, starting with the letter "A". Since the introduction of the API classification, many classes have already become hopelessly outdated, for example the "A" class was in use back in the 60s of the last century. Since then, the requirements for oil and its properties have increased significantly, and obsolete classes were taken out of circulation. At the moment, there are three classes:

  • SJ - oils of this category are intended for all currently used gasoline engines and completely replace oils of all previously existing categories in older engine models. Maximum level of performance properties (since 1996).
  • SL - oils of this category have stable energy-saving properties, reduced volatility, extended drain intervals (since 2001).
  • SM - oils of this category are distinguished by increased requirements for lubricants in relation to oxidation resistance, protection against deposits, wear (since 2004)

Addiction to ads or how not to overpay for nice words

Modern people are often strongly dependent on the surrounding opinion, they are already literally accustomed to blindly walking on a short leash of marketing and choosing a product without looking, indiscriminately and finding out the principles of the same oil and the differences between one and the other. Choosing a machine oil, they automatically fall into a tight trap of wrong public opinion, based literally on air and brainwashing with advertising. Brands such as Mobil1, Shell, Castrol and others. On forums and in conversations, people are also advised to choose oil from the same brands, supposedly the most popular, demanded, and therefore of the "type" of quality. But all this is complete nonsense, tk. on the basis of such an opinion, not only is reality ignored, but it is almost guaranteed that there is a chance to overpay and run into a fake that will kill your engine or transmission.

To begin with, the reality is that almost all the oil from the existing variety of brands is made in two or three factories, while the rest of the brands are simply PURCHASED AT THE SAME FACTORY THE SAME OIL and sell it under their own label, with their own advertising campaign and at their own price. All "magic" properties and super-secret technologies in most cases are just a set of empty words to attract "adherents" to the bait. Then these people, themselves without realizing it to the end, will passively promote the product and convince others that this oil is supposedly the best! And why? There will be no answer to this question. there is simply no deep understanding of the issue.

In order not to depend on bad advertisements and beautiful pictures, it is worthwhile to grasp and understand the only truth and stop chasing an insignificant name, but choose oil in a similar way to the choice of food, namely in composition. And here comes the paradox - the basis of any oil and the required amount of additives to ensure the required oil properties are regulated by standards (for example, the same API). And since almost any oil is standardized, this automatically means that almost all of them are basically the same! Of course, individual manufacturers can add some additives or technological solutions of their own, but they will not go beyond the basis of the standard (and they simply cannot). But it is precisely this basis that ensures the proper operation of the oil, which the consumer expects, and mainly the engine of the machine.

So it turns out that if you approach the issue sensibly and consciously, then you can and should buy any oil, not paying attention to the brand, but focusing on the normal and really important criteria for any person: low cost, compliance with standards (suitable for your car and its engine) and a low probability of running into fake products.

How to protect yourself from buying fake oil

Before we have the oil change itself in all nodes on the 21214 field, a crucial stage awaits when choosing an oil, on which almost 80% of a successful purchase depends. Why is it scary to run into a fake? The moment is obvious enough, since we cannot know the specific composition fake oil and its properties. It may happen that this incomprehensible liquid will not have lubricating properties at all and, of course, will quickly disable the engine or transmission.

Well, now, having understood the seriousness of the situation with fakes, it remains only not to buy such oil. Easier said than done. If earlier a powerful tool for combating counterfeiting was just large retail stores of auto parts, where it seems to be at least somehow safe and trusting to buy goods (as many are used to thinking), now even this does not help. Because the stores themselves do not know what they are selling. What is left for the buyer trying to protect himself from buying a fake? There are two more or less guaranteed ways that will help, if not exclude the possibility of fake oil, then at least reduce it to reasonable minimum... Here they are:


Thus, in order to maximally protect yourself from counterfeiting, it is enough to be "not like everyone else" (however, this approach can bring "goodies" in everyday life). Choosing an oil that is not popular and that no one looks at, we choose a winning strategy that saves us from fakes and overpayments, since none of the fraudsters will simply bother with an unpopular brand in terms of sales volume, because this does not automatically bode well for them. Remembering these simple rules, you can forever save yourself from headaches and worries about the safety of the units of your car, including in modes of intense / maximum load.

A few words about choosing an oil filter for a cornfield

What does an engine oil filter do and why? Its main task, as the name implies, is to filter / purify all the oil filled in the engine, passing the entire volume through itself and retaining particles of dirt and other deposits, preventing them from circulating with the oil in the working areas. A reasonable question: how does dirt get into the engine and where can it appear in the oil, if theoretically the entire system is sealed? Let's start with the fact that although in theory the engine is completely isolated from external influences, in reality and in practice such an ideal does not work out. In fact, the engine "breathes", and many of its connections are far from tight and some low interest dirt gets inside, even at the moment of unscrewing the oil filler neck. The second moment of the formation of undesirable impurities occurs during direct operation, inside the engine itself (with the transmission, everything is a little simpler, but also likely). When the engine is operating under a long-term intensive load, as a result of such work, carbon deposits or metal shavings may form due to the contact of rubbing metal parts.
All this muck, of course, falls into the cycle of the "cycle" of oil, but here the same oil filter comes to our aid. It traps any impurities, leaving all the dirt on the filter element. Unfortunately, the described process, as always, is idealized and the filter's work is not so high-quality, but it makes no sense to go far into the jungle. We can only say that the design of most modern oil filters has one significant flaw, due to which the dirt does not have time to linger during the first cold start of the car. On this score, there are still hard-to-find alternatives, for example, experimental filters russian manufacturer "Basalt", where this problem is solved completely due to the redesigned design. And everything would be fine, but I could not find these filters in the retail sale of a large network of auto parts stores. So far, they are only available to order via the Internet, which is also a good option.

If we abstract from these troubles and just choose a traditional oil filter for our beloved "Nyvka", then there are also some nuances here. The main difference between many modern filter elements is the quality of its main working material, and of course the size of the filter itself. All this affects the final cost, and if it is more or less clear about quality, then what does the size affect? The size provides more effective cleaning oil, allowing you to keep more dirt inside. But for new modifications of "Niv" large and voluminous oil filters should be chosen with care.
First, you need to make sure that the filter will physically fit into place. To do this, it is enough to visually look under the hood, find the installed oil filter and assess the remaining free space where it is installed. The fact is that on models with an air conditioner option (like mine) and probably with ABS (anti-lock braking system) physically only the filter of the smallest dimension fits. If you buy a larger filter, then it does not fit into its rightful place, resting on the air conditioning compressor block. Yes, along with good and long-awaited technological implementations come inevitable problems. I'll write about my adventure with a larger filter below.

Oil change procedure on Niva 21214-M on your own

By this time, we must have bought what is needed for replacement, namely: the oil itself (5 liters of engine and 6 liters of transmission), a new oil filter. For the rest, of course, you will need a set of keys (I use open-end and ring-type, but many people find it more convenient to work with ratchet heads), as well as a prepared place and container for draining the used oil (taking into account the volumes, it is rather big, or many small ones). The container for draining is very important because engine oil can be very contaminated environment and for this reason it is necessary to properly dispose of it or find another application (for example, for preserving boards). The process of changing the oil itself is extremely simple and does not fraught with tricks, unless due to inexperience or due to excessive accuracy it can take a lot of time. It took me about 3 hours to change the oil "in a circle", but the result remains for a long time, and most importantly, confidence in it, since the work was done by my own hands, which in itself is pleasant and priceless, because confidence in the result will be 100% as well as the understanding that the machine components are well protected. In addition to the listed tools, you will need some tricky device to change the oil in the transmission - a special syringe. There are a great many modifications and variants of the latter, but the essence and principle of operation is the same. At prices: from 200 to 1500 rubles for the most sophisticated syringe, although of course it is most reasonable to choose the golden mean... For example, I bought a medium-sized syringe with a glass flask for about 550 rubles. Although later I did not need it, tk. At the dacha, I accidentally discovered an old grandfather's syringe with the technology of an air pressure pump, very convenient and practical in business. Why is a syringe so necessary and indispensable? The fact is that, unlike changing the oil in the engine (where everything is generally simple and understandable without sophistication), the transmission is located at the very bottom, on the bottom of the car. And since nobody canceled physics, the filler necks are located at the top point of each transmission unit. So it turns out that without a special device, pouring oil inside will not work. A syringe with a flexible hose delivers the oil "to the address" without any problems and will help to fill it "to the brim".

Now that we have everything we need, changing the oil in all nodes on the 21214 field becomes finally possible and this process should be started. If you do this on the street, then it is reasonable to foresee the time in advance (at least 2-3 hours) and choose a fine day, as well as not work at night looking. Next, I will describe my process of working on changing the oil, so everything can be done by analogy. To begin with, we lay a bedding on the ground (those who work in a hole, on a lift or overpass are more fortunate).

Changing the engine oil

We start with the engine and our task in each case will be to get to the drain hole. The engine is the most time consuming and costly part of the whole process because of the protective panels that have to be removed on the way to the coveted drain plug.
To make it easier and more efficient to drain the oil, it is useful to first "drive" the car and bring the oil to the operating temperature of 90 degrees, in this case it liquefies decently and flows out of the pan better (faster). We climb under the car and find the bolts for fastening the shields. Here we will be like the keys to "10" and "13".
It is more convenient to work with a ratchet. Gently twist the flaps mounting bolts (first external, then internal), while holding the protection with your hand at the end. So after a while we get to the engine sump with the coveted cork. On the way, I personally made an amazing discovery (yes, you never cease to be surprised with the "Niva") - a lot of debris accumulated on the shields, and rust was found under it! This is despite the fact that the car is new, it is not yet six months old, and by that time I had driven only 10 times! Here's a little shock.
Well, okay, but the dashboards now have factory sound-absorbing panels, at least something has changed at the factory, though it's hard to say that the car ultimately became quieter than the "old" modification of the Niva. We clean the shields from dirt (a useful preventive procedure every time you change the oil. And here it is - the cherished cork with a hexagon. At this stage, we substitute the container for draining the oil somewhere under the cork and slowly unscrew it with an angled hex wrench, holding the tip.
In this case, when the oil is poured, the plug will remain on the key, and will not fall into the container with oil. Well, when the plug is unscrewed, it remains only to observe how usually black and dirty oil is drained into a prepared container, the speed of this process will depend on how well the engine has warmed up before this procedure. When all the oil is drained, you can wait another 5-10 minutes before the last droplets begin to drain from the pan (it is important for the machine to stand on a flat horizontal surface, otherwise not all oil will pour out of the pan, which is critical).
After that, when the flow has stopped, wipe the hole thread and drain plug with a clean dry cloth, and immediately tighten it with sufficient (but not excessive, so as not to break) force to its original place. It's helpful to do this right away so you don't forget. Regarding the tightening of the connections, there is a golden rule of "balance" - to pull until significant resistance appears and it becomes very tight to spin, then from this starting point, with the effort of the hands, stretch it two or three times (only without levers and similar devices).

When the oil is drained and the plug is screwed into place, we can proceed to replacing the oil filter. There is also nothing complicated in this procedure, especially if the replacement is carried out according to the regulations within the specified time periods, then the filter must be unscrewed by hand. In other cases, when unscrewing is difficult, a special puller will be needed, or it will be enough to pierce the oil filter housing with a long slotted screwdriver to use it as a lever. In any of the options - turn the filter counterclockwise and take it out, now it can be thrown away.
We put a new one, bought in advance, to replace it. Before installing, it is useful to lubricate the inner O-ring with fresh engine oil in a circle, it is convenient to do this from the tip of a screwdriver. This is done in order for the filter to sit as tightly as possible on its seat "over smeared".
When installing, we also twist it only with the strength of our hands, we do not need any tools. One has only to make sure that the filter wraps up with considerable effort!

Everything is now ready to fill the engine with new fresh oil. At this stage, it is important to remember only one nuance: it is necessary to ensure that dirt, even the smallest particles, does not get into the oil path (as well as into the oil itself) - this will at least not be useful for the engine, and you should not rely on the operation of the oil filter , it is better to once again just follow the accuracy of the process. For convenience, a funnel will also help so as not to flood the entire top cover with oil and not to stain everything, although this is a matter of personal convenience. To fill in the oil: unscrew the oil filler neck of the engine and carefully, slowly and measuredly fill it with a medium stream.
In the process of pouring, it is extremely important to monitor the level: first, we pour out more than half of the canister (usually 4 or 5 liters), and then we pause the process and wait for at least 5 minutes (preferably 10). This is necessary in order for the oil to go to the sump, although this time does not guarantee that all the oil will flow to the bottom of the engine, but it will increase the likelihood of this. Only then does it make sense to check the level with a dipstick. Why is level control important? It was not invented by chance and says that there is either too little or too much oil. Both cases are highly undesirable and can damage the engine. The most dangerous is when there is less oil than needed, then the engine and its parts begin to experience oil starvation and work on dry friction, which will ultimately lead to failure, because dry friction wear increases tenfold. But the situation is no less dangerous when there is more oil than needed... In this case, there can be various consequences, from mild to severe. In the simplest case, excess oil will go to the wrong place, for example, fill candles or enter an air channel. Fuel consumption also increases as all driving components of the engine have to overcome the additional resistance of excess fluid. In the worst cases, it can damage the oil scraper rings or squeeze out the oil seals with excessive pressure, and this will inevitably lead to costly repairs. Therefore, the most reasonable thing is to fill in the oil once and correctly, according to the level, so that later you do not face various serious problems due to your frivolity. The correct oil level is clearly in the middle between min marks and Max (50% within these values). Anything above will burn out and just as undesirable, anything below can also lead to oil starvation. Therefore, the balance or "principle of the golden mean" also works well for the oil change procedure. Now how to track the level while pouring? As mentioned above, the gulf of more than half of the canister (4 or 5 liters), we wait for some time and look at the dipstick - the oil should appear somewhere at the very bottom. Then again add a certain amount "by eye" and again control the level in a similar way. Ultimately, in this way, it will be possible to add oil quite accurately to exactly the middle between Min and Max, and calm down on this. Yes, it takes a lot of time, but the safety of the car's engine / heart is more important to us, isn't it?

After filling the oil to the desired level, close the oil filler cap, do not forget to securely insert the dipstick into place and check that everything is dry under the engine and there are no smudges. It remains only in the reverse order to install the engine protection in its original place. This completes the procedure, and if done as described, then there is no doubt about the safety of the engine - everything will work like a clock.

Changing transmission oil

It makes no sense to describe the oil change in each transmission unit, because the process is similar and it will be enough to understand general principle... I started to change the oil in this order: gearbox, manual transmission, front axle, rear axle; However, the order can be arbitrary. So, as in the case of the engine, with each specific transmission unit, you must first find the drain hole, unscrew it with a hex wrench, drain all the oil (also waiting for the right time, until the oil starts to drain already drop by drop). The drain hole is always at the very bottom of the node with which we are working, and the fill hole is always a little higher (this is at least in order not to confuse anything). Drain plugs in Niva on hexagons. We unscrew it according to the principle already described - with an angle wrench so as not to get dirty and not to drown the cork in a container with drained oil.
Do not forget to substitute the container and evaluate the oil for production, deposition, the presence of metal shavings and other dirt (if this is found, then this often signals a problem). Then we wipe the plug and the drain hole with a clean dry cloth, and screw it back securely. The most interesting and difficult thing remains - to fill in new transmission oil. For this we will finally need the same syringe (not to be confused with a medical one). We unscrew the filler neck of the oil, draw the entire volume of oil from the canister with a syringe (depending on the design of the syringe), and inject everything through the filler hole, trying not to spill it. There are plastic syringes with large gaps or even glass syringes with poor-quality seals, they have an eternal trouble - oil leaks from the above-mentioned slots during operation, try to avoid such cheap products so that changing the oil does not turn into a dirty nightmare, but most importantly, into aimlessly lost oil. In any case, whatever the syringe, it is necessary to fill in oil until it starts pouring out of the filler hole.

And then comes subtle moment - although this is not necessary, it will be nice if the oil level is slightly higher than the filler hole. This is achieved in a somewhat strange way: towards the end, when the oil is about to begin to overflow, you need to prepare a syringe with oil and a cork in the other hand, then sprinkle an impressive portion of oil inside and try to wrap the cork right over the flowing oil. The technology is not entirely pleasant and clean, but the transmission will thank you very much for this and will remain intact for a long time. It is also useful to arrange such a "overflow" because the oil in the transmission does not change very often compared to the engine oil, which means that it is better to treat the replacement with special care and scrupulousness. You can fill in oil just above the plug in another, more costly way - slightly raise one side of the car with a jack (opposite to the plug) so that the skew allows you to do this without unnecessary tweaks (or put the car on a slope, the essence is the same). It is not absolutely necessary for everyone to choose a method for themselves, but it will help to extend the life and secure the transmission units in case of increased loads (for Niva it will be riding on maximum speed or constant load in off-road conditions at the limit of possibilities). There is also information that in some cases, due to the design features of the gearbox, when driving in 5th gear, the gears of the extreme position remain without oil and experience starvation, which leads to its failure. After filling in the oil, twist the plug and you're done!

Results of the procedure

We start the car with the feeling that it has washed inside and changed, which means that it is now ready for new road, and in the case of Niva and off-road tests of any complexity. After changing the oil, you can also feel a change in movement - sometimes the car starts to go faster, smoother, it becomes a little quieter at the same speed levels, but all this is possible only with really quality oil.
True, in my case, no miracles happened, but the feeling of the safety of the nodes does not leave for a long time after the "circular" replacement. A few days after changing the oil, the car should be run in, carefully making sure that no oil stains appear on the surface under the bottom during parking, as well as observing the movement of the car at speed and, most importantly, checking the oil level in the engine on the dipstick daily. Finally, I would like to say: do not forget to change the oil in your car in a timely manner and take the issue as seriously as possible, because not only the overall durability of your car depends on this, but also the preservation of the original performance characteristics.

Many inexperienced owners of new cars do not even suspect that changing the oil in the gearbox is as necessary as changing the engine lubricant. For example, updating oil liquid inside the manual transmission of the Niva Chevrolet is done after 45-50 thousand kilometers. This requires special gear oils. Besides mechanical box gearboxes are also included in the transmission. There, too, you need to change the oil, at the same mileage interval as for the gearbox.

Checkpoint functioning

The Niva Chevrolet gearshift mechanism is a mechanical five-speed. Its main function is to change the torque transmitted from the engine to the wheels. Mechanical gearbox has a three-shaft scheme. Unfortunately, the Niva Chevrolet gearbox, having a complex device, often fails. It should be noted that its repair is quite expensive. Therefore, it is important to periodically check the lubricant level and change the gearbox oil in time.

For this, transmission fluid of API GL-4 standard with viscosity of 75W-90 and 80W-90 is used. They are released as domestic manufacturers (TNK and Lukoil) and foreign ones - Shell, Mobil, Castrol, Total, ZIC, Motul. Of all the above, the French grease Motul Gear 300 75W-90 showed the best performance in terms of protection against scuffing, in terms of film stability on the contacting surfaces, as well as antiwear characteristics.

In second place is the transmission fluid Castrol Syntrans Transaxle 75W-90, the third was mobil oil Mobilube 75W-90. All of them can operate at temperatures from -35 to + 35 ° C, providing easy gear shifting and stable operation of the manual transmission. The price of these products is quite high, so you should pay attention to the domestic transmission semi-synthetics made by Lukoil - TM-4 75W-90. It is not much inferior to foreign competitors, but at the same time it is much cheaper and better adapted to low temperatures. The manufacturer also allows the use of transmission fluids with viscosity 80W-90 and 80W-85.

It should be remembered that you cannot fill the gearbox with an API GL-5 standard gear oil composition. According to its performance, it seems to be better - it can work at high speeds and loads, as well as high temperatures. But it contains sulfur-phosphorus extreme pressure additives, a large number of which can simply "kill" the gearbox synchronizers. They contain bronze, not durable steel. For her, a large number of such additives are contraindicated. Therefore, GL-5 standard compounds should be poured into axles and gearboxes.

Transfer case

This is another important node Chevrolet Niva transmissions. It includes a range multiplier and a locked center differential. The transfer case also changes the amount of torque, but not in the same way as the gearbox. In addition, it distributes it between the axles, front and rear, in a 50:50 ratio. The differential is locked to increase flotation if the road conditions are very difficult.

The transfer case (in the figure, its lever is 2), can be switched in the same way as the gearbox, only the purpose of switching the lever is completely different. There is a neutral position (NII – V). There is an overdrive (HI) used for normal road conditions, with an unlocked differential. If you want to block it, the transmission (HIV) is activated. In difficult terrain, the lever switches to LIII if the differential does not need to be locked yet. If it's really hard to get through, you need to switch to LIV, blocking the bridges between you. The wheels then rotate at the same speed.

From position Low (L - low gear) to the High position (H - increased) can be switched while driving. In this case, the clutch should be squeezed out twice, because the transfer case does not have synchronizers. Switching from position H to position L is possible only after stopping the vehicle. In addition, you cannot lock the differential at high speeds, as you can lose control of the machine when cornering. The transfer case uses the same gear oil as the gearbox.

Changing grease in manual transmission

The first oil change in the gearbox after purchasing a car is made after 60,000 km of travel. The next time you need to change the oil will be after 45,000 km. In the future, this interval will have to be observed constantly.


How much oil composition do you need to fill? To optimally fill the box with oil, a volume of 1.6 liters of transmission fluid is required. It is most convenient to immediately change the lubricant in the transfer case, since they have the same resource.

Do not forget that every 15,000 km of run it is necessary to check the level of the transmission fluid - both in the gearbox and in the transfer case. It so happens that from the checkpoint you can hear extraneous sounds (grinding) - when switching speeds and while driving. This indicates an oil leakage. The culprit may be a leaky output shaft seal, through which grease is escaping. Before changing the lubricant, you must prepare the tool and materials at hand:

If you also make a replacement in the transfer case, you should immediately purchase 2.5 liters of oil - 1.6 liters for the gearbox and 0.8 liters for the transfer case. Changing the oil in the gearbox involves a certain sequence of actions:
  1. You must first drive at least 5 km to warm up the oil in the transmission.
  2. The car is placed on a lift or over a viewing pit.
  3. The body and plugs are cleaned - drain and filler.
  4. A container is placed under the drain, after which it is also unscrewed, the grease completely flows out.
  5. The drain plug magnet is cleared of adhered chips - traces of wear of gearbox parts.
  6. The drain plug is screwed on, the gearbox is filled flushing fluid volume of about 1 liter.
  7. The neutral position of the transfer case turns on, the engine starts, the gearbox gears shift within 3 minutes.
  8. The engine turns off and the flush is completely drained.
  9. New grease is poured through the filler hole, the amount is about 1.6 liters.
  10. As the oil comes in, its level is periodically checked.
  11. The engine starts, the first gear turns on and all this works for 5 minutes.
  12. After that, the oil composition is added to the desired level.

This completes the oil change in the Chevrolet Niva box.

Changing the oil in the transfer case

We change the oil inside the dispenser in a similar way. For work, you should prepare the same materials and lubricant at hand, only flushing is not needed.

It is also required to warm up the transmission of the car and drive either to the overpass or to the inspection pit.

  1. The filler plug is unscrewed.
  2. A container for receiving waste liquid is substituted.
  3. Unscrews drain plug, the liquid is drained to the last drop.
  4. The plug magnet is cleaned from metal chips.
  5. About 1 liter of lubricant is poured with a syringe until its level reaches the filler hole.
  6. The filler plug is screwed on, the operation of the ventilation valve is checked, and it is cleaned, if necessary.

This completes all operations to change the oil inside the gearbox, as well as the transfer case. You can drive another 45,000 km before the next change.