VAZ 21214 does not start, the injector starter turns, there is a spark

Early in the morning, freshly shaved and full of great plans (child – to school, wife – to the hairdresser, and yourself – to forge a penny), you jump into the car, “key to start” and... What the hell... One more time. Also... Nervous manipulations with the key and pedals do not bring success. The day is ruined from the very beginning. Plans and mood are down the drain.

Calm down. There is no need to rush under the hood in an English suit and, smearing the oily dirt with a tie, try to make a diagnosis. You probably won't be able to cure it in 5 minutes. Take another car, and leave the treatment of your sick friend until the evening. And it’s better to entrust it to doctors with a good reputation, especially if you have an expensive car and you are not a specialist. It will be cheaper this way. Well, if your friend is well known to you and you consider yourself a healer, well, try it yourself, if you’re not too lazy to get dirty or there’s no other way out.

The diagnosis must be made calmly

Mentally examine the symptoms. First, does the starter turn? And if so, how cheerful? You already know the answer - remember what happened the first time you tried to start the car. If you don't remember, try again.

If the starter does not turn at all and does not even click the traction relay when the ignition is turned on, then it is either faulty (you can close the hood and follow the advice given above: “Take another car...”), or there is a problem with the battery - it has turned off or died. Only in rare models can the starter power circuit be protected by a fuse - about 300 amperes - it is not difficult to find, especially if you know in advance where it is located. If the battery is to blame, then, as a rule, all electrical equipment does not work. The simplest and easiest case is that one of the terminals has come off or is dirty, but the battery is fine. Tighten the terminals on it and on the starter (if equipped). If it turns out that the battery is completely dead (forgot to turn off the headlights at night), you can still leave. But with outside help. Here, as they say, options are possible. You can try to start from a push, from a hill or from a tow. Don’t try to get around the pitfalls: a car with an automatic transmission or electronic fuel injection (if it has an electric fuel pump) will not be able to start using these methods. I'll have to light a cigarette at my neighbor's. However, for some machines this can lead to damage to the computer (read the instructions for the machine). If the starter turns on, but is sluggish (this happens in the summer, in winter this is a subject for a separate discussion), most likely the battery is almost completely discharged. This will be visible by weak headlights or weak signal. In this case, the above options for outside assistance come into play.

If the starter turns briskly, but the engine does not respond to attempts to start it, feel free to exclude everything related to the battery from further considerations. Blame the ignition or fuel supply system, you can’t go wrong. When diagnosing and treating each of them, a systematic approach is required. It’s better to start with the ignition - problems occur there more often. Especially in wet weather.

A spark will ignite...

So, we need to look for a spark. Your car may be equipped with a classic (simple) contact ignition system, a rather complex electronic contactless one, or some combination. In any case, the system consists of three parts. Part one is low-voltage (breaker contacts in a classic system or a special sensor in an electronic one, plus a box with electronic filling that forms a spark). Part two is a step-up transformer, called an ignition coil in the world. Part three is high voltage (mechanical or electronic distributor and wires through which high voltage current is supplied to the spark plugs). And of course, the candles themselves. The inspection of this entire enterprise must be carried out in stages and it is better to start from the end.

Stage one. High voltage part of the system. Check to see if there is a spark on the center wire - this is the one that connects the coil to the distributor. The tip of the wire must be removed from the distributor cap, brought closer to any part that has good contact with the body of the car (it doesn’t matter whether it is painted or not), and secured so that there is a gap of 5–7 mm between the tip and the selected part.

If your car has an electronic ignition, the wire must be fastened especially securely - if it falls on ground, the electronics will instantly die for a long time. For the same reason, you should not scratch the wire across the body. We also do not recommend holding it with your hand, not even with your own - it will give you a serious electric shock.

Stage two. Crank the engine with the starter. At the same time, watch what happens at the tip of the wire. There are two options. More favorable - there is a spark. Powerful, accompanied by a loud click. This significantly narrows the field of further searches.

The first step is to remove the distributor cap. It may be damp and dirty underneath. Along such a “conductor” the spark readily jumps anywhere, just not where it needs to be. Wipe, clean and dry. At the same time, it is not harmful to clean the distributor contacts, for example, with fine sandpaper. Inspect the so-called “runner”. If you find a dark trace of electrical breakdown on it or on the distributor cap, the part will have to be replaced.

Carefully check the wires going from the distributor to the spark plugs. Wires and their tips must be dry and clean. If, in your opinion, everything is in order with them, you can put the cover back in place, restore the connections and try to start the engine. If the malfunction was hidden under the cover, the engine will start or, in the worst case, at least start sneezing. The symptom is also favorable - you are on the right track. True, you will have to turn out, clean and dry the spark plugs - in an attempt to start the engine, you filled them with gasoline. If the engine does not even sneeze, the spark plugs will still have to be turned out, cleaned and checked. It's easier if you have a spare set.

If you have already reached the stage of turning out the spark plugs, you can quite effectively (and impressively) check the entire ignition system as a whole. Having connected high-voltage wires to the turned-out candles, collect the candles in a bunch, like carrots, and wrap the bare soft wire directly along their threaded part. Make sure the wire makes contact with each spark plug but does not touch the center electrodes. Connect the free end of the wire to ground. Having placed the bunch of candles in a place convenient for observation from the passenger compartment, turn the engine with the starter. In this case, cheerful sparks should jump between the electrodes of the spark plugs in turn (in accordance with the order of operation of the cylinders). If so, then the entire ignition system is fine. The sound of the engine will be very unusual - do not be alarmed, because it is spinning with the spark plugs turned out. Don't twist for too long. It’s worse if at the second stage of testing there is another option: there is no spark between the central wire and the “housing”. This means that the problem is not in high-voltage circuits. Further searches will be more difficult, evaluate your time and desire. If both are available, proceed to the third stage. Check if voltage is supplied to the ignition coil. This is easy to do with a tester, and if you don’t have one, you can use an under-hood light bulb. True, you will need a couple of wires to connect it to the coil. In a classic ignition system, you need to connect a light bulb between ground and the input of the primary winding.

At the third stage, as usual, two options are also possible: voltage is either supplied to the coil or not. If it is supplied, the coil is to blame - a breakdown or short circuit, which, however, happens extremely rarely. The coil will have to be changed. More often there is poor contact in the attachment of the wires to the coil. Or the same wet mud, through which the spark flows to an unknown destination. Sometimes the coil is polished to a shine, but underneath there remains an invisible, very narrow strip of dirt - a good conductor.

If at the third stage you are convinced that voltage is not supplied to the coil, the electronics or contacts and unreliable connections in the low-voltage part of the ignition system are to blame. You can’t handle electronics (the switch and, less often, the sensor in the distributor housing) - you need special equipment to diagnose them. You can only tug on the sensor connector on the distributor body - maybe it will help. If you have a car with a classic contact ignition system, you can look further.

Remove the cover from the distributor and inspect the contacts of the breaker - they may oxidize, especially if the car has been standing still for some time. The contacts must be carefully cleaned with fine sandpaper or a special needle file.

Twitch the cleaned contacts so that they either close or open. The voltage on them is only 12 volts, so you can pull without fear. If cleaning does not help and voltage is still not supplied to the coil, we once again advise you to stop trying to resuscitate the car for a while, since further difficulties will begin.

If voltage appears (the light blinks when the contacts are pulled), restore everything that was loosened and disassembled, start the car and, perhaps, it will still have time to go about its business. If it doesn’t start, but is at least sneezing, turn out the spark plugs and...

Don't press to the floor - it won't help

It may also happen that the entire ignition system has been checked, everything is fine, but the engine, even if you crack it, still won’t start. This means that there are problems with another of the previously mentioned systems - the power system, i.e., the supply of fuel to the engine.

If you have a car with fuel injection (injection supply system), do not touch it (the system). You can only come to the conclusion that it was she who broke: there is a spark, the fuel is suitable - that means it’s her, my dear. Treatment only in a hospital. At home and among artisans, repairing it is useless and even harmful.

In a conventional carburetor engine, the fuel system is simpler - a tank, a fuel pump, a set of pipelines and a carburetor. Here you can dig deeper yourself. The first step is to make sure that gasoline is entering the carburetor. Disconnect the hose from the carburetor and press the manual fuel pump lever. If a fairly powerful stream of gasoline starts flowing, everything is fine, it’s time to move on to the carburetor. It happens that gasoline is supplied to the carburetor regularly, but for some reason it does not flow into it. If you have the time and desire, remove the air filter, then ask someone to press the accelerator pedal sharply. Or you can sharply pull the throttle cable yourself. At the same time, look into the carburetor from above (the air damper is open, otherwise you won’t see anything): if a trickle of gasoline does not appear in the first diffuser, it means that there is no gasoline in the float chamber. It is not there because the valve needle is stuck or (this happens not very often) the fuel filter in the carburetor is completely clogged - it is located in front of the float chamber. Or the jets are clogged. The filter is cleaned by blowing, however, if you do not have the necessary skills, it is better not to mess with the carburetor internals at all, deal with a stuck needle valve, clogged jets and other subtleties - let the specialists do this.

If there is a stream in the diffuser, pay attention to the carburetor starting device - it quite often fails. On foreign cars, starting around the 70s, automatic air damper control is used. The device, without your participation, depending on the engine temperature, closes or opens the damper as needed, enriching the mixture when starting the engine. If this automation works, you can try manual manipulation of the air damper, but there are a lot of options and there are no universal tips. Before starting any manipulations, connect and secure the previously disconnected fuel hose. You don't have to install the air filter yet. If it starts, let the engine warm up and God bless you (after returning the air filter to its place).. If, when checking the fuel supply with a fuel pump, it turns out that gasoline does not come out of the hose or the stream is very thin, the cause must be sought in clogged pipelines, a fine fuel filter or the gas tank itself - you can easily demonstrate your skill by pumping the gas line with a tire pump in the direction opposite to the movement of gasoline, i.e. from the carburetor to the tank. Booming, gurgling sounds should be heard in the tank.

With a fine fuel filter everything is simple. Although on almost all modern models it is made in a transparent case, the degree of its contamination cannot be visually determined. A dirty filter will allow the engine to start, but will not allow it to drive normally. If it's completely clogged, you won't be able to start the engine. The most effective check: remove the filter and, if you don’t have a new one, temporarily replace it with a suitable tube, for example, the housing of a ballpoint pen, preferably transparent - you can see how gasoline flows. Do not try to clean the filter - the sealed (or sealed) housing cannot be disassembled.

If you come to the conclusion that your car’s fuel pump is not working and you don’t have a spare one at hand – “Take another car...”.

We left a rare, but most unpleasant diagnosis for last. If the starter is working normally, you have already spent a lot of time and made sure that the ignition and power are in perfect order, but the car, nevertheless, does not start - it is worth inspecting the camshaft drive belt. However, decide for yourself, this check can be carried out at the beginning, especially if the engine has already passed more than 60 thousand. The difficulty is that you will have to remove or at least partially bend the upper part of the plastic casing covering the belt. Perhaps the teeth of the belt were cut off - belts, like people, lose teeth from old age. In this case, the camshaft does not rotate and the engine will not work. It is clear that a toothless belt requires replacement (those who have a car with a chain camshaft drive do not face this problem). The procedure for replacing the belt is not complicated, but it is troublesome. Carried out in a hospital. It’s good if everything is limited to replacing only the belt, and not bent valves or the entire cylinder head - this also happens.

About the causes of atherosclerosis

Let's try to explain why the circulatory system of a car is sometimes affected by “atherosclerosis.” Gasoline is the lifeblood of the car. And the blood must be clean and flow through clean vessels. And the fact that “cholesterol” accumulates in the vessels beyond the permissible limit, as a rule, is our own fault. Do you often use a canister to add gasoline to your tank? If so, then the chances of clogging the fuel line and filters increase, especially if your funnel does not have a mesh. Debris, rust, sand usually accumulate in the canister, and if the inside of the canister is painted, then paint particles. It is clear that the smaller the amount of intermediate containers used on the way of gasoline from the dispenser to the tank, the better. Oddly enough, even at the most seedy gas station there is less dirt in the tanks in specific terms than in a “home” canister. The scourge of our gas stations is not so much dirt as water. But here we are powerless. In our memory, only one swindler was burned by diluting gasoline, and even then not with water, but with donkey urine, and not in life, but in the movies (see “Gentlemen of Fortune”). So you'll have to put up with it. However, in order not to add water to domestic diluted gasoline yourself, try to always keep the tank full. Condensation accumulates in an incomplete tank, especially in the off-season, when sudden temperature changes occur.

Fewer parasites

It is worth saying a few words about the battery. Since it is maintenance-free on most modern cars, there is no point in providing operating instructions here. We will give just a few additional tips on how to keep your battery viable longer. Don't get carried away with stuffing your car with additional energy consumers. The fact that a certain reserve is provided in the energy balance of the car, allowing two or three “freeloaders” to connect, does not mean that you can hang six horns and ten fog lights on the car - have a sense of proportion. In addition, if you connect unintended connections yourself, there is a high probability of damage to the insulation. And in general, as practice shows, any, even the most qualified, surgical intervention in the electrical wiring of a car sooner or later makes itself felt. Troubles.

If your battery is dying, try not to rev the engine during numerous stops in the city. Nothing abuses the battery more than frequent use of the starter.

And lastly (this applies not only to the battery, but to all electrical equipment in general). Remember: all terminals, contacts, wire tips must be dry and clean and fit well to their “destination points”. Dirty, oily insulation breaks through sooner or later, and burning and oxidation of any contact surface can serve as the only (and sufficient) reason for the failure of the ignition system. Or a fire.

We can stop here. Meticulous car enthusiasts have undoubtedly noticed some of the superficiality of our advice. We admit that we deliberately do not want to go deeper into the jungle. Not to provoke you into self-medication - it does not lead to good. Understanding the nature of pain in the lower abdomen on the right does not mean that you yourself should remove your appendix. But you must accurately describe the symptoms of appendicitis to your doctor. Helps the treatment a lot.

Hello! I have a VAZ 21213 Niva, when I turn the key in the ignition switch there is no characteristic noise of the fuel pump turning on. . What to do? Thank you! (Pavlov Sergey)

Good day, Sergey. We will talk about the reasons for the failure of the fuel pump below.