VAZ-2123 (Chevrolet Niva) and its modifications are off-road passenger cars with a monocoque station wagon body, manufactured by the joint venture GM-AVTOVAZ

Number of doors – five, number of seats – five for L and GLS modifications or four for LX and GLX modifications.

Overall dimensions of the car

The engine is located longitudinally in front.

Transmission is made according to the scheme of permanent all-wheel drive with a locking center differential and a demultiplier.

The front suspension is independent lever-spring, the rear is dependent spring.

The front wheel brakes are disc, the rear are drum, on the LX and GLX modifications an anti-lock braking system (ABS) is installed.

The steering with a hydraulic booster from ZF is equipped with a device for adjusting the position of the steering column.

The VAZ-2123 engine with distributed fuel injection, installed on the L and GLS modifications, was developed on the basis of the VAZ-21213 engine and meets the toxicity standards of Euro II.

The changes affected the gas distribution mechanism: a single-row chain and a hydraulic chain tensioner are used to reduce noise.

Hydraulic supports are installed for the same purpose valves.

Some engines are produced in a configuration that meets Euro III toxicity standards.

These engines use phased fuel injection separately into each cylinder, once every four strokes, rather than a simplified paired scheme.

In addition, the exhaust manifold of such engines is not made of cast iron to reduce heat capacity, but is welded from stamped steel parts.

This design reduces the weight and heat capacity of the manifold, which accelerates the warming up of the exhaust gas neutralizer and allows it to be brought into working condition faster.

For the same purpose, the inlet pipe is thermally insulated with basalt cloth.

The engine compartment of the car (top view) with a decorative cover: 1 - air filter; 2 - mass air flow sensor; 3 - generator; 4 - air supply pipe; 5 - windshield wiper washer reservoir; 6 - engine cooling system expansion tank; 7 - adsorber; 8 - oil filler cap; 9 - engine compartment lamp; 10 - brake master cylinder reservoir; 11 - power steering reservoir; 12 - clutch hydraulic reservoir; 13 - battery

The exhaust system of such an engine has two oxygen sensors, before and after the neutralizer, to monitor the efficiency of the engine management system.

The VAZ-2123 engine is a VAZ-21214 engine adapted to the engine compartment of the Chevrolet Niva.

It differs in the shape of the intake tract and the location of the front supports of the power unit suspension.

The position of the supports is changed in such a way that the center of gravity of the engine is on the line of the supports, unlike the VAZ-21413 and VAZ-21414 engines, which are mounted on console supports.

The LX and GLX modifications are equipped with a more powerful Opel FAM 1 Z18XE ECOTEC engine, which meets the toxicity standards of Euro IV.

Cars with this engine are equipped with a five-speed Aisin gearbox (Japan), combined into a monoblock with a transfer case.

Chevrolet Niva 2005 model year cars are available in the following trim levels.

Modification L - has an adjustable steering column, fabric upholstery, immobilizer, central locking, fog lights in the bumper, cabin air filter, front electric windows, heated outside mirrors with electric drive, headlight corrector, radio preparation and a rubber mat in the radio niche, as well as a decorative cap on the spare wheel disk.

Modification GLS - an improved version of the L modification.

It has velor upholstery, heated front seats, tinted windows, radio preparation with an antenna and two speakers, cast five-spoke wheel disks and a lockable hard cover for the spare wheel wheels.

The LX modification is equipped with a driver's airbag and ABS from Bosch.

In addition, this version has slightly modified kinematics of the spring-lever suspension, which uses stiffer springs and shock absorbers, and the overall height of the body has been reduced, which, together with the use of lower-profile 16-inch wheels, has improved handling at high speeds.

In order to reduce high-frequency vibrations, the transmission uses lightweight GKN cardan shafts with constant velocity joints instead of cardan jointsov.

Reinforced brakes: front brake mechanisms with ventilated discs, the diameter of the vacuum booster has been increased to 10 inches.

The GLX modification is a top version, intended mainly for delivery to foreign countries.

In addition to the above for the LX modification, it is additionally equipped with a front passenger airbag, Delphi air conditioning and Opel seats.

In the future, the GM-AVTOVAZ joint venture plans to install a PSA diesel power unit (for export) and a 1.8-liter diesel engine from the Barnaul plant (for the domestic market) on Chevrolet Niva family cars.

Technical characteristics of the car

General data

Number of seats, including the driver 5

Curb weight, kg 1350 (for cars with 2009 1410)

Payload, kg 450

Overall dimensions, mm (length x width x height) 4048x2120x1652

Maximum speed in top gear with full weight, km/h 140

Acceleration time from standstill with full weight, with gear shifting to 100 km/h, s 19

Fuel consumption per 100 km, no more than, l:

  • In the urban cycle 14.1
  • In the extra-urban cycle 8.8
  • In the combined cycle 10.8

Engine

Model VAZ-2123

Type - four-stroke, gasoline, with distributed fuel injection

Number and arrangement of cylinders - 4 in a row

Cylinder diameter x piston stroke, mm - 82 x 80

Cylinder displacement, l - 1.689

Compression ratio 9.3

Rated power according to GOST 14846 (net), not less than, kW (hp) 58.5 (79.6)

Crankshaft speed at rated power, min -1 5200

Maximum torque according to GOST 14846 (net), not less than, N m 127.5

Firing order of cylinders 1-3-4-2

Transmission

Clutch - single-plate dry, with diaphragm pressure spring

Clutch release drive hydraulic, with automatic compensation of lining wear (on some cars with manual)

Gearbox - five-speed, with synchronizers on all forward gears

Gearbox ratios:

  • - first gear 3.67
  • - second gear 2.10
  • - third gear 1.36
  • - fourth gear 1.00
  • - fifth gear 0.82
  • - rear stroke 3.53

Transfer case - two-stage, with interaxle locking differential

Transfer case gear ratios:

  • - top gear 1.2
  • - low gear 2.135

Transfer case differential - bevel, two-satellite

Cardan drives:

  • - from gearbox to transfer case
  • - from transfer case to front and rear axles
  • - from front axle to wheels       
  • - with elastic coupling and constant velocity joint
  • - with two cardan joints on needle bearings and sliding forks
  • - open, with constant velocity joints

Front and rear axle main gears: bevel, hypoid

  • - gear ratio 3.9
  • - differential - bevel, two-satellite

Chassis

Front suspension - independent on wishbones with coil springs, telescopic hydraulic shock absorbers and anti-roll bar

Rear suspension - dependent, rigid beam, connected to the body by one cross and four longitudinal rods, with coil springs and telescopic shock absorbers

Wheels - disc, stamped and cast

Rim size - 6J-15N2 or 61/2J-15N2

Tires - radial

Tire size - 205/70R15 95T, 205/70R15 95Q M+S, 205/70R15 97T, 205/70R15 97Q M+S

Steering

Steering type - trauma-safe, with adjustable steering column tilt.

Steering gear with hydraulic booster (on some vehicles - with electric booster or without booster)

Steering drive - three-link, consists of one middle and two lateral symmetrical rods, a pitman arm, a pendulum and pivot levers

Brakes

Working Brakes:

Front - disc, with a movable caliper and automatic adjustment of the gap between the disc and the pads

Rear - drum, with self-centering pads, with automatic adjustment of the gap between the pads and the drum

Service brake drive - foot hydraulic dual-circuit, with a vacuum booster and pressure regulator

Parking brake - manual with cable drive on the brake pads of the rear wheels

Electrical equipment

Wiring system - single-wire, the negative pole of the current sources is connected to the "ground"

Rated voltage, V - 12

Battery - 6ST-55A

Generator - alternating current with a built-in rectifier and electronic revoltage gulator

Starter - remote control with electromagnetic engagement and freewheel clutch

Body

Type - all-metal station wagon, load-bearing, five-door, two-volume