Do-it-yourself tuning of Lada Kalina sedan: review with photos and videos

Hi all. This means that two years have passed since I owned this car, and as much as I remain satisfied with it, I have 5 life hacks for you that will help you when operating this car.

Well, I think that thanks to these life hacks, your car will also make you happy. Because the car, in this case, is mine for the sixth year, 2006, and there were some problems that it would be advisable to eliminate immediately.

Something is not a jamb, something, well, more has been done to improve it. Well, I still want to share with you, maybe this video will be useful to someone. So let's go.

Lifehack No. 1

This is Kalina's ECU, that is, almost all of Kalina's owners have probably encountered it; those who haven't, they already know about the drawback in the location of the ECU. Initially, Kalina's ECU is located here under the panel.

And there is a stove above the ECU, and Kalina’s stove tends to leak, but we’ll talk about this later, why and how. When the radiator leaks, the heater usually floods, which means the brains of the ECU.

That is, the ECU costs, I have a Boshev one, it costs about 7 - 8000. Like any other ECU, that is, approximately, that is, any other ECU in this area costs. Here, no matter what your situation is, that is.

Here's how I solved this problem? That is, immediately when I bought the car, I got it from there, screwed it on there with these covers and installed it here.

This is how I have it located here, here I have the lighting for the legs, that is, here, I placed it under the glove compartment, there it does not bother anyone, no one kicks it, as I initially thought that they would touch it with their feet, no one doesn't hurt, doesn't interfere with anything.

That is, I secured it with two bolts, the first, the second and that’s it. That is, this is enough. It stays here, nice, warm and dry. That is, I think this should be done first of all when buying Kalina.

Because if your brain is flooded, it’s a waste of money, which is unnecessary, so first of all, those who don’t know yet, be sure to do it. It literally takes 20 minutes and will save your wallet very well.

Suspension

So, then, the second thing I would like to talk about is the suspension. How did I encounter the suspension? That is, it didn’t leak, it didn’t knock or anything, but it kind of rattled, not just knocked, it sort of rattled and rattled, it was here, there were some knocks in the supports, that’s it, and so on.

In short, I read and realized that the Grant suspension, that is, it was better designed, the Kalinovsky jambs in the supports were removed, well, in short, without hesitation, I bought Grant struts assembled with supports, with springs, everything, both front and rear.

Here. I went to Avito, searched for Grant and found a broken Grant with 15,000 miles on it, so they were bought from it, I paid 3,000 rubles for all the racks. That is, the front, the back, everything is assembled, here.

That is, the suspension was changed about six months after the purchase, that is, a year and a half later, I did not regret at all that I installed it.

Tuning Lada Kalina hatchback, sedan, etc. - finalization process with photos

"Lada Kalina" has always been in great demand among domestic car enthusiasts. However, it’s hard to call this car a masterpiece of design. This applies to both sedans and hatchbacks. Therefore, motorists are still trying to improve the Kalina. Both externally and internally. Let's figure out how they do it.

Engine

The Lada Kalina car began production in 2004, and in 2018 it was discontinued as it was replaced by new models. The car was produced in both sedan and hatchback body styles.

It should be noted right away that the differences in tuning of these models are minimal, since most of the improvements in Kalina traditionally concern the engine and chassis. These elements are the same for sedans and hatchbacks.

As for the interior, Kalina’s interior is designed in such a way that there is little that can be improved. Now more details.

The maximum engine capacity of the Kalina is 1596 cm³. This is a 16-valve engine with 4 cylinders that is capable of producing a torque of 4 thousand revolutions per minute. Its power is 98 hp. c. But many car enthusiasts are not satisfied with such characteristics. And they are trying in every possible way to improve them. Here's how it's done:

  • installation of a direct exhaust system. This increases motor power by 2–4%;
  • performing chip tuning. Today, not a single Kalina owner can do without this operation. It comes down to replacing the standard firmware in the car’s electronic unit with an “advanced” one. Craftsmen have developed many firmwares that can be divided into two categories - “economical” and “sporty”. The former allow you to save fuel, the latter, on the contrary, increase consumption. But at the same time, the dynamic characteristics of the engine also increase. It becomes more torquey and torquey;
  • installation of an air filter with reduced resistance. This allows the engine to literally “breathe more freely”: the combustion chambers will receive more air, and the combustion of the fuel mixture will become more complete. As a result, the motor power will increase by 8–12%;


    A filter with reduced resistance allows Kalina to breathe easier

  • installation of a larger intake receiver. It reduces the vacuum in the combustion chambers, which gives a 10% increase in power;
  • replacing the camshaft. Moreover, the camshaft can be “upper” or “lower”. The first increases the engine's torque at higher speeds. The second increases traction at medium speeds, but at high speeds there is a noticeable drop in power;


    This “mountain” camshaft increases the torque of the Kalina engine

  • valve replacement. After replacing the crankshaft, you cannot do without replacing these parts. Usually, sports valves are installed, which rise slightly higher during intake strokes than standard valves.

Chassis

Tuning the chassis comes down to strengthening the suspension design. Here's what you do for this:

  • The steering column is equipped with additional fasteners;
  • The standard shock absorber struts are replaced with sports ones. As a rule, sets of gas shock absorbers from the domestic company PLAZA are used (Models “Dakar”, “Sport”, “Extreme”, “Profi”). The reason is simple: they have an affordable price, and you can buy them in almost any spare parts store;


    PLAZA gas shock absorbers are very popular among Kalina owners

  • Sometimes lower springs (with variable pitch) are installed in the suspension. This allows you to significantly improve the car's handling;
  • Replacing drum brakes with disc brakes. Drum brakes are installed on the rear wheels of the Kalina. It’s difficult to call this a successful technical solution, which is why Kalina owners always put disc brakes back. Kevlar wheels manufactured by Brembo are very popular.


    Brembo discs are characterized by increased reliability and high cost

Appearance

Here are the main improvements to the appearance of the Kalina, which are carried out by owners of both sedans and hatchbacks:

  • installation of new disks. Initially, Kalina is equipped only with steel wheels. Their appearance can hardly be called presentable, although they have an undoubted advantage: if damaged, they are easy to repair. However, tuning enthusiasts almost always remove the steel wheels and replace them with cast ones. They are much more beautiful, but with strong impacts they simply crack, after which they can only be thrown away;


    Alloy wheels look great, but they cannot be repaired

  • spoiler. This element is installed on both sedans and hatchbacks. The only difference is the location. On sedans, the spoiler is installed directly on the trunk lid. On hatchbacks, the spoiler is attached to the roof, above the rear window. You can purchase this part at any spare parts store. The choice of material (carbon, plastic, carbon fiber) and manufacturer is limited only by the car owner’s wallet;
  • body kit This item is sold in sets, which include bumper covers, sills and wheel arch inserts. The plastic kits “S1 Team” and “I am a Robot” are in greatest demand. For hatchbacks, these kits are additionally equipped with plastic air intakes, which look very organic on this body.

Video: installing a spoiler on a Kalina hatchback

Salon

The interior of all Kalina variants is designed in such a way that it is extremely difficult to make any radical improvements to it. Therefore, car owners usually limit themselves to cosmetic changes:

  • lighting installation. In Kalina, literally everything is illuminated: the floor, the ceiling, the pedals. Recently, car enthusiasts have even begun to illuminate their door handles. For all this, LED strips are used. Often they are attached to the illuminated surface with ordinary universal glue. The dashboard lighting stands out. To install it, drivers have to remove the instrument cluster, unscrew the incandescent lamps used in the factory lighting, and replace them with LEDs;


    In the Kalina cabin there is LED lighting for the floor and dashboard

  • upholstery. Not everyone likes the standard leatherette with plastic inserts that the manufacturer installs on the Kalina. Drivers replace leatherette with carpet, and sometimes velor. These materials will wear out well in the salon, but last 5-6 years, no more. After this period, even the highest quality carpet becomes unusable, and velor wears out even faster. The Kalina dashboard is usually covered with vinyl film. Film with carbon-look colors is especially popular. The service life of even the best film does not exceed 5 years ;
  • replacement of the steering braid. The standard braid on the Kalina steering wheel is made of rather slippery leatherette. So drivers almost always change it to something rougher. The range of steering braids today is incredibly wide. They do not require any special modifications. All you need is to simply put the braid on the steering wheel and sew it with a clamp needle and nylon thread.

Salon

The interior of all Kalina variants is designed in such a way that it is extremely difficult to make any radical improvements to it. Therefore, car owners usually limit themselves to cosmetic changes:

Tuned Lada Kalina photo and video

Unlimited possibilities with the tuned Lada Kalina

Among all the presented models of Russian domestic cars, the Lada is recognized as the highest quality and most reliable. Due to the presence in Kalina of various parts and elements of modified production of the Russian automobile industry, the tuning possibilities for it are almost unlimited and this can be seen in the photo tuning Lada Kalina.

As a result of such manipulations, the power and performance of a given vehicle can be significantly increased. At the same time, the increase in horsepower of the car provides the owner with greater practicality.

In the Russian Federation, the demand for car tuning is increasing every day.

And if we take into account that most lovers of domestic cars choose the Lada Kalina, the developers decided to start producing modified and tuned spare parts and parts for this model.

Tuning Lada Kalina sedan photo

Practical advice on tuning a VAZ 2104 with your own hands or in “collective farm” conditions with photo and video material.

video of tuned viburnum

Source: https://pol-z.ru/tyuning-lada-kalina-foto-i-video-obzor/

Interior modernization

In addition to body tuning of Kalina, there is also salon tuning. A person should feel at home inside a good car. Therefore, he arranges the interior to suit individual desires, creating all the amenities for himself and his passengers.

  1. Interior reupholstery. For these purposes, genuine leather of various colors, with a combination of several shades, different textures, or the recently widely known Alcantara can be used. It is a semi-synthetic, suede-like material. Reupholstering the interior of a VAZ car affects the doors, front panel (dashboard), steering wheel, and seats. If the car owner does not intend to reupholster the entire interior, but only wants to change the seats, you can resort to buying new, already upholstered seats or even get by with replacement covers.
  2. Acoustic podiums. Most often they are located in the cabin on the front doors. Designed for installation of audio system speakers.
  3. Acoustic shelf. Most car enthusiasts install this interior element with their own hands in a garage, since the most difficult thing in this work is to correctly measure and cut the necessary holes with a jigsaw. Those who do not want to tinker in the garage or who do not have time for this can purchase this part at any auto store. The shelf is designed to improve the sound of the audio system. Allows you to securely secure the rear speakers, eliminating extraneous squeaks and rattles.
  4. Functional tuning of Kalina includes the installation of sound insulation and vibration insulation in the car interior. These are special spacers between the door and the inner lining made of insulating material.
  5. The interior of a VAZ car is complemented by such little things as floor mats. Recently, textile rugs have come into fashion, but rubber ones are not going out of style either. Exclusive embroidery on textile elements emphasizes the individuality of the salon.

For the Lada Kalina sedan, interior tuning includes the installation of a modern sound system, which has all the capabilities of modern multimedia devices. It should have a touch screen that allows you to view videos, and a full set of speakers located throughout the car.

Tuning Lada Kalina sedan - adding comfort and individuality

The VAZ Lada Kalina car was created by designers for 10 years. During this time, the car has absorbed the best developments and technologies. And if you add tuning to them, which you can do yourself, then the car turns out to be a real “candy”.

Mass production of the domestic VAZ Lada Kalina sedan began in 2004. This machine became the long-awaited brainchild of its creators.

In terms of its design and technical characteristics, it is practically not inferior to foreign-made analogues. The elegant appearance, streamlined shape, ease of maintenance and operation made the car very popular and recognizable.

In addition, its price belongs to the budget category and does not limit the capabilities of most buyers.

VAZ Lada Kalina sedan

Lada Kalina sedan has four doors and five seats. Gasoline engine, power 81 l/s. The gearbox has five stages. Maximum speed – 170 km/h.

Fuel consumption on average is 7-8 liters per 100 km. The trunk is quite spacious – 380 liters. Ground clearance 16 cm.

As you can see, the technical characteristics are very good for city trips and country trips.

Transmission

And yet, just as the manufacturer did not want to keep up with fashion, the car will always catch up in the exterior and interior of the car of the younger generation. And tuning will come in handy for the owner of a VAZ Lada Kalina. A sedan, slightly tweaked on the outside, will delight its owner from the inside for many years to come.

We will need mounting tape, a set of wires, LED strip and a small number of special rivets.

LED strip for illumination

So, around the brake disc we install small corners made of mounting tape (perforated metal strips). In total you need to make 16 corners and arrange them in pairs around the circumference.

Next, we take the same mounting tape and attach it with rivets to the corners. Then we stretch the wiring and LED strip along the finished fasteners. All electrical connections are insulated using hot-melt adhesive.

Stretching LED strip onto brake pads

Then we connect the wires to the ignition switch. In another option, you can connect the brake disc lighting to the dimensions. You will also need a small control unit, with the help of which the operation of the LEDs will be regulated. With these simple manipulations we add attractiveness to the car and your sedan will be visible on the road from afar. If you wish, you can tune the headlights on your car.

The appearance of a VAZ car is quite well improved by aerodynamic body kits. Tuning with this element not only helps to give the car additional expressiveness, but also saves some percentage of fuel.

For example, by changing the shape of the front bumper to an aerodynamic one, we end up with high air flow around the body. At the same time, the vehicle's handling at higher speeds is improved.

By directing part of the air flow into the engine compartment, we cool the engine perfectly, increasing its performance.

Aerodynamic body kits

You can install spoilers and spoilers on a VAZ Lada Kalinam sedan with your own hands. They will evenly distribute the lifting forces of the air behind the car, and this will reduce gasoline consumption and allow the tires to be used for a longer time. Equipping spoilers will not take much time. In addition, they can be installed in almost any car service center.

Installing a spoiler on the Lada Kalina

We recommend continuing subsequent tuning by installing the air intake and roof rails. The former will distribute air throughout the engine compartment, and the latter will make it possible to transport long loads in your VAZ. Modern roof rails will not only not spoil the appearance of the Lada Kalina sedan, but, on the contrary, will give it an elegant look.

Do-it-yourself Lada Kalina tuning: photo and video examples

Lada Kalina, which appeared on our roads relatively recently, very quickly turned into the heroine of jokes and photoshoots. Nevertheless, no matter how bloggers practice their wit on the World Wide Web, Kalina was and continues to be in demand among buyers. Yes, this child of AvtoVAZ looks more than modest, even unsightly, but when compared with previous Lada models, Kalina is more modern and safe. And an unassuming appearance can be successfully corrected - fortunately, modern auto tuning allows this.

Any car tuning can be divided into three main areas: cosmetic, external tuning, interior tuning and technical tuning - chassis and engine.

For the Lada Kalina, the most relevant thing is tuning the exterior - after all, it is the unpretentious appearance that is the weakest point of this car.

And you can start tuning with a low-cost but effective detail - window tinting.

In addition, it is external tuning that is a real opportunity to stand out from the crowd of standard cars and attract attention on the road - well, you can’t do that with a huge exhaust pipe.

Of course, it is possible to modernize the car’s internals, but this is already becoming financially expensive, and in a city it’s quite pointless: there’s nowhere to drive in a metropolis anyway, but you can drive at a city speed of 60 kilometers per hour even on the base model without any bells and whistles . Therefore, let's focus on improving the Kalina's exterior.

Before you take on real tools, use virtual tools, in particular, 3D tuning, which is in great demand among professional tuning studios.

First stage: wheels and rims

Often the happy owners of a Lada Kalina experience a strong temptation to install solid wheels of fifteen radius on their car.

Don't give in to him! Yes, it looks good, but the disadvantages of such an initiative are an order of magnitude greater than the advantages: in combination with the unprecedented quality of Russian roads, you will get an even worse ride quality, in addition, do not forget that the Kalina arches are not designed for fifteen-inch wheels, and the wheels can simply touch them at every hole. Obvious damage to both rubber and metal.

If you are seriously concerned about tuning Kalina, you cannot do without beautiful and high-quality wheels. Fortunately, these days car enthusiasts have access to a wide range of wheels in various price categories, and you can easily choose wheels that suit your taste and wallet at the same time.

The only condition: forget about colored discs. Extreme collective farm tuning has never been in fashion and will never become fashionable; you should not rush after its crazy trend.

The only “colors” that are allowed in some cases are white and black, and they must be harmoniously combined with the color of the car’s body.

Do-it-yourself external tuning of Lada Kalina on video:

Optics and cute little things

The headlights, as a rule, shine decently and do not need alteration, and there are practically no possibilities for tuning them (the only thing that can be done is to polish the headlights with your own hands until they are crystal clear and stick on special covers). The rear lights can also be replaced - the choice is quite wide.

Body kits and spoilers have long become an integral part of Kalina tuning, and in car shops and tuning studios you can find a wide selection of such parts - for both hatchbacks and sedans. Just don’t load your car with everything at once; external tuning parts should be in moderation; they should place bright and rich accents on the car’s exterior, and not hide the car itself underneath.

DIY installation of a spoiler on a Lada Kalina hatchback (video):

Tuning the interior of the Lada Kalina - what can be done?

Unfortunately, there is practically nothing to improve in the Kalina's interior. Of course, you can replace the dashboard and steering wheel. You can protect the pedals with comfortable and practical pads and replace the front seats with sports buckets. Lovers of high-quality sound should look into the audio system - however, this topic has its own nuances and is worthy of separate discussion.

  • Installing an armrest with your own hands on a Lada Kalina (video):
  • Replacing the instrument panel on a Lada Kalina in a garage (video):
  • We have already said that it is not worth seriously reworking the chassis or doubling the power of the Kalina engine.

If we take the VAZ models currently in production as a whole, then the most questions arise regarding tuning Kalina. And not even because it is technically difficult. But because this car occupies its modest but well-deserved budget niche on its own and does not need excessive architectural frills.

  1. Installing an automatic transmission on a Lada Kalina with your own hands (video):
  2. Photos of the tuned Lada Kalina and stories from fans of this model can be viewed and read below, under the article.

Source: https://2auto.su/article/tuning/tyuning-lady-kaliny-svoimi-rukami-foto-i-video-primery/

Advantages of Lada Kalina


Original car paint

First of all, it is worth considering the factors why a person buys a domestically produced car like the Lada Kalina.

  1. Low cost of the car in comparison with foreign foreign cars.
  2. Patriotism, confidence in the quality of Russian cars, their adaptability to our conditions.
  3. Every driver, especially those with extensive experience driving various cars, understands that sooner or later the car will break down. We will have to repair it and select spare parts. Today, many parts for foreign cars are not easy to find on the market, and repairs in showrooms are very expensive. All parts for domestic cars are available, and you can install them yourself. All you need is a little effort, skill, knowledge and patience. Parts are purchased at relatively low prices. It is possible to purchase spare parts from the manufacturer.
  4. The ability to remake the interior or exterior of the car at will. Many parts from foreign cars fit Russian ones. That is, repairs are carried out easily and quickly, you can improve the car so that even the manufacturers will not recognize it.

On the Internet you can watch videos of converted cars and recreate any desired result. This means that tuning Kalina with your own hands is very simple and inexpensive. And if you add modern technologies (monitors, sound amplifiers and much more), the car will even surpass many foreign cars. The main thing is imagination and skillful hands.

The Lada car has a number of advantages. If you watch a video showing the movement of the car, it will become clear that it can easily cope with difficult roads. Among other things, Kalina has the following advantages.

  1. Excellent visibility, which can also be seen in videos on the Internet.
  2. Spacious and comfortable interior.
  3. Wide variety of bumper color options.

The Kalina's basic performance characteristics are quite good, but there are some things that drivers want to improve. There is no need to talk about how you can decorate the interior; it depends on the imagination and capabilities of each specific car owner. Let's look at what needs to be changed to make the machine perform even better.

Tuning and modifications Lada Kalina

    Many owners of new cars encounter inconvenience in their operation from the very first minutes. For example, the steering wheel rim is slippery and does not fit comfortably in the hand. Also, the car may not have an armrest, heated seats or... Read more 3 Tuning is the modification of a car in order to improve its consumer qualities. Tuning can be aimed at improving factory characteristics, for example, increasing engine power and efficiency, increasing the efficiency of brakes or... Read more 0 Special caps are installed at the factory on the hubs of stamped (steel) wheels of LADA cars, which protect the threads from the negative influence of the external environment. They often get lost during use. Did you know that these... Read more 3 The handles that adjust the tilt of the front seats on the Lada Granta and Lada Kalina models are located on the side of the central tunnel. When installing the armrest, it becomes inconvenient to use. Did you know that these “lambs” can be... Read more 0 Passenger cars have natural supply and exhaust ventilation of the interior. Air enters the cabin through an air intake in the front part of the body, and exits through exhaust ducts, which are installed under the rear bumper. If... Read more 3 Depending on the engine, configuration and year of manufacture, different fuel pressure regulators (FPR) can be installed on LADA cars from the factory. 1.6-liter engines (Lada Vesta, XRAY, Granta, Kalina, Priora) are equipped with RDT-380, and… Read more 5 Among LADA car owners, modifications related to the replacement of standard parts of a domestic car with parts from foreign cars are popular. For example, seats, an armrest, an air filter or a lever are borrowed from a foreign car... Read more 2 Back 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 30 Forward

Source: https://xn--80aal0a.xn--80asehdb/do-my-self/tuning/tuning-lada-kalina/

Tuning the interior of the Lada Kalina - what can be done?

Unfortunately, there is practically nothing to improve in the Kalina's interior. Of course, you can replace the dashboard and steering wheel. You can protect the pedals with comfortable and practical pads and replace the front seats with sports buckets. Lovers of high-quality sound should look into the audio system - however, this topic has its own nuances and is worthy of separate discussion.

Installing an armrest with your own hands on a Lada Kalina (video):

Replacing the instrument panel on a Lada Kalina in a garage (video):

We have already said that it is not worth seriously reworking the chassis or doubling the power of the Kalina engine.

If we take the VAZ models currently in production as a whole, then the most questions arise regarding tuning Kalina. And not even because it is technically difficult. But because this car occupies its modest but well-deserved budget niche on its own and does not need excessive architectural frills.

Installing an automatic transmission on a Lada Kalina with your own hands (video):

Photos of the tuned Lada Kalina and stories from fans of this model can be viewed and read below, under the article.

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