Under the hood of Lada Duster there will be a Russian engine

Inside the Duster, which will now be produced under the Lada brand, a VAZ power unit with an index of 21179 with a volume of 1,8 liters will be installed. The production of an SUV with a new engine will begin after the assembly line from Moscow is completely relocated to Tolyatti. The use of a Russian atmospheric engine is due to localization requirements: engines from France cannot be assembled from domestic parts and assemblies.


Previously, a 4 H1,6M power unit was installed on the Renault Duster. It was he who had the greatest degree of localization. But today, this engine cannot be expected for a model that will be produced under a new brand. The problem is that the Japanese manufacturer refused to supply the Jatco CVT transmission to the plant, and the H4M motor installed on Vesta and XRay only works in conjunction with this continuously variable gearbox.



This power unit was put on the conveyor by the Togliatti plant in 2016. The engine has a volume of 1,8 liters, develops power from 122 to 145 "horses", reaching a torque of 170 to 184 N * m. Visually, it is not much different from its 16-valve "brothers". The cylinder block is cast from cast iron (VAZ-21126 served as the basis). Among the main improvements are:

✅ the presence of another oil channel that lubricates the timing regulator
✅ improved cooling of jumpers between cylinders
✅ another way to fix the motor support bracket located on the right
✅ throttle "lost" mechanical drive

The crankshaft has also become different: the crank radius is now larger - 42 mm, respectively, the piston stroke reaches 84 mm. To reduce energy losses due to friction, we reduced the diameter of the connecting rod journals (they are made in India) by 4 mm. The BC head has also been improved: now it has two composite camshafts with pressed cams and a phase shifter. The gasket is made of metal. There are innovations in the intake system - the DMRV was replaced with a temperature sensor and a pressure gauge. The additional receiver that was in previous engine models was removed, the lubrication system began to have a larger volume.



It is not yet clear how long it will take for the "VAZ" engine to "take root" in a new body, and the Renault Duster turns into a Lada Duster.