Which engine is better on the Gazelle: comparison and photo

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:41

When buying commercial vehicles, it is important to pay attention not only to the carrying capacity and other characteristics, but also to the engine. GAZelle is the most popular light commercial vehicle in Russia. This machine has been mass-produced since 1994. During this time, different power plants were installed on it. We will tell you about which engine is better on the GAZelle in our today's article.

Varieties of power plants

Initially, units from the Zavolzhsky Motor Plant were installed on these cars. All of them have an in-line arrangement of cylinders. From 1994 to 2003, a 402 engine (carburetor) was installed on the GAZelle. Which is better to choose - we will consider later. With the release of a new generation of GAZelles (this is 2003), the engine line was replenished with one more power unit. This is a ZMZ-406 motor.

A year later, GAZelle becameinstall a more modernized unit, labeled ZMZ-405. What features do these power units have? Let's consider each of them separately.

ZMZ-402

This is a gasoline four-cylinder engine with a carburetor power system. It is a modified version of the ZMZ-24D engine, which was installed on the Volga during the Soviet era. The motor has a capacity of 100 horsepower with a cylinder capacity of 2.44 liters. The engine has 2 valves per cylinder. What do the reviews say about this motor? The owners note that this engine is difficult to carry loads. ZMZ-402 is not intended for commercial vehicles. This is a light engine that produces low torque.

Among other shortcomings, owners note a high risk of overheating. Due to the fact that the engine is constantly subjected to loads, the block and head are heated. The motor has a small resource (about 150 thousand kilometers). Also, the engine requires regular tuning and cleaning of the carburetor. As for the pluses, ZMZ-402 has a very simple design and is very maintainable. The cost of overhaul of this engine is an order of magnitude lower than that of modern analogues. In terms of fuel consumption, this unit is the most voracious. The topic of the efficiency of the 402nd motor has been familiar to motorists since the days of the Soviet Volga. A loaded GAZelle consumes at least 19 liters per 100 kilometers in the city. In winter, this figure can reach 22. It is reasonable to use such a technique only if HBO is installed.

ZMZ-406

This engine, with a volume of 2.3 liters, develops a power of 145 horsepower. It is a new line of units with a 16-valve timing mechanism. However, the timing mechanism is still driven by a chain. The motor has a carburetor power system, but has a high torque, which is so important for commercial vehicles. The main advantages are a higher resource and power.

Which engine is better on the GAZelle? To answer this question, the negative aspects of the 406th motor should be highlighted. Among the shortcomings, reviews note the complexity of the timing device. The first is chain tensioners. The element stretches over time and needs to be replaced by 100 thousand. The design also uses an archaic piston ring design. Because of this, oil consumption and high fuel consumption are observed. "Gazelle" with this engine spends about 15-20 liters, depending on the mode of operation.

ZMZ-405

This is a more advanced unit, built on the basis of the 406th motor. It has a more modern, injection injection. With a volume of 2.5 liters, it develops a power of 152 horsepower. The piston group was also changed in the design. This is strongly felt in overclocking.

The 405th motor is much more cheerful than the 406th, reviews say. Also, this unit has a more moderate "appetite". For 100 kilometers, it consumes from 16 to 18 liters of fuel. It should be taken into account that thisthe parameter may differ, since the GAZelle has a different height of the booth (sailage) and can carry cargo of different tonnage.

What has been improved?

Answering the question of which engine is better to put on the GAZelle, it is worth considering the technical improvements of this unit. Minor design changes have been made to this motor. So, the engineers finalized the head of the block, eliminating the channels of the idle system. The mass of the cylinder head is reduced by 1.3 kilograms. If on the 406th engine an asbestos-free cylinder head gasket was used, then on the 405th there is a two-layer metal part. It provides better sealing of the channels of the cooling system, lubrication and gas joints. Thus, the engineers managed to achieve the best sealing of the joints in critical places. By the way, this motor was the first in the line that officially met the requirements of Euro-3.

What is the result?

So, which engine is better - 402 or 406? The GAZelle, equipped with the first engine, picks up speed very weakly and can hardly bear the load. Because of this, the engine overheats and consumes oil. What engine is better on the GAZelle? As for the 406 motor, it is an excellent alternative between the 402 and 405. The cost of GAZelles with this engine is an order of magnitude lower than with an injection unit. At the same time, the 406th motor has a modern 16-valve timing mechanism and a huge potential for tuning. If desired, it can be forced by replacing the piston group with the Ulyanovsk one. The main drawback of this motor is the carburetor. Now there are very few specialists involved in them.setting. But the carburetor requires constant maintenance and adjustment.

If we consider which engine is better - 405 or 406 for GAZelle, ZMZ-405 will be the clear leader. This engine is devoid of previous disadvantages and requires less maintenance, since it is equipped with fuel injection. This motor has lower fuel consumption and high torque. The 405th motor does not overheat provided that the antifreeze is replaced in a timely manner and has a high resource. Practice shows that this engine "nourishes" 300 thousand kilometers before overhaul. However, the cost of "Gazelle" with this engine is much higher. This is perhaps the only drawback of this engine. Otherwise, the ZMZ-405 is the leader in the line of gasoline units. If the question is which engine is better to put on the GAZelle, then definitely the 405th. This is the most reliable and hardy power unit that has ever been installed on these cars.

So, we found out which engine is better on the GAZelle.