Surely each of us knows what the Russian “Gazelle" looks like. And this is not about an animal, but about a light-duty truck. It is actively used in small and large cities. The car is able to drive where ordinary freight cars are prohibited. Today we’ll talk about a model such as the GAZ 330210. Photo and review of the car - further in our article.
Characteristic
The car belongs to the class of "light van". For the first time GAZ 330210 ("GAZelle") appeared in the distant 94th year. She did not have extended versions. A model was produced until the 2000s, after which 4-meter GAZelles gained popularity.
Design
The need to create a light truck in Russia arose from the time of the USSR. After all, there was not always a need for large ZILs and LAWNS. In the 90s, a Ford Transit light truck was actively used in Germany. In Russia, a truck was created and received the name "GAZelle". The exterior of the car is recognizable from afar.
What can I say, these body lines are still used in models of "Business". On the side, the GAZ-330210 and its base model 3302 are practically indistinguishable, even if we take into account the 2017 model (Neksty does not count). The exterior of the car was borrowed from the Volga. So, the radiator grill and headlights switched to GAZ-330210. The rest of the body lines painfully resemble the good old "Transit".
Salon
The interior is finished simply and without frills. A classic instrument panel with speedometer and tachometer scales, a glove compartment in the center and a flat panel on the passenger side. By the way, the glove compartment on the old "GAZelle" is made quite high quality.
On new cars (2003+), the cover literally "leads" due to the lack of stiffness on the plastic. Also at the bottom of the old "GAZelle" there is another glove compartment, however, it is without a lid. Later, he still received it (in 2003). The steering wheel is quite recognizable. Someone will say “yes this is the GAZon wheel,” and they will be right.
Yes, it was installed in the "small tonnage", without changes in thickness and diameter. Responses of owners say that it is very inconvenient. You can often see the picture when a foreign-made steering wheel is installed on the GAZ-330210 of 1996 (for example, a four-spoke from Audi). The seats are the same as the second generation GAZelek (with teardrop-shaped headlights). Later they acquired armrests (on the Next models). Another drawback is the quality of the plastic dashboard. He's overwritten on the old "GAZelle". On new models, this problem has been fixed. Plastic itself, surprisingly, does not rattle. However, the roar of the motor is very audible. Very little free space, especially for the legs. With the advent of the new Europanel, this ailment has been partially eliminated. But the width of the cab remained the same. This problem was taken into account only during the development of the NEXT. So, the width of the cabins increased by 10 centimeters.
Specifications
What technical specifications does the GAZ-330210 have? Under the hood of this truck was a standard engine from the Volga. Moreover, in the 90s, he did not undergo any changes, although the engineers knew that the machine would operate in increased load conditions. So, the grip suffers greatly. After all, it is designed for passenger "volgovskih" two tons. And here, in addition to the curb weight of 2200, another one and a half tons are loaded into the car. Therefore, even in the "no overload" mode, the clutch disc resource is not more than 20 thousand. The volume of the engine itself has not changed - all the same 2.4 liters.
The capacity of ZMZ 402 (namely, this engine was put on the Volga and the GAZ-330210 car) was 90 horsepower. Naturally, there is no need to talk about any traction characteristics. Due to the low power under heavy load, not only the clutch disc, but also the engine itself worked. As a result, fuel consumption was about 20 liters. In this regard, almost all GAZelles are now equipped with gas equipment. There is HBO of the second and fourth generation, propane or methane. The latter requires the installation of several cylinders, which greatly affects the curb weight of the car. Over time, the lineup was supplemented by more powerful
engines ZMZ-406 (carburetor) and 405 (injector, 152 forces). With the release of the Business line, cars began to be equipped with Cummins diesel engines, which had sufficient traction and torque, which was already available from idle (which is typical only for diesel engines). Due to the low technological effectiveness of the engine, some owners installed engines from Ford Transit to the GAZ-330210. Acceleration characteristics and torque increased significantly. The engine compartment itself is enough to install a German engine here. There were cases when instead of the
402nd engine they put the unit from the Sprinter. However, these are isolated cases. Also, motorists note a small engine resource. In constant load mode, it requires major repairs after 300 thousand kilometers.
Suspension
Suspension in a circle spring, dependent. At the rear there is a stabilizer bar. From the factory, sheets are installed without springs. To carry more than one and a half tons, the owners strengthen the frame and lay 3-5 springs.
However, do not forget that the bridge of the car remains the same. Under heavy loads, the “stocking” begins to crack. Also, once a season you have to squirt the pivots on the front beam.
Other motor problems
Reviews note that the main problem of the 402nd Zavolzhsky engine was oil production. The reason is the poor quality of the crankshaft seal. After two and a half thousand revolutions, he could not cope with the pressure and began to miss the lubricant. Another issue is with the intake. The mixture from the carburetor was often fed unevenly, because of which the motor began to twitch, vibrate and troit.
The next problem that car owners have repeatedly talked about is the engine knocking. The reason for this is unregulated valves. Every 15 thousand had to manually adjust the gap. And since the GAZ-330210 is a commercial vehicle, this run came very quickly. Some install hydraulic lifters from new engines on the 402nd. But again, this is additional labor and cash costs.
Does it get warm?
And the last, no less common problem is the engine overheating. Often on the roads (in the summer) you can notice the old "GAZelle" with a plastic bottle under the hood. Some drivers are confident that more cold air will flow into the engine. However, in fact, the problem is solved by installing a more voluminous, three-section radiator and an increased impeller of the cooling fan (11 blades instead of 6). Why not install it all at the factory, remains a question for many "gazelists". But even with all this, the motor was prone to overheating. To eliminate this problem, it is necessary to regularly expel air from the system. The so-called cork often forms near the thermostat. To remove it, the machine is placed on a slope and the lid of the expansion tank is opened. Air must be out of the system.
About the price
At the moment, the cost of GAZ-330210 cars of the 90s of production is from 45 to 180 thousand rubles. Price is highly dependent on condition.
Should I buy this car now? Experienced motorists are not advised to take this car for commercial purposes. This motor has many shortcomings, and the body itself and the cab are quite “tired” during this time. For regular cargo transportation it is necessary to take a car with an age of not more than 10 years. Now, GAZelle Business is falling under this bar. Their price is 300-400 thousand. Let a little more expensive, but these machines will not be constantly repaired and will bring you profit.
So, we found out what the domestic GAZelle -330210 small-tonnage truck is.