ZIL-4331

Car history

Since 1962, the Likhachev Plant (ZIL) has been producing a truck under the ZIL-130 brand for the national economy. The truck was extremely popular and practical, but was inferior to rivals in its class because of high fuel consumption. In the late seventies, the plant began to develop a more economical model with a diesel engine.

Namely, in the 70's, the designers of the Likhachev plant received a task to develop two advanced trucks with different payloads. The models were to work on diesel fuel. Initially the vehicle was designed by ZIL specialists, but after the design was created, the documentation was handed over to the plant in Naberezhnye Chelny. In 1986 the first "ZIL-4331" came off the assembly line.

This model was designed to replace the ZIL-130. Shortly after the launch of the project, the debut version of this model with a twin cabin was presented, as well as the chassis, designed for special vehicles. Later, Likhachev plant specialists built a racing version of the truck that resembled the original only in appearance.

Cabin and bodywork

First of all, the appearance of the cabin has changed. It got angular, clearly marked, without smooth transitions. The cab is made entirely of metal. However, its layout is not quite standard. The main difference is that the wings, hood and front grille are made of a single rigid part. Access to the engine is provided by lifting this design up and forward on hinges that are attached to the front bumper on the power frame of the car.

At the same time, it is very convenient to repair the engine and all engine systems are accessible. Over time, this design was dropped because it was inconvenient in everyday use. In subsequent versions of the model the hood is opened in the usual "alligator" way. On the front end of the truck "ZIL-4331" there is a new front bumper, in which the headlights and turn signals are mounted. Moreover, they are structurally arranged in such a way that there is the least risk of their damage in case of accidental collision. The interior of the cabin has become more comfortable.

The comfortable driver's seat is sprung and has adjustments in all directions. Two passengers can sit next to the driver. The middle seat rises to form a table. The large glazing area of the cabin and side mirrors allow full control of the road situation. The ZIL 4331 cab is equipped with excellent thermal and acoustic insulation, which allows you to talk inside the truck without raising your voice, and to stay comfortable in cold weather.

There are three seats, one of which is a driver's seat. One of the most popular was the sleeper version, which appeared in the early 90's. It received a full-width bumper with a skirt, side fairings and a roof-mounted air deflector. ZIL-4331, was much less expensive than comparable foreign trucks.

In addition to the cabin for three people, there was also a two-row cab version with 7 seats. The ZIL-4331 flatbed body is a wooden platform with metal transverse bars of the base, with folding rear and side sides. The body design provides for the possibility of installation of superstructure boards and awning with a frame.

Specifications

Engine

The ZIL-4331 is considered the founder of ZIL's line of diesel trucks. Fuel consumption of the ZIL 4331 is from 18 l/100 kilometers. For a road train, consumption starts at 25 litres per 100 km. Very seldom, but still, one can find gasoline engines on trucks of the model "4331". When operating a car with gasoline engines, the consumption is approximately 30-36 liters for every 100 km at a speed of 90-95 km/h and can vary depending on the load.

Transmission

The truck has rear-wheel drive. It is equipped with a single disc clutch with peripheral springs. Note also that the clutch release actuator is equipped with a pneumatic-hydraulic booster.

Running gear

At the front, the ZIL 4331 has a pair of semi-elliptic leaf springs with sliding rear ends and two shock absorbers. Two main and additional springs of the same type are used at the rear.

Modifications

• ZIL-433100 is a basic model with a wheelbase of 4500 mm and a ZIL-645 engine;
• ZIL-433102 - standard chassis;
• ZIL-433104 - chassis for fire trucks;
• AC-3-40(433104) and AC-40(433362)-63B.01 - fire trucks;
• ZIL-433110 - basic version with the "ZIL-508.10" engine;
• ZIL-433116 - basic version with the "ZIL-509.10" engine;
• ZIL-43314B - long wheelbase flatbed version with "ZIL-6454" engine with a wheelbase of 6100 mm;
• ZIL-4332A is a special version with an extended wheelbase (5600 mm) and ZIL-645 engine;
• ZIL-4333 - short wheelbase version with "ZIL-645" engine and wheelbase of 3800 mm;
• ZIL-433302 - short wheelbase chassis;
• ZIL-433360 is a model with a shortened wheelbase and the "ZIL-508.10" engine;
• ZIL-433362 is a short wheelbase chassis equipped with a ZIL-508.300 engine;
• ZIL-442100 - tractor unit with a wheelbase of 3800 mm and the "ZIL-645" engine;
• ZIL-442160 - tractor unit with a wheelbase of 3300 mm and the "ZIL-508.10" engine;
• ZIL-442300 - tractor unit with a sleeper cab and an extended wheelbase (4500 mm).

All versions had a front engine and rear-wheel drive.

The most popular modification

This is the ZIL-4333. The short-wheelbase model was built as a flatbed truck and was equipped with three different engines: ZIL-645, ZIL-508.10 and ZIL-508.300. Certain changes added a prefix to the main index.

Its appearance and design were similar to the basic version, only the length was 3,800 mm and not 6,370 mm. These models gained their popularity due to their practicality of dimensions. It is more convenient to maneuver in city traffic on a shorter vehicle, and the cargo is delivered faster. Thanks to this, diesel versions 433302, 433360, 433362 are still produced.

The pros and cons

• The main advantages of the ZIL-4331 are its excellent cross-country ability and impressive payload.
• Reduced number of lubrication points of the chassis and automatic adjustment of brakes contribute to the reduction of time and money costs for maintenance work.
• To date, ZIL-645 engines are no longer produced, but it is quite possible to purchase spare parts for engine repair at rather reasonable prices.
• On the first ZIL-4331 trucks the front panel was a single piece, so if the frame was distorted the bonnet was hard to close.
• Good tightness of the cabin.
• Presence of seat belts on all seats.

Despite excellent reviews and a lot of positive aspects, this model never became especially popular. The truck could not compete with foreign rivals because of rather high fuel consumption and low payload. But the simplicity of repair and cheapness make this car extremely popular in some industries.

We sum up

Although production of the ZIL-4331 ended in 2004, the manufacturer continued to support the truck, and it remains popular thanks to its easy maintenance. Of course, the engines are rather inefficient and the payload is relatively small, but this does not prevent the truck from remaining popular in many areas.

If you buy this model you will have to pay from about €2,800 to €34,500. For this money the buyer gets a truck built in 1995-2004 with low mileage and in excellent condition. All that remains is to look after it properly and make use of its strengths.

We advise you to read the article: ZIL - history of the carmaker

ZIL-4331 photos

Video overview