Comments
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My replacement engine had laboratory sensors all over including one drilled and tapped into this plastic manifold so that's one reason I put my original one back on.
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'Regret' because I've left myself wide open for that opportunity for a flap to destroy my engine at a later date if one falls off.
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The fact that later engines don't have them must indicate that they don't do much.
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Maybe if I knew how to set them fully open permanent and with me having an EGR blank fitted then I'm not at much risk.
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I was on the Vauxhall / Opel forum and know of plenty of 1.9 diesel owners with 190 bhp engine with wreckages following flaps detaching .
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Does this help clarify?
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Kind regards from Fred.
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On the BMW M57 engine, all six flaps were rotated by a single rod running the length of the manifold which was actuated by a vacuum-based switch. It would not have been difficult to detach the rod from the actuator and to physically fix it in place such that the flaps were in the permanently open position.

Personally, I can see no benefit in doing this - if the flaps are going to fall off, they will do so regardless of if they are fixed open or opened/closed automatically. 2010 Freelander 2 HSE Auto Santorini Black / Ebony Leather

The information I am missing is what causes the flaps to break free.
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It would help is somebody could describe the condition of the manifold after failure .
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I can only make an assumption that it's the EGR gunge and the flaps are being forced against it.
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So the question is am I correct?
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If so then just leaving them wide open should stop them being broken off.
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Comments appreciated gentlemen.
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Regards from Fred.
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Hi All,

I can add that mine just did exactly the same thing; was driving along and suddenly there was a drop in power and the engine started running roughly. Local garage stripped it down and found one flap loose, the spindle missing and that cylinder down around 30% on compression. After removing the head, one valve found bent and various dings in the top of the piston (superficial). £2k+ to repair, happy days. Car has done 82k miles with full service history.

What gets me (apart from main stealers)? I was having issues with cold starting yet two separate garages found no faults; on removing the manifold after this little episode, it was obvious that the plastic linkage on the outside that operates the flaps was broken and had been for some time. I despair.

marklp wrote:

On the BMW M57 engine, all six flaps were rotated by a single rod running the length of the manifold which was actuated by a vacuum-based switch. It would not have been difficult to detach the rod from the actuator and to physically fix it in place such that the flaps were in the permanently open position.

Personally, I can see no benefit in doing this - if the flaps are going to fall off, they will do so regardless of if they are fixed open or opened/closed automatically.

so will a 2012 sd4 have flaps or not aand if it has have they addressed the issues

I had this problem 'look deeper into the forum there are two different part no on the manifolds.

[quote="am_in_o"]hello,

I had the same problem , flaps broken and goes to the engine
big damage and more than 2000� repair cost

my Freelander had 110.000 miles when it occurs
I decided to remove the 4 flaps , to avoid the same problem in the future,
and it work well without flaps (30.000 miles since the reparation)



I know it has been a while since the post but when you removed your flaps and the brass rod did you leave the plastic bushes in place between the inlet ports.
I have looked to do the same flap and brass rod removal modification to my FL2 with 120K on the clock and can't see how i can remove the bushes and dont think i need to.

Thanks

I read all the forum scare stories when I had a BMW 320D and decided to remove the swirl flaps when I had the manifold off to do the glow plugs. I found that one of my swirl flaps had broken off but had not been ingested and was stuck in the gunk inside the manifold. I then realised that in addition to all the people on the BMW forum who had a confirmed ingestion / engine damage there would also be loads like me with a broken flap stuck in the gunk just waiting to go in ! Additionally, there would be some I suspect who put their car into BMW for glow plug change and were advised by BMW to have the manifold changed due to being gunked up. As such, in my view, the number of cars actually affected was actually higher than the people on the forum thought !

Anyway, back to the FL2, I can see that this is going to have to go onto my to do list....... FL2 HSE Auto Galway Green
Evoque SD4 Auto Blue.
FL1 HSE TD4 Manual Black - Gone.
RR Classic V8 EFI - Gone

Ours has just done it...stripping the head off but not sure whether to bother or just throw it away or strip it for parts...soooo frustrated!!

I'm doing ours...It's complex but still only knuts and bolts and I am happy to talk to anyone doing it. lets save some money!!!

Our's bent two exhaust valves £9.80 each.

Had the head checked over by Head Technique in Shropshire (i'm not connected but they have done my TR7 head, Mercruiser head and the will be doing the new boat engine checks and have been spot on every time...and honest).

There are two part numbers on the manifold, one with swirl valves, one without and the manifold appears to be in the Evouque, Jag XF and and Citreon c Crosser without swirls.

I ordered origional and have simply removed the Swirl Valves.

The Vacumn operated Actuater is connected to the operating lever that is connected to a brass bar down the middle of the valves or flaps. Remove the conection between the lever and vac actuater gently prising it off. then you can remove vac actuater...it's a twist and click fit...but be gentle as they get more brittle with age. Once the actuater is removed you can remove the lever. there's a small metal retainer c clip style clip. It just pulls out which means you can remove the lever. You should now see the exposed end of the brass bar....get a good grip on it a nd simply pull firmly out. The valves will still be in place due to their additional fittings. I simply gripped each one with pliers and twisted them out, making sure I accounted for all the pieces.
You can then refit the lever, c clip and actuater letting the ecu do what it normally did.

Think thats right...pm me if you need help.

Nick.

Just did this yesterday.....

It was a nightmare trying to pull the metal rod out of the manifold ! It would only come out once I had broken off the 4 flaps and then forced the remaining bits up the rod piece by piece using some long-nosed pliers. I even tried a blow torch on the flaps to soften them up.

Took me about 30 minutes in the end just to get the rod out.

I was surprised, after 74,000 miles, how clean the manifold was (EGR pipe is not blanked). Nowhere near as gunked up as my FL1 and 320d were at that mileage. FL2 HSE Auto Galway Green
Evoque SD4 Auto Blue.
FL1 HSE TD4 Manual Black - Gone.
RR Classic V8 EFI - Gone

Hi...oh....mine came out with a firm pull. No struggle and then I removed the swirl valves. Five mins tops.

Four dodge Valves so all replaced on that cylinder...no apparent damage to the cam or followers. waiting for gates cam belt and kit...


The refurbed loveliness...




Should be up and running Monday...or on fire!

Just removed the flaps on my 120k Freelander, not particularly difficult once you have the manifold off, you will need a dremel or similar type tool (I used a dye grinder) to grind away the plastic sections of the flaps where they fit to the brass rod, then the brass rod removes fairly easily, I left the tubes in place and refitted the brass rod, car runs fine with no issues, remember to replace the gaskets

marklp wrote:

To put forward a different perspective - I used to run an E60 530d and the beemer forums were full of tales of woe of swirl flaps coming loose and being ingested by the engine with catastrophic results. The problem seemed to be so common that I felt compelled to take the inlet manifold off to check mine - which were all absolutely rock solid with no sign of becoming loose whatsoever. While putting the manifold back on, I managed to snap one of the bolts by over-torqueing it.

I'm not saying the problem doesn't occur - but forums are a magnet for people who do have faults...and it does present a somewhat distorted version of reality.