150bhp 320d swirl flaps!!!

Post Mon Mar 22, 2010 9:49 pm

hi all. im thinking of buying a 04 m sport 320d with 93k on the clock. will plan to remove swirl flaps when i get the blanks. but even for the trip home after buying it im terified about them blowing the engine.

. could you just open the manfold and make sure all the flap torx bolts are tight? before setting off for the trip home or do you think its a job for the workshop when im home. many thanks Aran.

Post Mon Mar 22, 2010 9:52 pm

I would like the E39 530d but the whole swirl flap thing is my biggest worry

I would just take your time on the way home

Post Mon Mar 22, 2010 9:56 pm

yes i think that myself but i not sure those engine revs matter to this problem?

Post Mon Mar 22, 2010 10:00 pm

_bmw_316_lad_ wrote:yes i think that myself but i not sure those engine revs matter to this problem?

Do you know what damage it could cause, is it a case of if one comes loose your engine is pretty much fooked??, if it worrys you that much you could always pay some one to collect it for you on a car transport

Post Mon Mar 22, 2010 10:05 pm

ya basicaly new engine or second hand to what iv heard.

just with my luck it would go bang, iv read a few guides. has anyone done it?

Post Wed Mar 24, 2010 9:45 am

_bmw_316_lad_ wrote:hi all. im thinking of buying a 04 m sport 320d with 93k on the clock. will plan to remove swirl flaps when i get the blanks. but even for the trip home after buying it im terified about them blowing the engine. . could you just open the manfold and make sure all the flap torx bolts are tight? before setting off for the trip home or do you think its a job for the workshop when im home. many thanks Aran.

I wouldn't worry about it for the drive home. To be honest I didn't even know about the issue until I'd had mine for a couple of months.
They are great cars though, will your new one be led rear lights?
The sport version really does look lovely and there's a guy on the forum called Paul Sheppard, he remaps cars with something called a unichip. He gets great results - bet you could get loads more power out of that.

Post Wed Mar 24, 2010 3:17 pm

You see the roads literally lined with 2.0d BMW's where they all lunch their swirl flaps.. It will most certainly destroy itself on the journey home and grenade into a million pieces

Post Wed Mar 24, 2010 4:09 pm

sarcastic

Post Wed Mar 24, 2010 6:41 pm

haha i prob am over reacting

how is there ride comfort? we got bad roads in ireland

Post Wed Mar 24, 2010 7:39 pm

_bmw_316_lad_ wrote:haha i prob am over reacting how is there ride comfort? we got bad roads in ireland

M sport E46 ride quite hard with 18" wheels. But its OK.

Post Wed Mar 24, 2010 10:05 pm

more silly questions but the owner sayes he replaces the breather valve every service and told me it helps keep the swirl flaps ok? is this true?? many thanks.

Post Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:40 am

Engine speed is irrelevant. Some fail, some don't. BMW will contribute a lot towards an engine failure on a car with FBMWSH but best to avoid it.
I've seen 80'000 mile cars where the flap was about to fall out and 150'000 mile cars where they're still fine.
Luck of the draw, but you can either get the car transported or pull the vacuum pipe from the actuator unit on the back of the manifold - a bit of a sod to get to but it keeps the flaps closed.

Post Thu Mar 25, 2010 6:46 pm

k thanks. il drive on and to hell with it. but knowing my luck

Post Fri Mar 26, 2010 6:09 pm

what is the purpose of them in the first place?

Post Fri Mar 26, 2010 6:36 pm

iv no real idea but i think something about keeping a vacum when engine is idealing. the flaps close. i not sure though

Post Fri Mar 26, 2010 6:54 pm

Work for a main dealer and never even seen this happen on any M47 engines mate so would not worry. The M57 (6cyl. D) is a different matter though!

Post Tue Mar 30, 2010 11:18 pm

someone correct me if im wrong, but the swirl flaps are only there for emission reasons. they do sod all really, if anything once removed and blanked offf, the engine runs smoother. company called pmw can supply & fit them, also swirl flaps .com or .co.uk its one of the two.

Post Thu Apr 01, 2010 1:19 pm

rich_nye wrote:Work for a main dealer and never even seen this happen on any M47 engines mate so would not worry.

What do you do there, clean the bogs?

M47's are very prone and the dealer I worked for was changing a lot of manifolds for concerned owners - quite a few had loose flaps about to fall out.

Post Thu Apr 01, 2010 6:00 pm

Andyboy wrote:
rich_nye wrote:Work for a main dealer and never even seen this happen on any M47 engines mate so would not worry.
What do you do there, clean the bogs?

M47's are very prone and the dealer I worked for was changing a lot of manifolds for concerned owners - quite a few had loose flaps about to fall out.

well iv bought the car now. will replace as soon as i can. there has been to many horror stories.

Post Fri Apr 02, 2010 8:19 pm

Was just speaking from my experiences, never seen one at work fail, except hundreds of M57, maybe it happens a lot to M47 manifolds too, or M47TU, although I have had no recollection of seeing one?! But yeh if worried just replace it or like a lot of people I know just rip the swirl flaps out! Much more cost effective if money is tight!