Swirl flap Removal

dave550i · 03-20-2020, 07:45 AM

Hi, would like to know thoughts on swirl flap removal on my 2013 F30 330d?
I removed them on my older 2008 730D a few years ago with the blanking plates, because of the danger of them going into the engine, is it still a problem with this later manifold on the F30? or can they be left with no worries of coming loose? cheers Dave

psp888 · 03-20-2020, 10:43 AM

My swirl flaps went in the engine on my E46 320cd. £10K worth of damage, few months out of warrenty 46K miles. Luckly BMW replaced everything out of good will, they only ask for £600.

Cootie · 03-20-2020, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by psp888

My swirl flaps went in the engine on my E46 320cd. £10K worth of damage, few months out of warrenty 46K miles. Luckly BMW replaced everything out of good will, they only ask for £600.

Similar situation to my Dad on his 330d but exact opposite treatment from BMW where he was forced to pick up the tab.

I’d be inclined to go down the blanking plate route.

NISFAN · 03-20-2020, 01:55 PM

I dii in don't think F30 engines had swirl flaps

:

dave550i · 03-20-2020, 03:28 PM

Afraid they do,different to earlier m57s but they are still there in the plastic manifold, check out youtube delete swirl flaps F30 330d, you do not need the alloy blanks anymore
on the F30 just a blanking plug for the actuator shaft, for sale on Ebay with gaskets about
£20

Digidick · 03-20-2020, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NISFAN

I dii in don't think F30 engines had swirl flaps

:

Off topic. Tried replying to your PM Gordon but your inbox is full.

H20MRV · 03-21-2020, 08:15 AM

I dont suppose you know if a 2018 335d has them do you?

robbiep · 03-21-2020, 09:51 AM

I've not heard of a single swirl flap failure with F3x series cars.

Bearing in mind the number of cars out there that are anything up to 8 years old, and the mileage on them, it looks like the failures have been designed out in the later series of engines.

Looks like trying to fix a non-existent problem to me

Hooded · 03-21-2020, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robbiep

I've not heard of a single swirl flap failure with F3x series cars.

Bearing in mind the number of cars out there that are anything up to 8 years old, and the mileage on them, it looks like the failures have been designed out in the later series of engines.

Looks like trying to fix a non-existent problem to me

This^

dave550i · 03-21-2020, 11:00 AM

You could be right! i am not sure that there a risk either that was why i was asking any bodys thoughts on the matter, i did not want to be taking mine apart for no good reason as they say" if its not bust dont fix it" so i will hang fire until i hear otherwise, dont panic

bishbosh · 03-21-2020, 12:03 PM

It's not unheard of for the spindle that the flaps are on to break, but it's very rare. They can be removed for peace of mind, I did this on my 320d with the n47 engine.

The flaps would benefit from a decoke, mine on the 320d were pretty fouled up at 130k miles.

jackstrath · 03-21-2020, 01:15 PM

The numbers on the E9X cars that had swirl flap issues were low, so id think the F3X model would be even better again.

Be prepared if you do remove them you will loose some low down torque. Sure a remap will find some of that back but in my E91 335d that was mapped i defo noticed a drop in low down torque.

Watsey · 03-21-2020, 01:43 PM

F3X 30d/35d units definitely have swirl flaps. The do suffer from carbon build-up and they can be removed, but, all they (and the inlet manifold) need is a good clean. Get the inlet ports walnut blasted at the same time and everything will be back to near-new.

A good indy which knows what they're doing, and has all the necessary equipment, and it's a £300-500 job.

Swirl flaps do not seem to be a problem (failure) on the N57 units. I'd leave them alone.

xpro · 03-21-2020, 05:34 PM

All N57s have swirlflaps but they just dont break like the older ones.

I have mine disable and you dont need to take them out as they just stay in full open position.

As above they do suffer alot from carbon build up.

Digidick · 03-22-2020, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xpro

All N57s have swirlflaps but they just dont break like the older ones.

I have mine disable and you dont need to take them out as they just stay in full open position.

As above they do suffer alot from carbon build up.

Tell me more about disabling them please...

bishbosh · 03-22-2020, 03:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digidick

Tell me more about disabling them please...

You can remove a lever which connects between the spindle and the actuator motor. Obviously you need to leave the flaps in the open position.

Digidick · 03-22-2020, 03:32 AM

Ok cheers. Any pics of what I'm looking for?

xpro · 03-22-2020, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digidick

Tell me more about disabling them please...

To be honest I did little funky mod with my car, after rigorous testing and I didn't want a remap, as after all they do is delete the codes they show up. Well most of them.

I bought 2nd hand egr motor, stripped it out and just plugged in the circuit board into my existing egr valve plug. ( Mine is disconnected now and stays shut closed)

I have one fault present which is EGR valve potentiometer no signal received. ( which doesnt bother me at all, its only a secondary fault and displayed by engine check light on the bottom dash, no other warnings, and nothing on the idrive either.

This fault alone disables the swirlflap & EGR operation as it can no longer determine the EGR postion.

The MPG has improved massively, my DPF regenerations have also halved as there less soot build up due to disabled EGR valve.

Digidick · 03-23-2020, 01:41 AM

Ahh ok. Mine already has the EGR blanked off and mapped out so that in turn night have disabled the swirl flaps a well?

xpro · 03-23-2020, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digidick

Ahh ok. Mine already has the EGR blanked off and mapped out so that in turn night have disabled the swirl flaps a well?

Quite possibly. I would check that with the diagnostic tool, carly, bimmerlink, etc and you could easily tell..

bmwPower99 · 05-18-2023, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xpro

Quite possibly. I would check that with the diagnostic tool, carly, bimmerlink, etc and you could easily tell..

My egr is software deleted and the swirl flap voltage and target v actual position in bimmerlink seem to be functioning as expected

danb1979 · 05-18-2023, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmwPower99

My egr is software deleted and the swirl flap voltage and target v actual position in bimmerlink seem to be functioning as expected

03-20-2020, 07:45 AM	#1
dave550i Private First Class 82 Rep 161 Posts Drives: 2016 640D Vert Melbourne Red Join Date: May 2017 Location: York iTrader: (0)	Swirl flap Removal Hi, would like to know thoughts on swirl flap removal on my 2013 F30 330d? I removed them on my older 2008 730D a few years ago with the blanking plates, because of the danger of them going into the engine, is it still a problem with this later manifold on the F30? or can they be left with no worries of coming loose? cheers Dave
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03-20-2020, 10:43 AM	#2
psp888 Private First Class 30 Rep 107 Posts Drives: F30 Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	My swirl flaps went in the engine on my E46 320cd. £10K worth of damage, few months out of warrenty 46K miles. Luckly BMW replaced everything out of good will, they only ask for £600. __________________ 2016 320d M Sport LCI
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03-20-2020, 01:55 PM	#4
NISFAN Major General 3489 Rep 9,709 Posts Drives: BMW M2 Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Bedford UK iTrader: (0)	I dii in don't think F30 engines had swirl flaps :
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03-20-2020, 03:28 PM	#5
dave550i Private First Class 82 Rep 161 Posts Drives: 2016 640D Vert Melbourne Red Join Date: May 2017 Location: York iTrader: (0)	Afraid they do,different to earlier m57s but they are still there in the plastic manifold, check out youtube delete swirl flaps F30 330d, you do not need the alloy blanks anymore on the F30 just a blanking plug for the actuator shaft, for sale on Ebay with gaskets about £20
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03-21-2020, 08:15 AM	#7
H20MRV New Member 2 Rep 6 Posts Drives: BMW335DF30 Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Scotland iTrader: (0)	I dont suppose you know if a 2018 335d has them do you?
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03-21-2020, 09:51 AM	#8
robbiep Brigadier General 1983 Rep 3,216 Posts Drives: VW e-Golf ! Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: North Wales, UK iTrader: (0)	I've not heard of a single swirl flap failure with F3x series cars. Bearing in mind the number of cars out there that are anything up to 8 years old, and the mileage on them, it looks like the failures have been designed out in the later series of engines. Looks like trying to fix a non-existent problem to me
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03-21-2020, 11:00 AM	#10
dave550i Private First Class 82 Rep 161 Posts Drives: 2016 640D Vert Melbourne Red Join Date: May 2017 Location: York iTrader: (0)	You could be right! i am not sure that there a risk either that was why i was asking any bodys thoughts on the matter, i did not want to be taking mine apart for no good reason as they say" if its not bust dont fix it" so i will hang fire until i hear otherwise, dont panic
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03-21-2020, 12:03 PM	#11
bishbosh Lieutenant Colonel 840 Rep 1,993 Posts Drives: F30 335d Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Sheffield iTrader: (1) Garage List 2014 BMW 335d [0.00]	It's not unheard of for the spindle that the flaps are on to break, but it's very rare. They can be removed for peace of mind, I did this on my 320d with the n47 engine. The flaps would benefit from a decoke, mine on the 320d were pretty fouled up at 130k miles.
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03-21-2020, 01:15 PM	#12
jackstrath Major 659 Rep 1,239 Posts Drives: 16' F31 340i & 03' Focus RS Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Aberdeen iTrader: (0)	The numbers on the E9X cars that had swirl flap issues were low, so id think the F3X model would be even better again. Be prepared if you do remove them you will loose some low down torque. Sure a remap will find some of that back but in my E91 335d that was mapped i defo noticed a drop in low down torque.
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03-21-2020, 01:43 PM	#13
Watsey Major General 6422 Rep 8,501 Posts Drives: F31 330D sDrive M Sport Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: On sabbatical. iTrader: (1)	F3X 30d/35d units definitely have swirl flaps. The do suffer from carbon build-up and they can be removed, but, all they (and the inlet manifold) need is a good clean. Get the inlet ports walnut blasted at the same time and everything will be back to near-new. A good indy which knows what they're doing, and has all the necessary equipment, and it's a £300-500 job. Swirl flaps do not seem to be a problem (failure) on the N57 units. I'd leave them alone. __________________ Current : F31 330sD, remapped, Ohlins Road & Track, Millway camber plates, Quaife LSD, Stoptech brakes + Pagid RSL1 pads all round, Weichers front strut brace, Eibach front & rear anti-roll bars, Michelin MP4S.
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03-21-2020, 05:34 PM	#14
xpro Lieutenant 171 Rep 468 Posts Drives: 335XD Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Emerald iTrader: (0)	All N57s have swirlflaps but they just dont break like the older ones. I have mine disable and you dont need to take them out as they just stay in full open position. As above they do suffer alot from carbon build up.
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03-22-2020, 03:32 AM	#17
Digidick Captain 142 Rep 627 Posts Drives: F30 330d M Sport Join Date: May 2017 Location: Derby iTrader: (0)	Ok cheers. Any pics of what I'm looking for?
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03-23-2020, 01:41 AM	#19
Digidick Captain 142 Rep 627 Posts Drives: F30 330d M Sport Join Date: May 2017 Location: Derby iTrader: (0)	Ahh ok. Mine already has the EGR blanked off and mapped out so that in turn night have disabled the swirl flaps a well?
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