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** Warning to BMW 320d owners **

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orienteer

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If you or someone you know has a BMW 320d they need to read the 3 series part of BMWLand.co.uk 's forums.

There is a clever arsed "swirl flap" in the intake manifold which, if you have the old type, has been known to fail and trash the engine :raf:

BMW are refusing to admit fault, there is no recall and the stress of seeking the BMW Goodwill pay out for a fault of theirs is not worth it.

I have, literally, cut my flaps out so am worry free but I ask your good selves to tip your family or colleagues the wink.

Regards.
 
That's why I only drive Merc's. I honestly wouldn't have a brand new Beamer even if you gave me one! They're not real cars.
 
If anything, this is the reason you shouldn't read car owner's club forums. Most people only go to those sites when there is something wrong with their car and ask questions about the problem. They give a very jaudice view of the reliability of the cars.

BMW diesels are no less reliable than VW/Audi group lumps, or indeed Merc ones. The BMW intake swirl and turbo problems are just as likely to occur as with any other type of engine. In fact VW group and renault turbos have pretty poor reliability by comparison - especially with the latter BMW Bosch-sourced turbo.

According to BMWland about 50 % of 320d engines will go pop. It's more accurate to say that 50% of BMWland member's cars have gone pop and that BMWland members represent less than 10% of 320d owners in the UK alone. The other 90% probably have little trouble with their cars. I admit that I was suckered into worrying about my car by those forums, but in the end I part-chopped my beemer when it proved a bit too small for my needs.

My own 2002 320d had 93000 miles on the clock when I got rid. According to the FBMWSH that came with the car when I acquired it with 70000 said it had never missed a beat. It didn't with me either.

Pinch of salt required.
 
What exactly does the swirl flap do? And how do I know if it is the old or new type.

My BM has done 104k/km with FBMWSH. I've done 20k/km in it. Ocasionally it does give a little "kick, kick, kick" when the accelerator is steady at about 60 kmph.

Should I be worried?

Need my car for working in Europe, so it's as just as valuable as the tools I carry in the boot to do my job.


Cheers


TW
 
IIRC the swirl flaps are only activated as part of the Traction control system. When the system detects wheelspin it closes these flaps in the intake manifold reducing the available engine power and stopping the spin.

I think.

The failure with the flaps is part of the pin assembly that keeps the butterfly valves in place - The pins fail and the flaps are then injested into the manifold/cylinders etc.
 
my 'swirl flap' not real name. was playing up, burning a lot of oil blue smoke and needing to top up oil every 500 miles or so. replaced the 'swirl flap' and no more problems. i did try to degunk it first but to no avail.
my 320d has done 120000miles and is sweet as a nut, better than any old mans merc.
 
TheHogwartsBEngO said:
IIRC the swirl flaps are only activated as part of the Traction control system. When the system detects wheelspin it closes these flaps in the intake manifold reducing the available engine power and stopping the spin.

I think.

The failure with the flaps is part of the pin assembly that keeps the butterfly valves in place - The pins fail and the flaps are then injested into the manifold/cylinders etc.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the explanation HBO.

Think I'll ask my local dealer for some advice on this one. The last thing I need is a trashed engine.

But why are BMW not recalling cars if this design is effectively flawed?
 
the swirl valve is nothing to do with the traction control but to do with emissions. it recirculates or dumps depending on the state of the valve. unfortunately they usually stick at dump so you loose oil and create smoke. like mine did. the replacement items are modified and fix the problem they are approx £35 and very easy ,4 bolts, to fix.
 
Mines a late 2005 old shape 320d. The last batch before the newest shape was released.

Should I buy a modified flap or am I not affected due the car being less than 3 years old?


Also, if the flap is on the emissions side, how can this trash the engine?

TW
 
mines a 2002 same shape as yours but i guess you will have the new version already. bmw dealer will let you know. i think the new ones have been around for a few years now though.
 
it's-me-isn't-it said:
mines a 2002 same shape as yours but i guess you will have the new version already. bmw dealer will let you know. i think the new ones have been around for a few years now though.
Click to expand...


Nice one. I'll ask the dealer that I purchased it from and see if they know of any possible problems.

I haven't had any problems with the car so far and it drives like a dream on the motorways.

May it continue, I plan to keep the car for another 5 years.


TW
 
it's-me-isn't-it said:
the swirl valve is nothing to do with the traction control but to do with emissions. it recirculates or dumps depending on the state of the valve.
Click to expand...

That's the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve which at certain revs sends nasty exhaust gas back into the engine for emmission purposes.

The swirl flaps are in the inlet manifold assy which costs £330. The flaps are vacuum operated to improve inlet mix as far as I have read. The manifold, made by MkIV manifolds, was uprated in 2004 and each flap now has a thicker, stepped, shaft.

In the forum there is concern that the above recirculated exhaust gas causes a soot'n'gunk build up which is believed to stress the flaps where they attach to the shaft, leading to failure. Hence it seems that cars with over perhaps 60k are 'at risk'. You can take this with a pinch of salt (!) by all means but 320d engines are £2k second hand from EBay or £8k from BMW and then there's fitting. BMW charge £140, yes ..... 140 per hour for expert labour.

I'm not scare mongering, I'm trying to pass the word and give people information. Other cars have faults, it seems that these BM's also have a habit of losing their turbos around the 100k mark but that doesn't feck your engine.

Now I have de-flapped all is well. I am a happy BM owner and if serviced correctly I don't expect to "moan" about anything else. Below is the thread which contains almost 40 counts of flap failure. Something to be aware of hence my passion about spreading the word to friends and brothers in arms (!)

http://www.bmwland.co.uk/talker/viewtopic.php?t=53451&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Regards, Ian
 
orienteer said:
The swirl flaps are in the inlet manifold assy which costs £330. The flaps are vacuum operated to improve inlet mix as far as I have read. The manifold, made by MkIV manifolds, was uprated in 2004 and each flap now has a thicker, stepped, shaft.
Click to expand...



So is my late 2005 model safe then or what? Simple yes or no will do!


TW
 
Talk Wrench said:
Think I'll ask my local dealer for some advice on this one. The last thing I need is a trashed engine.
Click to expand...

From what I've read BMW will deny any problem. What does tend to happen is cars with FBMWSH and under 100k that have swirl flap failure have the engine replaced using funds from the BMW Goodwill scheme. You end up with free engine and paying as little as 20% labour.....if you're lucky.

Talk Wrench said:
But why are BMW not recalling cars if this design is effectively flawed?
Click to expand...

Its embarrassing and the cost in labour and parts is probably prohibitive. Those cars that are run harder, mostly on motorways, will, IMHO, not suffer the failure before they end their useable life and therefore BMW may be taking a gamble :PDT_Xtremez_42: in not recalling and replacing the manifolds.

As an aside those with turbo diesels are recommended to ensure they have a clean/working engine breather as a blocked breather is thought to be a likely cause of turbo failure. I have bought the newer 'vortex' style breather just in case (£30).

Regards, Ian
 
Talk Wrench said:
So is my late 2005 model safe then or what? Simple yes or no will do!


TW
Click to expand...


So is it then? Yes or no?

Because at 104,000 km, I want to get this sorted before it becomes a problem. P.S I am in Germany and do stacks of motorway miles.
 
Spoke to my local dealer today.

He reckoned that the failure rate was negligable on a vehicle until around 250k. which by that time the engine needs a thorough de-coking.

He reckons that the cars that have gone BooooM, is down to the lack of regular maintenance and cleaning.

Car goes in next week for a check on the Swirl flaps.


TW
 
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