Does my car have swirl flaps

[Rayman]

I have a 2001 x5 3.0 diesel auto. I was thinking about blanking off the swirl flaps( preventative measures)
I got I touch with a company recommended by the forum that does blanking kits for the swirl flaps. They told me that my car is to early & that mine won't have swirl flaps so I don't have to worry about them.
Can anyone confirm I don't have swirl flaps. Many thanks Ray.

[Horizon]

Welcome to the forum.
None of the E53 3.0D 's have swirl flaps. So don't need to worry.

[X5Sport]

As above.  Those products of satan only appeared on the cars, and only on the X5 & X6 when the E70/71 versions were launched.

You are safe.  But get your breather/oil separator changed.  It's a straightforward DIY and could save you a blown turbo.  It might have already been done, but there is no way to check.

There are a few threads on here from about 2010 that cover it in detail.

Richard

[nickyboy2013]

So does that mean I do not have them on my x3 E83 2008 ?

[Horizon]

I think You have them, but I think after 2007 they made them out a material that didn't damage the engine if ingested .
It may have been the spindle part that did the damage. I'm sure someone will be clearer on this topic.

[X5Sport]

RealOEM says you do have them according to this diagram....it refers to 'flap control'.

I think the issue only affected earlier diesel engines in the cars rather than the 'X' range as the vibration caused the flap spindle to fail which dropped the flap into the cylinder with the expected disastrous results.  I think the early ones were plastic and the flaps screwed on, the later BMW modified system is all metal and there have been far far fewer issues as far as I know.  The manifolds are completely different now as well.

At some point I need to do the ones in the E46, which despite being the same engine as the E53, actually does have the little horrors!

Richard

[Sanj]

[quote="X5Sport"]
At some point I need to do the ones in the E46, which despite being the same engine as the E53, actually does have the little horrors!
[/quote]

Checked them on a 120d 163bhp late 05 engine and I haven't got them.

Easy to tell though - get the plastic cover off and you should see the rail next (long rod)to the top inlet manifolds (4 pipes swooping downwards into the engine block).

Damn technical me!  ;D

[Rusty]

[quote="X5Sport"]
....it refers to 'flap control'.
[/quote]

Read that bit and my mind went all over the place pmsl )


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[X5Sport]

[Horizon]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-PARKING-S ... 2a2a0b279c
Found this, I hope it explains things better than I tried

Ignore the above !!!!!!  Cut and paste went wrong, that was one for another thread 

http://www.bmwforums.info/general-guide ... flaps.html

[AW8]

That last link interesting..........In nearly 8 years of forum related X ownership interest I have yet to hear of one owner of an E53 that claims to have swirl flaps fitted to an E53 3.0d (automatic or manual) & this despite my past efforts to get members to check relaoem agaisnt VIN's &/or physically check their cars.

Not disputing the info in the link but I still wait to read of an E53 owner with same.

With the issue being so widely discused amongst E46 owners I am suprised that definitve VIN ranges for alleged affected cars have never been published.

[X5Sport]

I think the author of that article has just lifted which cars the particular engine type was used in and not whether or not they actually do have swirl flaps fitted to the air intake structure.

Richard

[AW8]

Certainly a possibility & in abscence of clarification from author.

Alleged fact(s) posted on internet not always accurate...........same can be said for books & even spoken word(s) though, & not just car related alleged fact(s) either.

Far to deep and meaningful...........Best I get ready for work