Just had my glow plugs changed the mechanic found the swirl flaps on inlet manifold had broken. This is a common fault on BMW but didn't know it was a Freelander 2 fault.the good news is a new manifold is £120 and swirl flaps are plastic on BMW they are metal so can cause damage to the engine.

That lucky that he found it as there is no need to remove the manifold to change glow plugs. There is a post on here describing how its done. We're the swirl flaps generally bust or just seized? If seized were they help open or shut?
It woul be good if you reset the MPG trip and report back any change.
Out of interest the 190 SD4 variant doesn't have the flaps.
For those who might wonder what swirl flaps are. Your engine is a 16 valve ie 2 inlet, 2 exhaust per cylinder. The flaps close to make the effect of 1 valve per cylinder for economy and open when more umph is needed.
The dreaded EGR valve bypass exhaust gas clogs swirl flaps. 2010GS Auto ex Celeb, Santorini Black, 2011 facelift , spoiler, spats, mudflaps, LED footwell lamps, Witter detach,
Other cars:-
1958 & 1959 Austin J40 Pedal Cars under restoration (I make many J40 parts)
If you have an Austin J40 or Pathfinder Pedal Car looking for a new home pls PM me.
2009 Meriva

Hi all, The mechanic said on his report that they had come adrift! Funnily enough my fuel consumption had dropped a bit. It will be interesting to see how much it improves with new inlet manifold n

Hi...
So... Has the "Td4 160cv" this famous swirl flaps?
I'm interested to clean them and the trottle body...

I see you list your car as 2010 year.
Sometime around mid year LR changed from the '2009' visual front to the updated '2011' front.
The forum members refer to this as 2011 facelift.
.
If yours is preface lift then you have swirl flaps.
.
If yours is the facelift model the it does not have these flaps.
.
If you open the bonnet and look at the engine top, at the bulkhead there is a cross pipe, pre facelift has four stub pipes facing forwards, we call them 'organ pipes'; facelift engines just have a straight pipe (no organ pipe stubs)
.
Whilst removing the manifold to clean everything, please think about new glow plugs whilst you can see and reach them.
Hope thus helps.
Kind regards from Fred 2010GS Auto ex Celeb, Santorini Black, 2011 facelift , spoiler, spats, mudflaps, LED footwell lamps, Witter detach,
Other cars:-
1958 & 1959 Austin J40 Pedal Cars under restoration (I make many J40 parts)
If you have an Austin J40 or Pathfinder Pedal Car looking for a new home pls PM me.
2009 Meriva

Thank you so much Fred.
I have verified now.
I have the four pipes...so pre facelift.
And thanks too for the suggestion about the glow plugs..

By the way:
is really necessary to replace the 8 gaskets of the manifold?

They are not 'gaskets' in the traditional reference to 'paper' or 'card' nor are they traditional black 'o'rings.
They are actually pretty thick section orange rubber donut rings.
I didn't replace mine. There are quantity eight in all.
.
Kind regards from Fred
. 2010GS Auto ex Celeb, Santorini Black, 2011 facelift , spoiler, spats, mudflaps, LED footwell lamps, Witter detach,
Other cars:-
1958 & 1959 Austin J40 Pedal Cars under restoration (I make many J40 parts)
If you have an Austin J40 or Pathfinder Pedal Car looking for a new home pls PM me.
2009 Meriva

Thanks Fredastaire....
You have been much helpful....
Next week i will start the "job" on my Free.


CIAO.....

5jms5 wrote:

Just had my glow plugs changed the mechanic found the swirl flaps on inlet manifold had broken. This is a common fault on BMW but didn't know it was a Freelander 2 fault.the good news is a new manifold is £120 and swirl flaps are plastic on BMW they are metal so can cause damage to the engine.

I can give a reply to some points.
I have been running now for nearly a year with an EGR blanking plate.
It would make sense to change the diesel filter, search on here for my method of backfilling with a plastic tube and funnel to prime it.
As a comment, if you remove the manifold to flush the throttlebody and the flaps, you could work out how to set the flaps fully open and blank off the vacuum pipe to do a test, then try again with the vacuum reconnected so you can prove to yourself if there is any benefit of swirl flaps.
As long as your swirl flaps are free running and clean and the egr is blanked off then probably they wont be at risk of getting crapped up and breaking off. (not sure how much crap is pulled through the engine block negative pressure breather pipe).
.
Kind regards from Fred
.
PS are new manifolds only £40??
. 2010GS Auto ex Celeb, Santorini Black, 2011 facelift , spoiler, spats, mudflaps, LED footwell lamps, Witter detach,
Other cars:-
1958 & 1959 Austin J40 Pedal Cars under restoration (I make many J40 parts)
If you have an Austin J40 or Pathfinder Pedal Car looking for a new home pls PM me.
2009 Meriva

Many thanks Fred, I'll try as you suggest; just need to find the time to do it. I found an engine dealer in B,ham who has two inlet manifolds for sale without swirl flaps, I imagine the hole for the brass rod is blanked. I was a little taken back at the price of £40, they are asking up to £100 on Ebay for second hand.

Ian

Is it better with the egr blanked off
Was it easy