Balcones Posted May 7, 2022 Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 (edited) Can anyone confirm if my engine has swirl flaps? 318ci 2002 petrol N42 BV72 Thanks Edited May 7, 2022 by Balcones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted May 8, 2022 Report Share Posted May 8, 2022 Swirl flaps is diesel only.. However your N42 engine has a whole host of other potential issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted May 8, 2022 Report Share Posted May 8, 2022 every engine ever built has potential issues, mine has been flawless bought at 111k now at 122k miles changed the cam shaft sensors and the valve stem oil seals leak so I consume oil, all totally predictable stuff for a twenty year old car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balcones Posted May 8, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2022 (edited) Strange to hear my car hasn't got these flaps ! I paid a mechanic nearly 500 because of a bad idle and misfire which has now returned. I can't seem to get any paperwork/receipts from him just a quick email which he quotes ' The swirl flaps were not closing properly and that they were bent which I explained after my repair on the 25.02.22 need to be replaced at some point' Thanks for all your comments Edited May 8, 2022 by Balcones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted May 9, 2022 Report Share Posted May 9, 2022 sounds like you’ve been had there, bad idle and misfire could be a list of simple service things. if your car did have swirl flaps which it doesn’t the cost effective solution would be to delete them and not repair or replace anyway, which any decent mechanic would/should offer you as an option. the only thing I’d say in mitigation is he may have incorrectly named a different part as swirl flaps so find out what if anything he did before you start calling him out for fraud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted May 9, 2022 Report Share Posted May 9, 2022 (edited) Is the throttle body on some sort of flap mechanism? I have no idea, i'm guessing.. But I would bet he's incorrectly named a part. Go back and ask him to show you the swirl flap. If you don't know what it is yourself, take a pic and post it here so we can help identify it. As incredirog said - on Diesels, so long as it's not broken free and wrecked the engine (on diesels the flaps enter the combustion chamber and rattle around there damaging the cylinders) the best thing to do with swirl flaps is just remove them. Yours doesn't have them so ideally need to know what he actually meant. Tbh if I was you, with that engine i'd just get rid.. Edited May 9, 2022 by momo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted May 10, 2022 Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 hahaha momo that’s harsh! I mean I don’t exactly love my N42 but it’s not wronged me either so I refuse to criticise them. I’d be amazed if it was the TBody, maybe he meant the valve tronic? that’s a bit fiddly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balcones Posted May 10, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 (edited) Thanks appreciate all your responses. He has confirmed the swirl flaps question and blames me for disturbing something in the engine which has caused the misfire. Not helpful at all. I've had this car since new and done 97k so its hard to let it go. Rang BMW who confirm no swirl flaps in my engine Edited May 10, 2022 by Balcones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted May 10, 2022 Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 2 hours ago, Balcones said: Thanks appreciate all your responses. He has confirmed the swirl flaps question and blames me for disturbing something in the engine which has caused the misfire. Not helpful at all. I've had this car since new and done 97k so its hard to let it go. Rang BMW who confirm no swirl flaps in my engine Sounds like you need a new mechanic tbh! Whether you disturbed something or not, you're paying him to find the issue and fix it! What kind of silly excuse is that? LOL Understood about sentimental value. If you've had it that long and you know the service history then it's different. Better the devil you know, as they say! You would've looked after it so hopefully it'll be solid. I believe its when they've not been looked after they can get tempremental. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balcones Posted May 10, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 Thanks new mechanic it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted May 11, 2022 Report Share Posted May 11, 2022 New mechanic definitely, hard to swallow a £500 loss though. I’d be chasing that might be worth speaking to citizens advice beureau and going down the small claims route if they are being a holes about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balcones Posted May 11, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2022 Yes already asked BMW to confirm in writing the swirl flaps issue so theres no way he can defend the alleged work he says he carried out. Appreciate the support momo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted May 11, 2022 Report Share Posted May 11, 2022 good luck, hope you get the car fixed cheap and you get your money back easily! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balcones Posted May 11, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2022 Thanks again, I'll update if I manage to get anywhere. momo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balcones Posted May 16, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2022 (edited) Can you believe BMW UK don't have a technical dept, so my request for confirmation in writing of swirl flaps for my engine was unable to be answered. Tried RealOEM but couldn't find the answer there either. Edited May 16, 2022 by Balcones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incredirog Posted May 16, 2022 Report Share Posted May 16, 2022 Not too sure what advice to give you, the burden of proof is on him. He should be able to tell you exactly what part he fitted and from that you will be able to see if it is compatible with your engine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted May 16, 2022 Report Share Posted May 16, 2022 2 hours ago, Balcones said: Can you believe BMW UK don't have a technical dept, so my request for confirmation in writing of swirl flaps for my engine was unable to be answered. Tried RealOEM but couldn't find the answer there either. I believe that tbh, it's not up to them really - it's up to the local dealership service departments to service the cars. They're the only ones who need to know. You COULD maybe have gotten the info from their marketing team IF it was a current car. They're not really shown on RealOEM either because on the diesel they come as part of the intake manifold: http://bmwfans.info/parts-catalog/E46-Sedan/Europe/320d-M47N/R-N/mar2004/browse/engine/intake_manifold_agr_with_flap_control The intake manifold on the N42 is very different: http://bmwfans.info/parts-catalog/E46-Sedan/Europe/318i-N42/R-N/feb2004/browse/engine/intake_manifold_system/ It maybe past this point now but it would've been useful if you could've gone to the previous ID10T mechanic and asked him to point/show you the flap location, you take a pic and upload it so we can identify it. Long shot, but might work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balcones Posted May 17, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2022 Managed to get an answer from the customer service at Halliwell Jones Chester as follows I've had an answer from our technical team. They're saying it doesn't have swirl flaps from factory. Thanks again to you all for your messages and support Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balcones Posted June 28, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2022 Unfortunately still on this erratic idle issue. Smoke test found a small break ( less than half inch) in the rubber boot with resonator (part 13717506181), could that be causing the bad idle? Don't want to spend £50 on a new one if its not the fault. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martauto Posted June 28, 2022 Report Share Posted June 28, 2022 Cover the cut in silicon sealant and if it makes a difference then buy a new one . Mart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balcones Posted June 28, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2022 Thanks Mart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
