they are small "flaps" inside the inlet manifold that are about 2" x 1" very thin (1mm) thick and (1 in each inlet) are attached by either what looks like small torx screws or pop rivets, they are attached to a rod (4 or 4.5mm thick) and they break and fall down into the inlet resulting in catastrophic engine damage.
they are ment to open and close at low rpm to help the mixture swirl (and so combust) better....but they are a design flaw and the huge suction created in the inlet over time causes them to fail.
and the rest is history.

same as an EGR valve....useless unless your in the green party.

 

ia this just the 3litre

am i safe with the 2.5litre

 

The price for the 6 bungs to cover the holes is ?90, I enquired last week.
They advised that it was not necesary to remove the new design flaps as they don't fail.
This advice was given in good faith but every owner needs to make their own decision.

Jason

 

thats a bold statement, when i spoke to a tech at my main dealer, he said they fail on all cars fitted with them and all years.
on the ramps when i asked about this was a 2005 (55 plate) so had 4.5 bars, with swirl flap failure, out of waranty, negotiating a "good will gesture" as the car had full MDSH ...i will find out what the outcome was/is.

i dont think it had anything to do with the flaps per seh, when i took both mine apart the issue was that the flaps were connected to the bar (by little screws and pop rivets) these were loose (woberly)

 

The more I read about these things the more I want to remove them like this weekend, I now have sunday off and I am no longer working. I might make a start on their removal on Saturday with Sunday as a contingency.

I need to clear my garage to make some space though, it would be better working in the garage for this i think.

This weekend to do list:

1. Remove intake flaps
2. Replace oil separator
3. Replace EGR Thermostat
4. Drink beer and watch a DVD

 

Well the price has been disclosed.

I would hope that the bung isn't just a circular bung - I would want one with the lugs on to screw them up to the manifold. Hence a little more than lathe work involved.
?90 is a bit dear, but probably about right for a low volume manufacture - the guy that is making them won't be on a fiver an hour will he??
For now, I'm happy with the screw replacement for the shaft solution. Less elegant maybe, but it works!!

(And my shafts were 4.5mm on an '04 car. But I now have peace of mind that they won't cause any damage to my engine)

Mike

 

Sounds like a fun weekend!
Please report in DIY thread after surgery!

 

I think the 525 is not a 2.5 its a 3.0.

 

im pretty sure Audi use swirl flaps in some of there diesels

 

would be interesting to see a dyno sheet for with and without swirl flaps, as i would have thought the flaps being closed at low rpm must increase port velocity, maybe hard to feel on the road but perhaps the low end torque is a little down with them removed but not noticable with already having so much torque.

Not that im against there removal !