Swirl Flaps Failure 1.9CDTi Z19DTH

Failure Symptoms

You may be experiencing a loss of power, or may have one of the fault codes below stored in the engine, which may also light up the engine management light.

P1109 Swirl Actuator Malfunction
Cause:- Stiff/sticking swirl flaps overloading or stalling the drive module motor.

P2279 – Intake system air leak detected
Cause:- Charge air pressure in manifold leaking through worn swirl flap bearings.

 The swirl flab bar may also have come off.

Operation of the Swirl Flaps

So that the fuel/air mixture is combusted in the CDti engine as quickly as possible and as best as possible, the air entering through two separate intake channels for each cylinder is provided with a swirl. one of these intake channels in each case is equipped in addition with an adjustable swirl flap which is actuated through a lever arrangement by the electric drive module. through the position of the swirl flaps, swirling of the fresh air in the cylinder can be adapted to the specific load conditions of the engine.

In this way the quantity of emitted pollutants and the power can be optimally set up depending on the specific load conditions.

Electric Drive Module EAM-i
EaM-i stands for Elektrisches Antriebs-Modul (electric drive module) with integrated “intelligence”.

It permits an adjustment to any point within the operating angle range. An integrated angle sensor acquires the actual position. In case a deviation with respect to the set point position is detected, this is then indicated as an error to the engine controller. The position of the swirl flaps in the intake manifold itself is not acquired. This can only be  performed indirectly through the angle position of the drive module, for this reason malfunctions at the swirl flaps or at the lever the arrangement are sometimes attributed to the drive module.

Diagnosis information

The cause for these malfunctions are often stiff or sticking swirl flaps.

Deposits or sticking swirl flaps can be caused by very oily intake or charging air. There are many reasons for this.
• Bad, dirty combustion
• faults in the engine management
• Incorrect software revision of the engine controller
• frequent short-run operation
• Malfunctions in the crankcase vent

When the faulty intake manifold remains in the vehicle and only the drive module is changed, this error will reappear quite quickly.
• Perform an actuator diagnosis of the drive module: if the drive module switches, power supply and drive module are electrically in order.
• Check to ensure that there is a proper link (“lever arrangement”) between the drive module and the swirl flaps.
• Check to ensure that the swirl flaps can move freely. the actuating lever must, after being deflected, return to its initial position within a period of 1 to 2 seconds.
• It must not be possible to move the swirl flaps in the axial direction (see figure).

Repair Costs

The table below has a list of the parts which are needed to carry out a full replacement of the intake manifold according to the Vauxhall Technical Service Bulletin.

The parts come to around £600 at retail price.

Part NumberDescriptionQuantity
55210201MANIFOLD, INDUCTION, (PRATOLA SERRA)1
93179058GASKET, INDUCTION MANIFOLD TO CYLINDER HEAD1
93181665GASKET, EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE1
55205453GASKET, THROTTLE VALVE BODY TO INDUCTION MANIFOLD1
55205127VALVE, CONTROL, RUNNER, INDUCTION MANIFOLD1
90542117COMPOUND, LOCKING, 50ML1
93186274CONNECTING BAR, BRACKET, INDUCTION MANIFOLD1
55215517PIPE, ASSY., FUEL INJECTION PUMP TO DISTRIBUTOR1
93178824NUT, SPECIAL, GEAR, FUEL PUMP1
93178879WASHER, M8, THERMOSTAT HOUSING1
93178880NUT, M8, FUEL INJECTION PUMP TO BRACKET12