Freelander 2 (LR2) Prospective first time FL2 buyer needs guidance please

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You might want to check out the price of car transporter companies, I had a car transported a few years ago and was shocked how cheap it was, it certainly worked out cheaper than getting the train to the seller then fuel home, some transporter companies keep it cheap by working the collections in with other vehicles, might be worth a quick search on the net
My neighbour has a vehicle transporter, and he wouldn't charge me much to get it home if it needed to go on that, but I'd feel guilty that I'm taking him away from a more financially rewarding job.:(
I'm one of those people that doesn't like to rely on others, so I'll try it myself, and fall back on plan B (RAC) or plan C tow it with the Mazda or plan D, ask Steve (the neighbour) to bring it home if needed.
 
Peeps were tallking about swirl flaps earlier...

The easy way to know if yer Freelander 2 diesel had swirl flaps fitted during manufacture is to lift the bonnet and look for the "organ pipes" circled in green in the pic below. If you have the big air pipe fitted with 4 organ pipes, then yer engine has swirl flaps fitted (unless they have been removed after manufacture). No organ pipes mean no swirl flaps.

Organ pipes circled in green:

cZ9z15Y.jpg

FL2organpipes cZ9z15Y


No organ pipes:

Q6Le7tj.jpg

DSCN5886 Q6Le7tj


You can also tell if swirl flaps were fitted by looking at the vin number. Swirl flaps were fitted to early diesel Freelander's only, during model years before the MY11 (2011) model year change when they did the "face lift" revision. The 2011 model year started sometime in the second half of 2010. LR normally start the MY model year earlier than the new calendar year. You can tell the model year of yer Freelander 2 by looking at the UK spec vin plate as below:

SALFA2AE0FHnnnnnn

The 10th character is the model year indicator. In this eggsample it's F which means MY15 or model year 2015.

7 = MY07 or model year 2007
8 = MY08 or model year 2008
9 = MY09
A = MY10
B = MY11
C = MY12
D = MY13
E = MY14
F = MY15

The early TD4 diesel was 160bhp. It had swirl flaps fitted.
The later TD4 diesel was 150bhp. No swirl flaps fitted. The power change started at the same time as the face lift revision.
The SD4 was only available from MY11 onwards. No swirl flaps fitted

Warning: there are a number of pre-facelift Freelander 2's with the revised "face lift" fitted to them, to update their look to the new style.

There were 2 manifold versions available. Early one with swirl flaps and later one without.

Early:
LR006680 had swirls flaps fitted at the time of manufacture.
Includes vin numbers up to AH999999.
The A is the 10th character. 999999 means all of that model year. So every diesel up to and including MY10. (everything before MY11 with the 10th character = B)

Later:
LR019987 had no swirl flaps when manufactured.
Includes vin numbers from BH000001 onwards. So evey diesel after that date.
The B is the 10th character which identifies model year MY11 onwards.
 
Thanks hippo, I’m glad I have mine booked in to have the work done because I fall in to all the categories of having swirl flaps, but it’s nice to have it confirmed now
 
Thanks hippo, I’m glad I have mine booked in to have the work done because I fall in to all the categories of having swirl flaps, but it’s nice to have it confirmed now
Ask the garage to keep the old manifold if yer can so yer can take some pic's for us.
 
Oh yeah I’ve already thought about that one, it’s not even that I’m checking up to n them I’m just really curious to see how close I was to disaster, well could still be, it goes in in 2 weeks time, I must admit although it probably makes no difference, I have been driving a bit slower the last couple times f days lol, I’ll definitely post pics though
 
Ask the garage to keep the old manifold if yer can so yer can take some pic's for us.


I'll be removing the swirl flaps on my new purchase, even if they're not the cause of the misfire.

I can't be taking chances with bits of plastic and metal getting into the cylinders.:eek:
 
I'll be removing the swirl flaps on my new purchase, even if they're not the cause of the misfire.

I can't be taking chances with bits of plastic and metal getting into the cylinders.:eek:
Haha yeah after all that’s been said I really don’t blame you, it’s sitting in what some people described as the danger zone for mileage when it comes to swirl flaps, like someone said before, not sure if it’s much consultation but at least they’re plastic on the FL2 and not metal so you’d think the damage might be less
 
While we’re on the subject of failure and the FL2 (not that FL2s suffer many) has anyone thought of fitting the uprated camshaft that’s available, I’ve been told this can also present itself as a weakness in the earlier FL2 td4 engines (sorry to change subject) or actually has anyone had their camshaft go
 
Peeps were tallking about swirl flaps earlier...

The easy way to know if yer Freelander 2 diesel had swirl flaps fitted during manufacture is to lift the bonnet and look for the "organ pipes" circled in green in the pic below. If you have the big air pipe fitted with 4 organ pipes, then yer engine has swirl flaps fitted (unless they have been removed after manufacture). No organ pipes mean no swirl flaps.

Organ pipes circled in green:

cZ9z15Y.jpg

FL2organpipes cZ9z15Y


No organ pipes:

Q6Le7tj.jpg

DSCN5886 Q6Le7tj


You can also tell if swirl flaps were fitted by looking at the vin number. Swirl flaps were fitted to early diesel Freelander's only, during model years before the MY11 (2011) model year change when they did the "face lift" revision. The 2011 model year started sometime in the second half of 2010. LR normally start the MY model year earlier than the new calendar year. You can tell the model year of yer Freelander 2 by looking at the UK spec vin plate as below:

SALFA2AE0FHnnnnnn

The 10th character is the model year indicator. In this eggsample it's F which means MY15 or model year 2015.

7 = MY07 or model year 2007
8 = MY08 or model year 2008
9 = MY09
A = MY10
B = MY11
C = MY12
D = MY13
E = MY14
F = MY15

The early TD4 diesel was 160bhp. It had swirl flaps fitted.
The later TD4 diesel was 150bhp. No swirl flaps fitted. The power change started at the same time as the face lift revision.
The SD4 was only available from MY11 onwards. No swirl flaps fitted

Warning: there are a number of pre-facelift Freelander 2's with the revised "face lift" fitted to them, to update their look to the new style.

There were 2 manifold versions available. Early one with swirl flaps and later one without.

Early:
LR006680 had swirls flaps fitted at the time of manufacture.
Includes vin numbers up to AH999999.
The A is the 10th character. 999999 means all of that model year. So every diesel up to and including MY10. (everything before MY11 with the 10th character = B)

Later:
LR019987 had no swirl flaps when manufactured.
Includes vin numbers from BH000001 onwards. So evey diesel after that date.
The B is the 10th character which identifies model year MY11 onwards.

My 2010 model has the organ pipes and so will have the swirl flaps, but it's only at 45k miles.
Looking at the new manifold it's about £500 do you know if there is a flap removal kit available to take the flaps out of the existing one and blank the openings off?
 
Haha yeah after all that’s been said I really don’t blame you, it’s sitting in what some people described as the danger zone for mileage when it comes to swirl flaps, like someone said before
Yes, like the BMW engines, it seems 100-120k seems to be the time for the flaps to fail. Thankfully they are easily removed, or a later non flap manifold can be fitted instead.
not sure if it’s much consultation but at least they’re plastic on the FL2 and not metal so you’d think the damage might be less
Being a diesel, it's not good for chunks of anything to enter the cylinders, plastic metal or otherwise.

If this has been caused by an ingested flap, then unfortunately it's a head off job, so I can assess the damage, and with luck it'll just need a couple of valves to put it right.
 
My 2010 model has the organ pipes and so will have the swirl flaps, but it's only at 45k miles.
Looking at the new manifold it's about £500 do you know if there is a flap removal kit available to take the flaps out of the existing one and blank the openings off?
Different options available. Haven't done it myself as mine dun't have swirl flaps as it's an SD4. From seeing peeps talk of swirl flap removal on FL2's over the years... there's several favoured options:

(not in any perticular order)

- Take manifold oft and remove flaps then refit with new seals.
- Buy the later type none flap manifold - but they're 3 times the price of the original with swirl flaps fitted, if buying new. No idea why so eggspensive.
- The evoque manifold has no flaps and is the same part and can be found cheaper some times. The earlier evoque's had the same diesel engine fitted.

Removing the manifold... you need to make sure you find all the bolts. One is hidden with a bracket holding on from underneath. You have to break the plastic flaps in order to remove them. Some start by drilling small holes. It's easier if the brass bar down the middle of them is removed. Make sure you collect all the pieces of flap.

Most peeps don't see a problem with the flaps when they look inside. Some have minor cracks starting. They're plastic so heat will damage them especially the hotter egr gas so owners tend to blank oft the egr anorl. On the whole the FL2's seems to be luckier on swirl flap problems. Owners wish to remove them as prevention is betterer than what may happen.

Not sure what you mean about blanking. The flap is removed and the space left empty. Peeps remove the control rod anorl. The actuator arm thing can be put back so it covers the hole.
 
Different options available. Haven't done it myself as mine dun't have swirl flaps as it's an SD4. From seeing peeps talk of swirl flap removal on FL2's over the years... there's several favoured options:

(not in any perticular order)

- Take manifold oft and remove flaps then refit with new seals.
- Buy the later type none flap manifold - but they're 3 times the price of the original with swirl flaps fitted, if buying new. No idea why so eggspensive.
- The evoque manifold has no flaps and is the same part and can be found cheaper some times. The earlier evoque's had the same diesel engine fitted.

Removing the manifold... you need to make sure you find all the bolts. One is hidden with a bracket holding on from underneath. You have to break the plastic flaps in order to remove them. Some start by drilling small holes. It's easier if the brass bar down the middle of them is removed. Make sure you collect all the pieces of flap.

Most peeps don't see a problem with the flaps when they look inside. Some have minor cracks starting. They're plastic so heat will damage them especially the hotter egr gas so owners tend to blank oft the egr anorl. On the whole the FL2's seems to be luckier on swirl flap problems. Owners wish to remove them as prevention is betterer than what may happen.

Not sure what you mean about blanking. The flap is removed and the space left empty. Peeps remove the control rod anorl. The actuator arm thing can be put back so it covers the hole.
Interesting thanks.
I saw a kit for BMWs which removed the flap and actuator and replaced it with a machined plug which has a two bolt flange to block off the opening in the manifold.
Perhaps I need to asses the condition of my manifold and maybe give it a go with some oven cleaner, mine is low mileage and I have already blanked off the EGR.
 
Interesting thanks.
I saw a kit for BMWs which removed the flap and actuator and replaced it with a machined plug which has a two bolt flange to block off the opening in the manifold.
Perhaps I need to asses the condition of my manifold and maybe give it a go with some oven cleaner, mine is low mileage and I have already blanked off the EGR.

I've looked at the DW12 inlet manifold, and once the flaps are broken out and removed, there's no need to do anything else, as the actuator rod can remain in place. ;)
 
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