TD6 Swirl Flap Failure, Common Problem & Symptoms

Hi there! I have some experience working on diesel engines and went through something very similar with my 2004 Land Rover Range Rover TD6. Had almost identical symptoms, rough running, black smoke, stalling, the works. Turned out the intake manifold was damaged with charred flaps causing air leaks. Took it to my regular workshop, and they confirmed the diagnosis after a thorough inspection. The whole repair, including parts and labor, set me back about 1180 Euro. They had to replace the complete intake manifold assembly. After the fix, the engine ran smooth as butter again. Before I share more specific details about my repair process, current mileage on your Disco? Any recent maintenance done? Are you getting any specific error codes? I also own a Freelander, but the TD6 engines are quite different beasts.

Thanks for your detailed response! My Disco has 133519 KM and had its last service about 3 months ago. The swirl flap symptoms you described match mine exactly. Pretty frustrating dealing with all that black smoke and power loss. Think I'll get it checked at the workshop this week, your repair costs give me a good idea what to expect. Really helpful to know that replacing the intake manifold sorted it out completely. Did your workshop mention any preventive measures to avoid this happening again? Just trying to avoid future headaches with these swirl flaps.

Hey again! Glad my previous info was helpful. Yeah, after dealing with my Range Rover's swirl flap issues, I learned quite a bit about preventing future problems. Actually, my mechanic gave me some solid advice after the repair. He recommended running the engine at higher RPMs occasionally (like on motorways) to help prevent carbon buildup, apparently that's what killed my flaps in the first place. Also suggested using premium diesel fuel and adding a fuel system cleaner every few thousand kilometers. Funny enough, I had almost the exact same mileage as yours (around 135,000 km) when my issues started. Since the repair, I've put on another 45,000 km with no problems. The workshop also installed a slightly modified version of the intake manifold that's supposed to be more durable. One thing though, after the repair, make sure they clear all the error codes properly. Mine kept throwing a check engine light for a few days until they reset everything completely. Just keep an eye on it after the fix. If you notice even slight hesitation or black smoke again, get it checked right away. These TD6 engines are pretty solid overall, but those swirl flaps can be proper troublemakers if you don't stay on top of maintenance. Let me know how the workshop visit goes!

I would respond (as with: Thanks for all that extra info, really appreciate you sharing your experience! Good to know about running it at higher RPMs and using premium diesel. I'll definitely keep those tips in mind once it's fixed. Actually heading to the workshop tomorrow morning, so your advice about checking the error codes afterward is super timely. Bit nervous about the repair bill, but better to sort it now than risk more damage. I'll stick to premium fuel and that fuel system cleaner you mentioned going forward. I've always liked this TD6 engine when it's running right, just need to be more proactive with the maintenance I guess. Will update you on how it goes after the workshop takes a look. Cheers for all the help!