removed the Swirl Flaps
 

Last weekend I removed the Swirl Flaps from my fathers 3.0 d 2004 X3.
I've heard it has the same risk engine as the E39 3.0 d.
Quite a job but succesfull, so worth the effort.
I did it without the blanking plates so the old fashioned way.
Iron saw, m6 bold and loctite. I also disconected te EGR tubes.
There is no less power what so ever.

Bert.

What's are swirl flaps?

Nasty little things in the inlet manifold (look like throttle plates) that prior to 2006 were assembled from plastic and metal screws. Engine vibration after a time may loosen a screw. The screw having no where else to go follows the path of least resistance into the cylinder head, takes out the cylinder by bouncing around few thousand times then having done its jumping castle trick then exits via the exhaust and hence the Turbo. Decides to pause for a bit and kills the turbo then when had enough of that finally explores sic. the cat converter. Neat. Not.

do you know if thats a problem on the gasoline engines?

No, this is just a diesel engine problem.
Bert