[cx500ec]

My daughters petrol Vauxhall Zafira Breeze registered in 2009 (engine code Z16XEL) with 98,000+ miles has developed a juddering problem. The fault code is P1112. It has been in and out of our local garage for the last 2/3 weeks and they have finally diagnosed (after fitting an Inlet Manifold Swirl Flap Vacuum Valve at a cost of £44 + £50 fitting) that it has an Inlet Manifold Swirl Flap sticking problem.
They have been quoted £700 + VAT for the cost of a replacement Inlet Manifold from a main dealer.......with the fitting costs on top, repairing the car is not economical.
I have been informed (by a man in my local) that removing the Swirl Flaps not only sorts the problem out but the car run's better; has anybody on here carried out this mod and is it the way to go?

 

[BillyD]

I have seen before that the swirl flaps can be removed, common on BMW’s I think. I’ve considered this myself but I have been told you will need to get the software for swirl flaps adjusted/removed from ecu. I heard there was a relatively easy fix for this issue.

 

[BillyD]

 

[BillyD]

That’s only part of post I can remember. Can find full post if you would like?

 

[cx500ec]

That’s only part of post I can remember. Can find full post if you would like?

Hi BillyD
My daughters P1112 fault code and juddering/kangarooing problems at low throttle openings has now been sorted and I detail below the actions taken.

Following spending (wasting) £100 with our local garage (they fitted a new Electrical Switch £44+fitting+VAT which controlled the movement of the Inlet Manifold Swirl Flap Vacuum Valve) the P1112 fault code and juddering/kangarooing problem was still present they then decided that it was a Manifold Swirl Flaps sticking problem and quoted £700+VAT+fitting for a new replacement item.
This was more than the car was worth and also what the daughter could not afford so I decided to try and sort things out myself (I am a time served engineer and do all my own servicing and car repairs).
As the garage had diagnosed the problem to be sticking Manifold Swirl Flaps I stripped and removed the Inlet Manifold (it took me a good day to accomplish).
Following removal of the Manifold I took it to a local friendly mechanic for advice. He inspected it and diagnosed that the problem was not sticking Swirl Flaps but a defective (non functioning) Vacuum Unit and showed me how to check it (you operate and check the Vacuum Valve by pushing the piston arm in the front of the Unit manually back into itself and hold it in position while you block/pinch the rubber pipe on the reverse of the Unit with some pinchers and when you release your hold on the piston arm (with pinchers still in place) then the arm should not move; if it does move, then the unit is faulty ie: does not hold it's Vacuum.

I contacted Vauxhall and enquired what the cost of a new Vacuum Unit was; and was quoted £300+VAT .......this was only for a replacement diaphragm within the Unit and not the whole unit!
I thought this was a ridiculous price for just a replacement diaphragm and decided to try and find an usable Vacuum Unit on e-bay. The only item available on e-bay at the time was a complete Inlet Manifold with the Swirl Flaps + 4 Injectors + Vacuum Unit (in working order) and it's Electrical Switch attached for £120 which I bought.
As I had the original Manifold on my workbench I decided to fully de-coke it and all the swirl flaps (there was very little carbon build up really and no wear to the shaft) and then changed the faulty Vacuum for the one taken off the e-bay unit and re-fitted the cleaned Inlet Manifold and Swirl Flaps back into the car.

Following removal of the E.M.L (Engine Manifold Light) with my hand held diagnostic tool and testing the car on the road the engine management light P1112 did not re-appear .......good news problem solved!

However my elation was short lived as the juddering/kangerooing was still there. To cut a long story short the juddering/kangarooing was traced to a faulty EGR Valve. Again I contacted Vauxhall and was quoted £120+VAT. To sort this problem out I bought and fitted an EGR Valve Blanking Plate for £5.49 off e-bay which blocks the ports of the EGR Valve.
This stopped the juddering/kangarooing and the car now runs like a good un.....what a relief!

With the benefit of hindsight the car had two problems:-
1st problem was the P1112 fault code which was due to a Faulty Swirl Flap Vacuum Unit which could have been sorted/changed in about 2 hrs (not Sticking Swirl Flaps)......I did not need to remove the Inlet Manifold and could have saved myself the 2 days it took removing de-coking and re-fitting it.

2nd problem was a faulty EGR valve which when diagnosed took about 3 hrs to sort out as the 4 screws holding it in place were corroded and I had to borrow a special screw extractor (borrowed from my friendly mechanic) to remove them. If we decide to replace the EGR Valve for a working one in the future then with the new screws in place it can now be done in about 1/2 hour.

I apologize for the long winded explanation above but hope it helps other peeps on here who experience the same problems.

After 2/3 days of starting and using the car the E.M.L (Engine Management Light) for the E.G.R Valve fault code came on but the car runs faultlessly and has done so for the last week so the light does not worry my daughter.
When it comes to the dreaded MOT day I will on the morning remove the E.M.L with my diagnostic tool (the E.M.L will not show for 2/3 days so it should pass;.....;0) ;0).

PS: Does anyone want to purchase a fully de-coked Inlet Manifold and Swirl Flaps + 4 Injectors + Vacuum Unit (faulty) and it's Electrical Switch attached for a Vauxhall Zafira Breeze Z16XE1 engine.

John (cx500ec)

 

[BillyD]

No apology needed it’s a pretty informative post and just shows a little knowledge and determination and persistence works a **** of a lot better than throwing money at an issue. I’m glad you got sorted out and daughters car is now up and running. Personally I think the engine light is a permanent decoration on most zafira ?.. post should be made to be a permanent fixture as all of you’re legwork may save someone else a lot of time and money.

 

[cx500ec]

No apology needed it’s a pretty informative post and just shows a little knowledge and determination and persistence works a **** of a lot better than throwing money at an issue. I’m glad you got sorted out and daughters car is now up and running. Personally I think the engine light is a permanent decoration on most zafira ?.. post should be made to be a permanent fixture as all of you’re legwork may save someone else a lot of time and money.

Thanks for the kind words it's much appreciated.
One surprising/unexpected issue I had when trying to find out what was causing the 2nd problem (the EGR Valve) was that the juddering/kangerooing problem I experienced every time I drove the car did not show up/was not recorded as a fault on the cars electronic brain or on my friendly mechanics professional Snap On diagnostics machine whilst the car was stationary outside his garage.
Every time the car was linked to the Diagnostic machine (we did this at least 3 times following different road tests) when stationary then a baffling NO FAULTS detected message came up.
The only way that the Snap On Diagnostic machine detected the problem was when we did a live on the road test of the car ie:- me driving and the friendly mechanic in the passenger seat with the Diagnostic machine on his knees and linked to the car and every time the car momentarily juddered/kangarooed the Diagnostic machine then clearly showed that it was the EGR valve that was causing the problem.

So the moral of the story is if the fault does not show up on the Diagnostic Machine when the car is stationary then do a road test as detailed above.

 

[cx500ec]

Thanks for the kind words it's much appreciated.
One surprising/unexpected issue I had when trying to find out what was causing the 2nd problem (the EGR Valve) was that the juddering/kangerooing problem I experienced every time I drove the car did not show up/was not recorded as a fault on the cars electronic brain or on my friendly mechanics professional Snap On diagnostics machine whilst the car was stationary outside his garage.
Every time the car was linked to the Diagnostic machine (we did this at least 3 times following different road tests) when stationary then a baffling NO FAULTS detected message came up.
The only way that the Snap On Diagnostic machine detected the problem was when we did a live on the road test of the car ie:- me driving and the friendly mechanic in the passenger seat with the Diagnostic machine on his knees and linked to the car and every time the car momentarily juddered/kangarooed the Diagnostic machine then clearly showed that it was the EGR valve that was causing the problem.

So the moral of the story is if the fault does not show up on the Diagnostic Machine when the car is stationary then do a road test as detailed above.

Update:- Have just been informed by my Daughter that following the fitting of the EGR Valve Blanking Plate the car now runs smoother; quieter and has more power and pick up than it has ever had.

 

[Chetlo]

Hi BillyD
My daughters P1112 fault code and juddering/kangarooing problems at low throttle openings has now been sorted and I detail below the actions taken.

Following spending (wasting) £100 with our local garage (they fitted a new Electrical Switch £44+fitting+VAT which controlled the movement of the Inlet Manifold Swirl Flap Vacuum Valve) the P1112 fault code and juddering/kangarooing problem was still present they then decided that it was a Manifold Swirl Flaps sticking problem and quoted £700+VAT+fitting for a new replacement item.
This was more than the car was worth and also what the daughter could not afford so I decided to try and sort things out myself (I am a time served engineer and do all my own servicing and car repairs).
As the garage had diagnosed the problem to be sticking Manifold Swirl Flaps I stripped and removed the Inlet Manifold (it took me a good day to accomplish).
Following removal of the Manifold I took it to a local friendly mechanic for advice. He inspected it and diagnosed that the problem was not sticking Swirl Flaps but a defective (non functioning) Vacuum Unit and showed me how to check it (you operate and check the Vacuum Valve by pushing the piston arm in the front of the Unit manually back into itself and hold it in position while you block/pinch the rubber pipe on the reverse of the Unit with some pinchers and when you release your hold on the piston arm (with pinchers still in place) then the arm should not move; if it does move, then the unit is faulty ie: does not hold it's Vacuum.

I contacted Vauxhall and enquired what the cost of a new Vacuum Unit was; and was quoted £300+VAT .......this was only for a replacement diaphragm within the Unit and not the whole unit!
I thought this was a ridiculous price for just a replacement diaphragm and decided to try and find an usable Vacuum Unit on e-bay. The only item available on e-bay at the time was a complete Inlet Manifold with the Swirl Flaps + 4 Injectors + Vacuum Unit (in working order) and it's Electrical Switch attached for £120 which I bought.
As I had the original Manifold on my workbench I decided to fully de-coke it and all the swirl flaps (there was very little carbon build up really and no wear to the shaft) and then changed the faulty Vacuum for the one taken off the e-bay unit and re-fitted the cleaned Inlet Manifold and Swirl Flaps back into the car.

Following removal of the E.M.L (Engine Manifold Light) with my hand held diagnostic tool and testing the car on the road the engine management light P1112 did not re-appear .......good news problem solved!

However my elation was short lived as the juddering/kangerooing was still there. To cut a long story short the juddering/kangarooing was traced to a faulty EGR Valve. Again I contacted Vauxhall and was quoted £120+VAT. To sort this problem out I bought and fitted an EGR Valve Blanking Plate for £5.49 off e-bay which blocks the ports of the EGR Valve.
This stopped the juddering/kangarooing and the car now runs like a good un.....what a relief!

With the benefit of hindsight the car had two problems:-
1st problem was the P1112 fault code which was due to a Faulty Swirl Flap Vacuum Unit which could have been sorted/changed in about 2 hrs (not Sticking Swirl Flaps)......I did not need to remove the Inlet Manifold and could have saved myself the 2 days it took removing de-coking and re-fitting it.

2nd problem was a faulty EGR valve which when diagnosed took about 3 hrs to sort out as the 4 screws holding it in place were corroded and I had to borrow a special screw extractor (borrowed from my friendly mechanic) to remove them. If we decide to replace the EGR Valve for a working one in the future then with the new screws in place it can now be done in about 1/2 hour.

I apologize for the long winded explanation above but hope it helps other peeps on here who experience the same problems.

After 2/3 days of starting and using the car the E.M.L (Engine Management Light) for the E.G.R Valve fault code came on but the car runs faultlessly and has done so for the last week so the light does not worry my daughter.
When it comes to the dreaded MOT day I will on the morning remove the E.M.L with my diagnostic tool (the E.M.L will not show for 2/3 days so it should pass;.....;0) ;0).

PS: Does anyone want to purchase a fully de-coked Inlet Manifold and Swirl Flaps + 4 Injectors + Vacuum Unit (faulty) and it's Electrical Switch attached for a Vauxhall Zafira Breeze Z16XE1 engine.

John (cx500ec)

Hello, this is very helpful as I've just purchased a second hand zafira with the same problems. Took it to a quickfit and they said it would cost £1500 to fit with labour.
I'de like to try and do the fix myself but where do I find the actuator for the swirl flap? I can see it when I look in the engine bay. Is it in the actual manifold buried in the engine bay?