I have discovered that the previous owner of my car (an Australian 83 245 with a B23E) has disconnected both pulsair valves (screws have been put into the tubes that the pulsair valves sit on top of. Is this a problem? The valves cost about $80 Aus each. The engine runs well and it doesn't seem to be a problem. Worth replacing?.

I'd replace'em. But, find a wrecking yard to get the whole thing from. I paid $15.00 U.S. at a Canadian yard for a Pulsair manifold from a 1981 240DL. If you don't replace them, the engine will run fine, but will be putting out about 2% CO, instead of the proper 0.99% CO. For a while, I had my Pulsair system plugged, since I didn't have the hose that went to the air box. The car still ran fine, except for the mixture being adjusted to the point that the car barely put out any emissions...

-J

The only problem you will run into, aside from any pollution inspection concern, is that the tubes running down under the manifold will eventually rust through from condensation building up with no air flow through the tubes. We usually take the exhaust manifold off, cut the tubes off short, weld them up and reinstall.