With 175K miles on my B230, I think the Oil Breather Box is somewhat constricted at the moment. I have visited the FAQ and I am contemplating removing the intake manifold, since I can't even see where the thing is... The FAQ also mentions heater hoses down there; what and where do they go?

Does anyone have a procedure for removing the Intake Manifold?

Kevin

In the 1995 940 na and T there is an EGR* valve hard piped to both the intake and exhaust manifold, sitting right next to the breather box. I tried dropping a socket with an extension through the manifold gaps and the EGR blocked access to the front BB bolt. In addition, if I were able to get to the BB bolts the EGR is sitting over the breather box flange preventing it from lifting straight up the required 1 1/16" to clear the bottom tubes on the BB.

The '94 940 (USA) may have the same problem. I had a short discussion several months ago with a poster that had the same problem.

*When I say EGR valve, I think that is what it is. Besides being hard piped there is what looks like an electrical and vacuum connection. I have been patiently waiting until one of our pros posts the removal procedure.
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Tom F

Good point. I guess there are some 940s of every model year, turbo and N/A, that have the EGR system... the so-called 50-state (California emissions OK) cars.

Did you ever manage to get the breather box out?

- Brian '93 945T (no egr!)

No, didn't take it out yet. Still waiting for some prior experience from the board. The hard piping has the typical frozen fittings like the tranny filler tube fitting except smaller. I couldn't break them loose in that little space under the intake. The best way to get to the breather box may be to just remove the flange fitting at the intake and pry the gizmo over a 1/2 inch. The connection at the exhaust is another almost un-viewable pipe fitting. I would think that the two bolt flange fitting on the manifold has a gasket.
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Tom F

yikes...glad i dont have that!, mind u looked at my brothers b230e the other day...you cant even SEE the breather box on that! (what a &*^* peice of design!)

Do 3 jobs at the one time.

1.Remove throttle body and clean.
2.Remove idle air control valve and clean.
3.With the above removed access to oil trap/breather box and related plumbing is easy. Good idea to replace the O ring at the base of the breather box if it hasn't been done. Over time they harden and leak.

Do this once every 12 months (unless using synthetic for the first few times where I suggest more frequent cleaning ) and you will be doing yourself and the car a favour.

Take care,
John H from Downunder

John,
I like your suggestions. What solvents do you recommend for the throttle body and idle air control valve? Where is the air ctl valve located?

At 95K I switched to syn oil and have not looked at this breather box.. What is your take on that?

Do you know what heater hoses are down there?

Regards,

Kevin

For both use carby cleaner in a pressure pack.

The idle air control valve is a cylindrical component in rubber housing below the throttle body. Rubber plumbing and an electrical connector need to be dettached. See 700/900 FAQS for more details.

If your engine has a build up of gunk from the use of 'pork fat' ie poor quality oil, synthetic oil will clean it. The gunk becomes suspended in the synthetic and can result in blockages. On a turbo the small inlet manifold nipple and attached plumbing to the breather box need to be monitored frequently. This concern decreases with each use of synthetic.

Take care,
John H from Downunder

You shouldn't have to remove your intake manifold. I removed the breather box on my '93 945T with the manifold on. Check out this link: http://www.mikeponte.com/volvo/oiltrap.htm (I copied it from the FAQ) It shows you what is down there. That helped me alot.

Good luck.

Jeff Pierce
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'92 Mercedes 190E (my daily driver), '93 945 Turbo (a kickass family car), '53 Willys-Overland Pickup (my snow-plow truck/conversation piece)

ditto...i can strip & replace a breather box in about 10-15 mins (taking my time! - and i have only done it a couple of times) The pics are very helpfull as is a ratchet & socket set with a set of extensions & a knuckle...like a 18" extension! you need a 8mm socket for the bracket holding the cable harness to the top of the box and a 12mm one for the two bolts holding the box down...

you get to the front bolt with the extension dropped directly down thru the manafold, the back bolt at an angle of maybe 20 degreesand the knuckle o nthe bottom of the extension...

if you dont have extensions/knuckles go an buy them...believe me it makes the job pleasent!

also you should have a spare ring washer/seal to fit under the box....

dont throw your old box CLEAN IT...if you have time to let them soak in solvent they will clean and it means you have a nice clean one for next time...

I just did mine (AGAIN) as i hadnt clened out the oil drain pipe - i found a piece of wind screen washer tubing cleaned the drain out lovely!

it really is an easy job, but one best done with lots of light and no time/weather presure the first time as it is slightly fidly till you work it out.,..