ipd has begun manufacturing on two new wheels for our Volvo customers. These replicas of the factory Volvo Pegasus will be available in 17” in a RWD offset. This means direct fit, bolt on wheels. We are expecting delivery around the end of April to the beginning of May, but the best part is the price! 17” wheels for $149 ea. We will be offering pre-order specials in the next few weeks so keep an eye on the ipd website www.ipdusa.com and of course the “Ask ipd” section of www.swedespeed.com for the latest info.

Anyone who has owned a 200, 700 or 900 series Volvo knows how frustrating it can be trying to nail down those oil drips. It always seems like just when you fix one leak, another one appears. Instead of just living with it, let’s talk about a common cause, and what you can do fight the battle against slippery garage floors and stained driveways.

Even if you’ve not heard of a “flame trap” you’ve probably heard reference on cars to the “PCV system” or crankcase ventilation system. So what is it and what does it do? The design has changed over the years, but the basic functionality and purpose are the same. During normal driving your car generates crankcase pressure that, in a properly operating system, is vented out of the block through a designed system. In early versions of Volvo engines this pressure was simply vented to atmosphere. In the early Volvo overhead camshaft engines (B21/B23/B230) the system vents the excess pressure back into the intake system at the air filter housing and is burned off during normal combustion. This is a more environmentally friendly way to do it and when working properly is very effective.

The basic components for all cars from 1981 and on consist of a breather/separator box, a flame arrestor screen and the associated routing/vacuum hoses. When pressure is generated in the crankcase it flows through the breather box, which helps separate the oil from the vapors. At this point, the oil is drained back to the pan through a return pipe from the box, and the vapors are routed into the intake tract. The vapors are directed into the intake by pressure created in the combustion process and is assisted by vacuum from the intake manifold. This system works well most of the time, but strange things can start happening once the system gets clogged.

If not maintained, any (or all) of these pieces can become clogged with oil residue. As these build-ups become worse, the breather system becomes less and less effective, and it starts suffocating. When this happens, the pressure that is not able to escape through the breather system anymore starts looking for a new way out usually through your oil seals! A badly clogged flame trap system can cause oil drips at best, and totally blown seals at worst. As we all know, a blown seal causing a massive oil leak (like losing the plug on the back of the head!) can quickly turn into a catastrophic engine failure if not caught quickly enough. So how do you know if your flame trap system needs attention?

There’s a few tell tale symptoms that point to clogging or sludge build up. Oil pushing past the front cam or layshaft seals, oil around the acorn nuts holding the cam cover down, and oil pushing past the filler cap seal are common signs. Sometimes the oil dipstick tube will even “jump” out of it’s seat.

Another simple test you can conduct is the “jiggle test.” This is a very simple test of vacuum vs. pressure in your engine. With the engine idling, loosen the oil filler cap all the way, but do not remove it. If it jiggles or bounces you do not have sufficient vacuum, which can indicate excess pressure. This of course indicates a possible clogged flame trap system. If the cap does not jiggle, that means that enough vacuum is present to hold the cap down. This typically means that there is not excess pressure and therefore your flame trap system likely is doing it’s job. Another fun test to try is to remove your oil filler cap and replace it with a rubber glove. Make sure it’s creating a reasonable seal around the filler neck, and then let the car idle. If the glove inflates, you have excess pressure. If you try this test, make sure you have someone to hold one of the fingers of the glove so it doesn’t accidentally fall down into the oil filler hole!

If you have determined your system needs attention (or if you want to perform some excellent preventative maintenance) here’s what to look for.

The flame trap is located on top of the breather box and is located under the intake manifold on some models (see diagrams) and is directly on top of the breather box. To clean the system you’ll want to clean/replace the top and bottom hoses, the plastic screen, the plastic piece that holds the screen and the large hose to the intake manifold. See the next page for any individual replacement pieces and for our flame trap kits. If you have a 1981-1987 model you should consider using one of our handy flame trap relocation kits to make your future maintenance of the system a simple, 5 minute operation. Please be aware that these parts become very brittle as they age and often break upon removal. For best results, order a complete kit.