My 1980 240 GT (B21F) is completely missing the flame trap housing. It is gone. When calling around for parts, the guy at the volvo dealership parts department told me to take the flame trap right out of it. Is it really that unnecessary? I suppose I'll need to get a new housing or get some sort of a makeshift one. The dealership is the only one that has even heard of a flame trap.

Max Carroll

You could try making something like this, which I came up with after a consultation with DF last New Year's Eve when I broke my original.

Relocates it above the intake manifold as well. The flametrap itself fits in the elbow of the top hose and is held in there quite snugly by the bronze fitting. Thanks Don, still owe you several cold ones for your help on it.

My HTML is lousy, so it may take a couple of tries, but here goes try #1.

I found a local shop that had a housing in stock. I bought that cause I figured it'd be easier than trying to make a custom one. It was a steep $9. Straight from Volvo it was $4 with a 2 day wait. I guess you pay for convienience. Thanks guys.

The flame trap is located in the Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV)system and is the "breather" for the lower crankcase. Sometimes referred to as the "spark arrester", it "filters" by catching by-products from combustion in the filter (plastic - or metal on older model 240's). Flame traps can get clogged or gummed up with oil and residue over the years, causing pressure build-up in the crankcase. Over time, this can cause the main seals to fail at the front or rear of the block (any constant oil drips on the floor of your garage?) and over time blow-out your front and/or rear main seals!

I had a 240 that leaked a little oil from the front seal. I cleaned the flame trap and the leak stopped. ($2.00 for a new flame trap versus a couple hundred a shop would charge in labor to replace a $6.00 main seal) - no wonder the mechanic said you didn't need one!

Hope this helps.

Funnily enough a flame trap is just what th name implies. If your car were to develop a fuel system fault, and the sump fills with fuel, and you then try to start it, and it backfires; the flame trap is supposed to prevent the engine from turning into a makeshift shrapnel bomb.

Other than that you don't need it.

Regards

"...engine from turning into a makeshift shrapnel bomb. Other than that you don't need it..."

Oh, gee, is that all? Would it run OK afterwards? Could I still party?

Oh, gee, is that all? Would it run OK afterwards? Could I still

> party?

Obviously the car would need an engine out of a scrapyard. As to whether you could still party... do you think I'd be messing about fixing Volvos If I was medically qualified. Besides I'd want the pretty patients not the grimy fingered Volvo Enthusiasts.

By the way, stop chickening out, rent a trailer and get the free Volvo. Domestic management can also kill you once.

Regards

"...stop chickening out, rent a trailer and get the free Volvo. Domestic management can also kill you..."

I'm thinkin' about it......

Domestic management can also kill you..."

> I'm thinkin' about it......

OOps, Freudian slip; Domestic Management can only kill you once.

Regards

"Freudian slip..."

I know about those slips. They're the short ones, tough to handle, tough to understand. Even tougher to talk your way into or out of...

"A Freudian slip is where you say one thing, but mean your mother"--sorry, can't remember the attribution, probably the Freudian slip's cousin, aka Brain Fart.