Well today I took the intake manifold off to get access to the nerve centre of my B230F. I took off the EGR valve and serviced it per the faq, and am in the process of cleaning up all the electrical connectors and treating them with DeOxIt. Wow that stuff is expensive. To properly take the egr valve out, you need metric flare-nut wrenches. Fortunately I have a set.

Anyway, I have taken out the oil vapour separator thingy and am wondering if there is any way to tell from the outside if it is still good or not. It doesn't appear to be cracked or anything. But how would you know if it's clogged or otherwise crudded up? Also, should I be pulling out the oil return hose to look at it or anything (I mean the hose that you can only get to after removing the oil separator)?

Would it be worthwhile to just order a new (aftermarket) separator from wherever and just install it pre-emptively? I would be willing to bet that someone out there has done that and found that the aftermarket ones just don't last very long. I would really appreciate any advice/opinion/comment on this matter, as I don't want to have to take the manifold off for another several years.

THanks.