More M-18 Questions

Is the hose from the crankcase breather supposed to connect to anything? (On my motorcycle it routes back to the air filter; on others it has it's own filter and collector bottle.)

On the parts schematic at Torresen Marine I see that the breather has an internal element. Does this element require periodic replacement or cleaning?

The element in the breather I have been told cannot be changed and therefore the whole unit must be replaced. I don't know about yours but I couldn't get mine off until I hauled the motor. It was too close to the side wall of the motor compartment.

I think I am going to route a hose to a K&N or other universal air filter.

The crankcase breather (you mean the hose that comes off the top of the valve cover?) was attached to the breather but not tied into it. Just kinda clipped on.

Stock Universal breather hose notes

The earlier M25XP, like our '88 model, has the breather hose led down by the motor mount and back of the oil filter.
Later models have the hose routed back and up over the top of the engine and secured with its end against the outside of the air filter element.

Inside of our valve cover is a little plate, as I remember, with some steel mesh to provide a "baffle" over the entry to the breather hose.

Loren

There is a wire clip on the air filter cover at the intake. I'm thinking this is where the end of the tube is supposed to attach. When I first saw the boat the tube was (and has been) inserted into the filter intake. I've always thought that this is just restricting the amount of air pulled into the intake manifold. I guess the wire clip is supposed to position the open end of the breather tube adjacent to the air intake, so any fumes that come out of it will be sucked into the air filter.

I may try that route or try the same setup as I have on my motorcycle; adapting a K&N filter and adding a fitting to the top of it for the breather tube.