I have wndered about this to. I know what they are for, but for a guy like me with a 550hp stroker are they really important? I have 2 breathers on my motor, with the baffles. You catch the smell of oil every once in a while. But I have had no problems running like this. It makes since to me that you would want new clean air being shoved into your intake, not hot old air.
Someone educate us!...lol