The snow screen?

The Horak

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2010
Location
Quakertown, PA
TDI
2004 Jetta TDI GL
Hey guys. Got another question (maybe someday I'll have answers): Where is the snow screen filter in a 2004 Jetta? just replaced my air filter, and it was terribly dirty; I can only imagine that the snow screen is worse. In my defense, I just bought the car. I'd never have let it get that bad.
 

frugality

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 19, 2003
Location
Spring Lake, Michigan
TDI
none, 2016 GTI
There's a 'snorkel' that goes from the air filter box forward to just behind the left headlight. Remove the airbox, and then there's (1) 10mm nut to remove the snorkel. At least, that's the case on my 2000. I use water and an old toothbrush to clean it.

Don't open the air box unless you're going to replace the filter. The seal is supposedly a one-time-use thing. Pull the whole box as a unit.
 

Honeydew

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Joined
Nov 28, 2006
Location
Florida
TDI
13 Passat DSG
I don't think the 04+ cars have them, but this would be the perfect thing to try out the search on. Do an advanced search, type in snow screen, and select "search titles only" instead of the default "search entire posts"
 

The Horak

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2010
Location
Quakertown, PA
TDI
2004 Jetta TDI GL
I don't think the 04+ cars have them,
Okay, That's probably true. I was looking for it today when I swapped out the filter. I took the snorkel completely out of the car, trying to see a screen somewhere. Found nothing. It would seem that the car either doesn't have one, or it was already removed. Oh well. How often should you replace an air filter?
 

Curious Chris

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Joined
Jun 11, 2001
Location
Pineview GA
TDI
Jetta Wagon 2003 RIP Rockford IL
Replacing the air filter is a highly debated subject. I have a filter minder on my air filter box and the only time it showed I should change my filter is when a large slug of south Georgia pine pollen clogged it. Without a filter minder changing it is a subjective judgment.
 

Honeydew

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 28, 2006
Location
Florida
TDI
13 Passat DSG
The OE airfilter for your car has the snow screen integrated into the filter itself, sometimes referred to as the "cold weather filter". One option is to use the owner's manual maintenance schedule for change interval, this info is also found on the VW website. If you want to install a filterminder like CC above, search for the detailed post on the subject by member name "drivbiwire" He used the CAT filterminder.
 

PDJetta

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Joined
Nov 6, 2003
Location
Northern Virginia
TDI
'04 Jetta GLS TDI Pumpe Duce Platinum Grey w/ Leather
The Horak said:
Hey guys. Got another question (maybe someday I'll have answers): Where is the snow screen filter in a 2004 Jetta? just replaced my air filter, and it was terribly dirty; I can only imagine that the snow screen is worse. In my defense, I just bought the car. I'd never have let it get that bad.
Cars that have it, it is in the snorkel that goes from the left headlight housing to the air filter box. A single flimsy nut holds the snorkel to the left inner fender. The snow screen, if present, is inside the snorkel, towards the headlight end. You need to cut it out with a razor blade. It is glued in place.

Some people with 2004s report NOT having a snow screen from the factory. Some DO have the snow screen in their 2004s. I had one. I think 2003 was the last year for snow screen use, but some 2004s have them because VW used left over snorkels from the '03s.

Cars WITHOUT snow screens call for the "cold weather" air filter (part number ending in "A"). It states this on the air filter housing. This is the air filter that has the pre filter mesh glued to the pleated side.

Oddly, my '04 (I bought it new in November 2003) had both the snow screen and the cold weather filter. I did not look into this for about 4 years because I read the '04s did not have snow screens, and man, was I in for a little surprise--Completely plugged with trash!

--Nate
 
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ymz

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Joined
May 12, 2003
Location
Between Toronto & Montreal
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI Wagon, 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon
PDJetta said:
The snow screen, if present, is inside the snorkel, towards the headlight end. You need to cut it out with a razor blade.
Some of us actually like the so-called "snow screen"... I was surprised that our 2001 Golf (German-built, if that matters) didn't have one... (from the factory...)

Yuri
 

avdlaan

Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2009
Location
Hamilton, ON
TDI
Jetta
Is it needed?

Hi guys,

I'm curious then, is the snow screen needed/recommended? My car (2000 Jetta TDI) is suffering from "limp mode" right now so I'm working through the great post by Canadian Grizzly on diagnosing it. I thought a quick thing to check was the snow screen, yet to my surprise, mine was cut out. This must have been from the previous owner.

So now that it's cut out, should I worry about it? Should I make sure I buy the air filter with the screen built on?

Curious on your thoughts on whether or not it's needed.

Thanks!
 

pruzink

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2004
Location
Granbury, Texas
TDI
GLS, 2004, silver
I have an 04 Jetta & it has the snow screen. The snow screen gets much dirtier than the air filter & much faster. You have to remove the bottom 1/2 of the air filter housing box to get at it. If you don't have one, somebody must have cut it out.
 

avdlaan

Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2009
Location
Hamilton, ON
TDI
Jetta
pruzink said:
If you don't have one, somebody must have cut it out.
Yes, mine's been cut out (most likely the previous owner). I can see the edges of the snow screen inside the snorkel so there definitely was one there at one point. The dealer said not to worry about it, I just wanted to check what others opinions were here on how important it is.
 

PDJetta

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Joined
Nov 6, 2003
Location
Northern Virginia
TDI
'04 Jetta GLS TDI Pumpe Duce Platinum Grey w/ Leather
"I just wanted to check what others opinions were here on how important it is...."

It is important...that the snow sreen be removed! All kinds of debris will plug it up. Without it, the stuff that plugs it up makes its way to the air filter box and harmlessly sits in the bottom of the filter box. You should use the "cold weather filter" if the snow screen is not present.

--Nate
 

JASONP

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Joined
Feb 24, 2008
Location
Guelph
TDI
2015 Golf TDI Comfortline 6spd
avdlaan said:
Hi guys,

I'm curious then, is the snow screen needed/recommended? My car (2000 Jetta TDI) is suffering from "limp mode" right now so I'm working through the great post by Canadian Grizzly on diagnosing it. I thought a quick thing to check was the snow screen, yet to my surprise, mine was cut out. This must have been from the previous owner.

So now that it's cut out, should I worry about it? Should I make sure I buy the air filter with the screen built on?

Curious on your thoughts on whether or not it's needed.

Thanks!
I cut them out of both cars, let the filter do its job. Two years ago and no issue so far, just have to keep a closer eye on yur filter.
 

naturist

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2001
Location
Bro Jerry's hometown, Virginia
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI, 2005 Jeep Libby CRD, 2012 BMW X5 35d
I've a 2001 Jetta, and I chose to leave the "snow screen" in it, because I live out in the country, and it keeps mice, chipmunks, and other vermin out of the air cleaner. I've had vehicles before that always wound up with a mouse nest in there, along with a pile of seeds, droppings, straw, and a couple times a hole chewed in the air filter (just perfect for sucking all that crap right into the engine.

You just have to pull the screen out every once in a while and clean off the leaves.
 

PDJetta

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 6, 2003
Location
Northern Virginia
TDI
'04 Jetta GLS TDI Pumpe Duce Platinum Grey w/ Leather
That is a good point. Just check it for trash on a yearly basis should be frequent enough.

--Nate
 

ymz

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 12, 2003
Location
Between Toronto & Montreal
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI Wagon, 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon
PDJettaIt is important...that the snow sreen be removed! [/quote said:
Disagree 100%

It's not a big deal to clean it out from time to time, and if you ever leave the car where small animals can have their way with the car, it provides another barrier to serious damage. Even ignoring the "country" element, I once parked my car for a couple of weeks at a friend's house right in the heart of Toronto... some type of vermin had a good time chewing up the hood liner - but kept out of the air filter housing...

Yuri
 

TornadoRed

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West Des Moines (formerly St Paul)
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2003 Jetta TDI wagon, silver; 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, indigo blue; 2003 Golf GL 5-spd, red (PARTED); 2003 Golf GLS 5-spd, indigo blue (SOLD); 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, Candy White (SOLD)
Curious Chris said:
Replacing the air filter is a highly debated subject. I have a filter minder on my air filter box and the only time it showed I should change my filter is when a large slug of south Georgia pine pollen clogged it. Without a filter minder changing it is a subjective judgment.
Later this year I plan to switch to the EA filter sold by Amsoil, and install a filter minder at the same time. The EA air filter removes smaller particles; though more expensive, it is cleanable and reusable. With the filter minder, I will never have to inspect or remove for cleaning until necessary.
 

frugality

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Joined
Sep 19, 2003
Location
Spring Lake, Michigan
TDI
none, 2016 GTI
I recently decided to go from the manual-recommended 40k air filter changes to 20k. It doesn't cost that much, and I've found that the snow screen gets pretty clogged in 40k. So might as well just do both every 20k.

If you have the cold-climate air filter and/or you've cut the snow screen, it might not be a bad idea to cover the end of the snorkel with some coarse screening to keep critters out, but not clog up with debris.
 
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