Snow Snorkel

What's this I hear about periodically cleaning the "Snow Screen?" Could anybody direct me to the link that shows how to do it? I have a 2K Golf TDI. Also, has anybody ever tried an intercooler spray kit??

I'll send you one and you'll see its a bunch of hair thin wires in a grid pattern that works with the MAF sensor (computer cleaner parts) and air - its like cleaning your computer-if you havent done it take it to some one that has expierence or it will cost $$$$$$$$$

I thought the "snow screen" was the screen in the air stream prior to the air filter, and the MAF screen was after the air filter?

I understand that the snow screen that fills up with bugs and nasties and clogs up after very few miles; mine was mostly plugged at 20k miles.

-Ken

[ July 31, 2002, 06:26: Message edited by: InDiesel Exposure ]

Yes, I do mean "Snow Snorkel," not the Mass Airflow Sensor. Is it under or behind the Driver's side headlamp??

If I remember correctly, it snakes behind and under the driver head lamp. Just follow the plastic from the air box inlet, it's a piece of cake to remove and clean. 15 minute job. Some people recommend removing the screen entirely; I personally think it's there for a REASON, and the fact it's such a piece of cake to remove and clean means I've kept mine. Your driving environment will determine how plugged it gets; I check mine about every 15k and have yet to find it as plugged up as others have. Very little blockage, in fact.

I just cleaned mine with 20k on the car, it had a big leaf, sand, and a bunch of other junk in there. I'd leave it there, as I wouldn't want to chance any of these particles or crap making their way through my air filter into the engine. The snow screen is there for a reason, dont rip it out.

To access it, unscrew the two screws and remove the top of the air filter unit. Remove the nut on the side of the bottom portion of the air filter in place, as well as the one between the bottom portion of the air filter housing and the battery. Be careful with this one, dont lose it down in the engine compartment. Pull the bottom part of the air filter housing out. Remove the bolt on the side of the car that holds the tube containing the snow screen. Pull the whole tube out. If need be , there are two little screws to remove access the inside of the screen, if you wanted to use air to blow particles out, but i'd be careful with the power, it looks a bit flimsy. Boy was mine dirty at 20k!

I took a look at mine yesterday. At 13K miles on my 01 Golf, it was about 10% clogged up with sand, dandelion fluff and insect remains.

It's easy to get to:

1. Remove two phillips screws to open air box and remove air filter.

2. Remove two 10mm bolts on either side of lower half of airbox filter holder and remove lower airbox. (the snorkel will now be extremely obvious).

3. Remove one 10mm nut holding snorkel to fender well and slide it out.

4. Examine front end of snorkel where the snow-screen is and marvel at the amazing amount of trash and the amazingly fine screen used.

You can remove the two screws from the snorkel and the screen part slips right off for cleaning.

It's an amazingly odd design. Looks like they went to a lot of trouble to screw it up.

While I was at it, I removed the battery and battery box, treated the grounding points under the battery and the battery posts and terminals with a spray on anti-corrosion treatment.

That's also kind of odd, putting all the critical grounds right under the battery where they get treated to battery acid vapors all the time.

I figure I may as well do them now while they are all clean new and shiny.

Nuke - I like your instructions - clear and easy to follow. They should be in the FAQ! I've keep reading about this, but your instructions made it easy to follow.

Thanks

You want clear ? Try this thread with link to photos (courtesy of GeWilli)

Air Filter Pre-Screen Removal in an A4 Golf GL (with images)

Originally posted by zebrajeb:
Nuke - I like your instructions - clear and easy to follow. They should be in the FAQ! I've keep reading about this, but your instructions made it easy to follow.

Thanks

Click to expand...

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If you own a New Beetle all the above instructions are worthless, and it is a pain in the kester to get at to clean. I took mine out 20K+ miles ago and have been in desert sand blows and rain coming down so hard that it was 5 or 6 inches deep on the highway and I live in an area where bugs and 2 to 4 rain falls in 20 or 30 minutes is not unusual and my air box and filter is always clean and dry and the filter is lasting the same length of time as was with the screen in. But were the snorkel for the airbox is located it is well protrcted from the ellements. It's in the fenderwell behind the front bumper after several bends twist.The snorkel is about the same hight as the center of the front wheel after traveling through about six feet of tubing. What a strange design. But then my battery is halfway under the front fender and the airfilter box is not much better.

But I love everything else about the car and it's still as much fun to drive as the day I bought it, and now that I think about it I would say it's more fun. The NB has a stiffer suspension then the Jetta or Golf TDI, but not quite as stiff as the GTI Golf or Sports NB. They really handle well for standard fwd small car.

[ July 31, 2002, 21:49: Message edited by: Old Navy ]

Old Navy is right about the NB's intake. Be thankful you have a Golf.

BTW....GoFaster has installed a water injection device. Do a search for intercooler misting, spray...etc. Lots to read.......

There really is no need to take the top off the filter housing. I just loosen the 2 10mm bolts with a socket/ratchet and the 10mm nut w/a wrench, lift up on the filter housing (I disconnect the MAF plug to give more leeway) and you can just pull the snorkle out. This is for the G/J, not Bug.

Originally posted by Lightman:
The snow screen is there for a reason, dont rip it out.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">No truer words have ever been spoken:



DB

Snow screen helps to keep critters out of airbox too, mice etc.

"No truer words have ever been spoken:"

Must have missed a thread. What the heck is that? Snow??

Originally posted by GotDiesel?:
"No truer words have ever been spoken:"

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">If it's "there for a reason" then why did my 2000 Golf ship without one?

Jamie

I own a Beetle and it's a struggle to get the snorkle out. I still haven't been able to take the two parts of the snorkle out!!! I wiggled. I pulled. I pushed. Still wouldn't come out. Do I have to remove the headlight? The battery? in order to get it out?? OOOOuuuug. Drive me nuts. Whoever design this havs no brain.

Thank you VelvetFoot for the Link. I did it!!!

Thank you JackBak and The Trouts for the Post.

I removed the snorkle and the snow screen assembly. The snow screen was quite clean with little debris. But I figure with all these bends and corners, even it is clean, it probably retricts the air flow, so I did not put them back in. Now I put the snorkle and the snow screen assembly on the block.

Sam

Why not keep it in case you change your mind?

"Why not keep it in case you change your mind?"

I just don't see a good reason to keep it. I see any drawbacks instead.

"Why not keep it in case you change your mind?"

I just don't see a good reason to keep it. I see many drawbacks instead.

http://forums.tdiclub.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=17&t=000328

You removed the fender brace?

Just replaced a snow screen packed with crap at $*K: After first tank of fuel, I'm proud to report my fuel consumption rose from 43 mpg city/highway to 48.

Cheers to nuke's simple instructions.

how come ther is no recomended service for the snow screen in the owners manual?

I don't think anyone knows the answer to that question. Apparently, some cars also did not come with them so it might be confusing.

Mine's been removed since 2001. A bit more debris inside air filter box but nothing to worry about. I shop-vac it out when I change the filter.

testDummy, the snorkel is supposed to draw cooler air. If the snorkel is non there, you are drawing in hotter air fro under the hood. That means potentially less power and lower fuel economy. You can simply cut out the snowscreen if you don't want to clean it.

I have a Golf, which is uch easier to clean. I clean mine every 10k miles (every oil change). I do it while the oil drains. Takes 10 minutes at most. I feel for all you beetle drivers...

Beetle drivers have less of a problem due to the more indirect route for crap to get into the intake.

I've kept my snow screen snorkle and retrofit a '04+ air filter box. Now I won't have a repeat of a couple of winters ago when the intake got full of snow because the 'trap door' opened up and allowed the nearby accumulated snow to get sucked in. It will probably lose power alerting me to a problem if the primary intake clogs, but it won't be creeping along gasping for breath.

The snow screen is there for a reason, dont rip it out......


well if you look at that statement this way: " The EGR/Crankcase vent system is there for a reason......to clog your intake every 80K"....use that logic and then realize that every engineer has a gee wiz moment that might not quite make sense....for one thing they had to meet emission standards ...hence that god awful intake recirculation design....where has anyone ever had to clean crap out of an auto intake like these TDIs??? So apply anti-logic to the snorkel....a nice gee wiz design to keep the ocassional rat out of the filter housing trying to set up a condo if your car sits......and just in case it does get clogged: a "trap door" design to open up.........needless to say I cut that POS screen out many miles ago and check my filter housing every 3 months with no problems even living on a dirt road in NH and plenty of snow sleet crap.....NO DEFECTs!!

I wish I had known about this forum when I bought my Jetta last summer. I got it second hand throguh a consignment sales over the internet. Nice car, handles on the corners so well, my wife left her fingernails in the door handle YAAAAHOOOO!!!!!. Anyway I appreciate all the great advice you give us newbies. Thanks