Restrictive Intake Air- Plugged Snow Screen
 

So I decided to change the air filter element in my newly acquired RS4 yesterday, and was surprised to see the filter was not that bad, but I changed it out anyways. The alarming thing was the snow screen in the snorkel from the front grill to the air box was completely plugged with bugs and leaves. I wonder if its ever been cleaned before.

So today I tell a co-worker who has a B7 S4 about this and went out to his car to find a similar issue but much worse than mine as the bugs and leaves were stacked up for several inches before the screen. Too bad he just had his car in for service a few weeks back for an oil change and air filter element replacement!

It appears this could be one simple thing that is commonly overlooked on our cars but makes one hell of a difference on how the car runs when there aren’t 1,000 bugs and leaves blocking the airflow to the airbox!

Just thought I would pass it along.

Kevin

Good catch. I think the snow screen should be left out in the warm months and just let the air filter stop the bugs and leaves. At least then the bugs just fall to the bottom of the air box and don't really block anything. There is another primary air inlet to the air box coming from the wheel well but getting all that crap out of the snorkel will certainly help.