Little pipe on airbox?

[Horney]

What does the little pip from the bottom of the airbox to the top of the airbox do? Mine has at somepoint got caught in the belts and broken!

Nick

[tobz.]

Sounds like the vacuum pipe that controls the hot/cold airfeed flap, you might wanna replace it now the mornings are getting so much colder.

[Horney]

Ah OK, best get down the scrappie this weekend then!

Nick

[Organisys]

Rip it all out Nick, I junked all mine years ago and the car runs fine, even when it's frosty. I just doesn't get cold enough in this country to worry about it.

[mk2mark]

Yeah I think they're only supposed to be useful when you're talking russian winter cold!

[jammac]

really? what about the one that goes from the top of the air box to............... the throttle body? i think? that one has to stay? no?

[seedym]

I spent last Saturday re-connecting several of the vacuum hoses that, due to what must surely have been real botched jobs by various mechanics the car's been to over the years, were either disconnected or missing entirely. The car is running a heck of a lot better as a result, especially when cold. So my advice to you is to keep them all, and make sure they're all connected as they should be, 'cos they certainly do make a difference. There are diagrams on vagcat.com which are helpful, 'cos there's nothing in Haynes that I've ever been able to find.

[Organisys]

Basically just make sure that if you remove them you don't have any vacuum leaks at the throttle body thats all. Plug any holes!


 

[rubjonny]

if its a GTI, the vacuum connection and warm air feed pipe to the exhaust manifold shroud is there to make the engine warm up faster, nothing more.  If you do take it all off, make sure you block off the thin vacuum hose otherwise you'll end up with a vacuum leak

If its a carbed engine, it stops the carb icing up and stalling the engine, so fix it

[dubslug]

his is gti