[MrTibbs]

I thought I'd read somewhere that the reason for deleting that hose was that if the belts get water on them they'll spray it right up the tube and into the airbox - if there's a lot of water it can make a chunk of the filter break off and go into the engine. Similar reason for putting the plastic cover in the wheel arch where the airbox snorkel goes - to stop the wheel from spraying water into the snorkel.

I just took mine off and threw it in the bin. Can't imagine there's much risk from not plugging the hole; having a hole will help cool the belts (the reason for having that tube in the first place was to try to get more air flow over the belts).

Then again, at the moment I don't have the front belt cover on as I need to change the tensioner roller. Cue posts about how this'll inevitably mean my belts disintegrate within the next 5 miles.

Mike