H6 carb - float vents

[NutmegCT]

I feel like a fool (for the umpteenth time this week).

I've been comparing my own engine bay to the pictures in the Piggott book. Just noticed I have no float vent pipes (see picture below).

The "correct" carbs have a pipe leading from the float bowl vent pipe and somehow into the air filter. Obviously mine don't.

What problems would that cause? Just random dumping of raw gasoline into the engine compartment, down onto the generator? That sort of insignificant, worry-free, devil-may-care thing?

Or carburetion, idling, mixture problems?

Or imminent destruction?

Good grief. I never noticed the missing parts before.

Thanks.
Tom

 

[Twosheds]

The only problem I can think of is points taken off at a concours d'elegance. The vents don't actually go into the air cleaners, they are just sort of aimed at them.

 

[PeterK]

It's basically just a short piece slightly bent brake line turned downwards connected by a short piece of fish tank air hose.

 

[Harry_Ward]

Tom,

Don't have a photo here at work but there is a short piece of fuel line rubber tubing about 2 inches max. in length connected to the vent tube above the float bowl. Then a short steel tube with a 90 degree sweep in it is inserted into the rubber hose to point the overflow fuel downward maybe a inch or so away from the edge of the float bowl. Nothing fancy.

 

[TR3driver]

FWIW, I just ran some long rubber hoses (fuel line) down near the ground, so any overflow would be directed past the generator and exhaust manifold. Tie-wrapped them to each other, but otherwise they just hang there. I'd like to think it also helps keep dirt from getting into the float bowls, but I doubt it really makes any difference.

I use paper-element air filters (that actually catch dirt), so the stock setup doesn't work for me.