2000 FLSTC, new to me. When I pulled off the carb to clean it up and re-jet for altitude, I found what appears to be a semi-rigid hose, ⅜: in or so ID, ending just behind the carb. The end is slightly swaged open as though it's meant to push over something. It is not the fuel line, the carb vent line, nor the vacuum line to the petcock; all of those are accounted for. It just hangs there, before making a right-angle bend (sharply crimped, too, so I suspect it's not supposed to do that) and disappearing up under the tank. As far as I know it's not a CA bike, or at least there's no sign of a carbon canister or the like.
What is it? Could this be the tank breather somehow disconnected from wherever it's supposed to go, and bent by a PO? The feed for the dilithium time travel crystal? What? I suppose I'll have to pull the tank off and look, but I'd prefer not to have a gasoline bath if I can help it.

 

I am having hard time understanding what you are talking about... could you post a picture...?

I just realized, you are talking about a hose BEHIND the carb, not FROM the carb, correct...?


Even non-CA bikes have a vent line coming from the fuel tank...

If it's not a home made change to the vent line #21, pictured below.... then look to see if it attaches to the space where the head breather bolts are... it could be a breather mod to vent the breather valve blow-by to the atmosphere...




Let us know what you find....

 

It does not attach to anything I can see; no loose, unconnected, orphan connections near it, and suspiciously, it appears to be kinked where it bends. It is definitely not attached to the carb (stock CV40). I suspect it's associated with the tank breather, #21, except that it's way too short to reach up to the front of the tank. Could be the breather pulled loose and accidentally re-located, I dunno. I think I'll just have to pull the tank. Oh, joy. Gasoline bath. I can never get the crossover corked up quickly.

 

I have two early softails with the fuel tank crossover hose. One with EFI and one with carb.... the carb bike is the easiest to remove... with the maintenance, repairs, and mods I've done to these bikes over the years, I've had the tank off at least 5 or 6 times... maybe more... it's really not that bad....

I disconnect the fuel line from the carb, and route it (with an extension if necessary) it into an empty 5 gal fuel can... I then just open the petcock and let the tank drain....

I have a couple hose pinchers, also called fuel line pinch-off clamps. I put one each, just off the barb to the fuel tank crossover connections, at both ends of the crossover hose. I cut the crossover hose near the middle, and a small rag will easily collect the small amount of fuel that spills from the center of the crossover hose. I remove the tank from the bike, while it's off the bike, I then finish draining the rest of the fuel from the tank... either from the crossover barbs and/or the petcock.

I have two vacuum caps I put over the barbs until the tank is remounted on the bike. The last thing I do is add a new 7" length of 5/16" ID fuel hose between the barbs...

While it is a task that takes time... it's pretty easy, and I think I've yet to "spill" more than an ounce of fuel through the entire tank removal/reinstall process...

The time spent, and cost of a piece of fuel hose, are worth it, to avoid getting a "fuel bath"....

 

Good idea. I’ll try just cutting the crossover this time. I have a couple of hemostats to pinch the lines.

 

Solved. Tank vent, disconnected, bent back and kinked. Why, I don’t know.

 

The tank vent 18/21 in diagram should always end in a vertically mounted restriction 28. It requires pressure to push thru. Remember , the tank cap is vent in only. When vapor pressure rises, it purges out the top vent tube. That restrictor keeps liquid from splashing out. It splashes up against a air stack held back.