Disconnected tube near carburetor - what is it?

[stuartrubin]

All, forgive my novice questions, please! I am having serious trouble with stalling, rough running, etc., and I discovered what looks like a significant tube which is not connected.

A little back story... I had my new (to me) 1975 Spider in to the mechanic to fix (among other things) a problem with the automatic choke. He informed me that is was never connected to the cooling system and plumbed it up. It ran fine for a day or so, then suddenly it stalled whenever I slowed down (not even near a dead stop, but just slowing down).

With some poking around, I discovered a large tube which was not connected to anything on one side. It appears that the disconnected side is newer than the other and there was a splice put it place. My assumption is that this may have been something the mechanic worked on (but the car also had a lot of recent work from the previous owner). The tube appears to be connected some some component under the carburetor but on the other end, I can't find anywhere which makes sense to connect.

EDIT: Upon closer inspection, the tube may be connected to the side of the engine block. (I'm a novice and hard for me to say exactly what part is what!)

Can anyone please help me place this tube? Thank you!

Stuart

Here are some photos.

[aj81spider]

That's the crankcase breather hose. It gets connected to your air cleaner.

[stuartrubin]

A.J., thanks for the tip. I have a few follow-up questions.

I still can't figure out where to connect it. My carburetor has has a small rectangular air filter, not the big round one I've seen in some pictures. There is a small hole with a plug in it in the corner on the bottom plate of the air filter carrier. Could THAT be where the breather hose is supposed to be connected?

From what I've read, it seems that this hose has to do with emissions. Do I need it connected?

Could the disconnected hose possibly be related to my stalling engine problem?

Thanks again!

Stuart

[aj81spider]

I'm guessing that's where it is connected. My stock air cleaner has a port for it.

The purpose is to ventilate the crankcase and send the vapors through the engine to be burned up. It is an emission control, but a benign one.

I don't think that would be the cause of your problem, but should be corrected to keep from spewing crankcase vapors into the atmosphere.

I'm no expert, but I'd start with Brad Artigue's engine guide and see if I could get the engine running smoothly at idle and work from there. Perhaps other people who know more than I could weigh in.

[stuartrubin]

I stumbled upon this which is apparently the air filter which I have installed, the Meaner Cleaner http://www.midwest-bayless.com/storefro ... =312463415.

From the picture, in the top-left corner of the filter base, you can see the hole. In the kit, there is also a bracket with two outlets. In my car, the crankcase breather hose is connected to that bracket, but not connected to the filter. I guess I need to figure out the connection, which should be obvious, right?

Thanks, everyone, for their comments.

[vandor]

The plate at the end of the hose gets sandwiched between the top and bottom plates of the air filter. The plate will sit vertically and the lip on the top and bottom metal plates will hold it in place.

[stuartrubin]

Vandor, thanks for the tip. I emailed Matt at Midwest-Bayless and he sent this picture. It jives with what you said.

I'm glad I asked, because I NEVER would have figured that out on my own. It seems like a very strange, hokey way to make a connections, but what do I know.

Here is the photo for anyone else who may run into this question in the future:

Midwest-Bayless Meaner Cleaner