I have a broken hose in my 1975 Honda cb550...I don't know what it is!?

Question

Hi. I recently bought a 1975 Honda CB550, and I was looking the other day and found a broken hose coming off the engine. I don't know what it is, but there is a picture of the origin of the hose circled in red here:

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g284/thacked/bike.jpg

Is this vital? I assume that a broken hose is always a bad thing but the bike seems to run fine.

Another thing, and this may just be the nature of motorcycles, but after an extended ride, I always smell like gasoline...is this normal?

Thanks!

DT

Answer 1

Just guessing, I'd say a crankcase vent hose of some kind. Probably a fitting on the breather somewhere? And it isn't normal to sell like gas after a ride. Maybe a little leak? Check all the fuel hoses and bowls. Possibly a tank cap leak?

Answer 2

nothing important..its the crancase breather hose...it normally runs from the rocker cover to the ilet side of the airbox....any rubber hose will do...i restored one a few months back.

Answer 3

It is a breather hose. You can also suck trash into your engine thru that hose so it is important to reconect. It also helps to keep emissions down.

Gasoline is a carcinogen, smelling like it is not good for you. You should inspect all the 30 year old lines on the bike, gasoline and hydraulic for signs of age. Your petcock may have a leak, or most likely the gasket on the tank cap is dried out and allowing some seepage.

Answer 4

you wont suck anything into your engine through this ,there is no vacuum ,it only pushes air OUT,not in,leave it as it is,or run a piece of hose from it ,up to you