Carbs and Gas Smell Options

[mmascari]

I have a 914 with a 3.0l six and PMO carbs. The gas smell is unbearable, especially when the car is in the garage. My wife is about to lose her mind. What do you carb guys do to limit this? Would running the engine with the fuel pump off, IE running out of fuel help with this situation?

[Rufus]

A couple more thoughts to share on venting a 914’s gas tank for use with carbs and without the evaporative emissions control system …

This’s my plan. When I get my /6 up and running, I’ll report back. I hate the smell of gas in the garage.

Below is a photo of what I ran on my ‘67 Vette for years. Tank venting was never a problem, and in the 5 years it was in the garage under bedrooms there was no gas smell. Note the approximate size of the vent hole; 1.5-2mm at most?

A 914’s difference is the tank is under the frunk lid, where there are pathways to the cabin at floor level. Also consider that gas vapors are heavier than air, and sink to the floor.

So I’m stuffing the cut off and deburred big threaded end of a ball (basketball, football, volleyball) inflator inside the vent hose. Will locate it at or before the uppermost point as vapors leave the tank / expansion tank and then travel downwards to where they exit under the car. Hopefully this will lessen vapor escaping thru the vent tube.

And this’s how VW configured the tank vent hose in Bugs of the ‘60’s (pic from The Samba), before evaporative control systems. By using the difference in density of air & fuel vapors as a natural check valve kinda like a kitchen sink drain trap in reverse