VF 500F Carb Hose Question

I finally got around to pulling the carbs on my 1986 VF500F. I believe in making sure I know what I am doing and where things go before I start to tear into things. When I pulled the carbs I noticed a hose, open to the elements and seemingly going nowhere, on the back of the carb assembly. It looks to be part of a breathing system that has, at some point, been disabled. Can someone look at the picture below and verify this? If it is a breather or recirculation system, would it be best to plug it or leave it open? I live in Texas and nothing can remain open without some sort of screen or filter in the line. Dirt-Dobbers, a kind of mud nest building wasp, will build a nest in an open hose in a heartbeat.

The bad news, according to all the signs, is the carbs have been apart before and it was not good. The screws that secure the air filter base have been disturbed and the safety tabs have not been folded over. I am going to have to be extra careful and check EVERYTHING.

 

I'm not 100% sure, but I think it's a safety relief of some kind.
What I DO know for sure is that if you flip the carbs upsidedown while there's gas in the bowls, the gas flows out of the carbs through that hose.

 

That's the vent line from the float bowls....must be left open to atmosphere.

 

Thanks squirrelman, I am going to have to use some kind of filter or screen to keep nasties out of that open hole. A small lawn mower type fuel filter should do the trick.

 

Not sure bugs will nest in the hose due to gas fumes, but I don't live in Texas.

 

You may be right about the gas fumes. I had an air hose that was stopped up with dirt on both ends. It had been hanging in the shop all summer. Every time I pull a gas tank on a bike that has been sitting a while I find at least one of the buggers has built a condo under there. We have some unique bug issues here for sure.

 

The only thing bugging us in Chicago lately is about a foot of snow and not being above freezing since Christmas day

 

It has warmed up nicely here. The sun is out, it is around 45 degrees and my water pipes in the house thawed out on Sunday with no damage so life is good. I haven't had the nerve to start on the cabs yet. I have just been looking at them sitting on the work bench. I have also been contemplating, when reinstalling the carbs, attaching the throttle cables on the bench to the carb assembly and then routing them to the twist grip. There has to be an easier way than standing on my head and installing the cables from under the carb assembly.

 

FYI - That line should be connected to another one that runs down behind the engine and exits directly in front of the lower suspension linkage. There should be one or two other drain/vent hoses exiting in the same spot.

 

Yep, I see it, there are a lot of hoses in what looks to be a drain cluster. The battery vent terminates in this area.