Re: fuel condensate drain on the carb

Posted by Owen_Dyneto On 2012/12/8 23:34:06

The use of the intake manifold drain tubes (not carburetor drain tubes) with check valve began with the conversion from updraft to downdraft carburetion (10th series) and was a result about concerns of engine flooding with the introduction of downdraft - remember, gravity pretty much makes it impossible to flood an engine with updraft. Assuming this is what you're speaking of they are not to drain condensate but raw gasoline. My 34 Eight has one and on rare occasions it dutifully performs it's intended function. I've seen them on pre-war juniors and seniors but never on a postwar. Later ones are just a simple tube as in the photo above, the ones on the senior Eights and Super Eights (320 and 384 engines) starting in 1933 have 4 branches (one for each intake manifold branch) combining into a single downpipe with a ball check at the bottom.

Use of these devices was not particular to Packard, they were common in the industry.