What is this plastic piece on intake side of engine

[osama1234]

When i was replacing the alternator, i dropped the nut down, so i had to fumble around all over the place to find it. Whilst doing that in the area under the alternator, i knocked this piece from whereever it was sitting onto the ground. Its 2 cm in diameter and 2.5 cm long. What exactly is this? Btw, i'm working on a 7MGE. I see a small 1/4 inch hole besides the big hose that comes out of the oil pump, could it possibly be inserted there, and the plastic has broken off or something?
So, what is it is and how important.
Thanks a lot.
I have a feeling its not important, but after hearing about the scare from the other thread about one of the hoses not being connected to the vacuum, how it could blow up a turbo motor, i figure better safe than sorry.

 

[Mr.PFloyd]

that looks like its on the VSV's for the Cold start injector and egr.

 

[GrimJack]

That would be the filter on the end of one of the VSVs. There are two under the intake manifold - one for the EGR and one for the FPR. They get brittle over the years and tend to break off.

 

[osama1234]

Thanks a lot, lots more to learn about how engines work ahead of me. I didn't know what egr stood for, just kind of never cared to read about it. I'm surprised to say the least about learning of what egr is.

 

[suprabad]

Yeah that's what it is...many times the rubber piece that is supposed to be in side it gets old and hard and shrinks up, and then the filter falls off.

 

[osama1234]

Ok, so here's the new headache. When idling, the handbrake light, battery light, and rear burned out bulb warning lights come on. Giving it some gas makes them go away, but when idling they come on.
There seems to be some relation between these lights coming on also with the opening of the door.
Any clues?

 

[black89t]

could be the alternator brushes wearing out. do a load test.
just a guess.

 

[cuel]

^^ Good guess. I'd have the alt. and battery tested.

 

[osama1234]

Sorry, i dont mean to bump up my post so much,... the alternator is a newly rebuilt one. I have a feeling something is up with the battery, but the voltage on the needle shows its fine (even when i get these strange warning lights) and the voltage needle is fairly accurate (i've verified it on the occasion with my DVM). I dont yet know much about the ecu, can the ecu have any effect on these warning lights or the ecu does strictly the engine stuff.
I clearly have more reading to do, i think i'll read the TEMS and see where it leads me..