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Ok, it sits on the passenger side of the car, all the way against the firewall. It is black, shperical thing with 2 hoses coming from the top, and one on the bottom. What is it, and where does that lower hose go?? I ask, because I just noticed I snapped a tensioner, and my power steering belt went flapping in the breeze, and took that hose out in the process.....totally killed the hose.

Its a charcoal cannister to absorb fuel smell. The lower hose doesn't go anywhere - its about 6 inches long.

remove it, its useless. Only if you care about emissions should you leave it in .

Yep thats part of your evap system...it's really just something to help out with the enviornment. When you shut off your engine it sends unused fuel vapors to the charcoal canister and holds them there until you start your car again and then it releases them back into the engine where they are burned instead of just let out in the atmosphere.

yeah, ok. I did by-pass it when I did my swap.....i bent the copper and crimped it, and just did away with it. I just didn't know where it was so that was as far as I went. Now I can fully remove it Thanks guys

I removed my charcoal canister today and did as it said in the workshop manual ("blow through each port and check that air flows"). Though I couldn't feel any air when blowin through the small pipe on the top. Should I replace it?

One of the pipes on top carries fuel vapours from the tank; the other allows the engine to draw off the vapours when conditions are right - if that one is blocked the canister can top up with fuel - not good - fire hazard - who needs that? I'd change it.