can someone tell me what this thing is ? it looks like its some kind of diaphragm , just noticed it was melted through the other day
what does it do ? can i just take it out and replace it with a regular fitting ?

 

Good question. Mine looks the same. I'll be checking back for the answer to this also.

 

Some sort of breather valve. It shouldnt be melting! Engine temps get hot, but shouldnt be that hot! Thats the valve that if you can hear it ticking at idle it means its doing its job. Verify that first before replacing. Doesnt look like its melting to me though. Maybe if its not ticking at idle like it should, its not "breathing" the air like its supposed to and overheating??

 

the melting is more on the bottom side... i made a heatsheild last week and it isnt getting nearly as hot in ther now, i will check for ticking though

 

its not ticking, and i took the hose off thats running to it, and it didnt make a difference... if you blow into that hose the engine almost stalls out ? and my car isnt running any hotter then normal, or any different for that matter.. im stumped its not making any difference to the car but its unnerving seeing that

 

If its not ticking id replace it. Pick one up from the dealer... I cant imagine it would be too expensive, even from the dealer.

 

so today i got bored and started screwing around, while i was buliding my intake, and i took that thing off and put a peiece of brake line in there the onlything noticibly different is when you like come to a stop and are idling at a stop sign, the revs will hold at like 1100-1200 rpms , for ten or fifteen seconds and then drop down to normal, othen then that no difference

 

It is a one way vacuum check valve. Replace it with new. 20 dollars at a dealer, or about 13 dollars on line.