What is that thing, im looking in the manual but i dont see what it really does, i just found that the one nipple on the bottom of this thing is broke off. Is there a way to do away with this thing?

 

ITs teh equivalent of a PCV valve on a piston engine...positive crankcase ventilation. IT vents pressure fromt eh oilpan/tube as pressure builds up from heat and expanding oil. IF oil gets up inside it your car can smoke for no reason, and you can do without it if you want.

 

As hypntyz7 said It Is equivelant to a PCV on a piston engine.

It Is an emissions related appartus. It's sole fuction Is to regulate evaporative fues from the gas tank and canister to Intake Manifold.
When I replace all vacuum hoses on my 88GXL I broke the damn Valve Be careful when replacing the your hoses If you do b'c their are many frail things that could probably break on you!

 

what do i do with the lines going to it if i want to remove it? can i just run the 2 vac lines together and plug off the oil one? or does it need to be open

 

Take the lines and purge valve off. Than simply plug up the ends where the hoses came off. You will need a bigger plug to plug up the Oil Filler Neck though.