So, I've been working on a friend's '94 Olds Bravada. We did all the usual tune-up stuff, and it's still running rough and dying at idle. I'm thinking it's EGR valve time. That one's going to be a total PIA since I have to take off the upper half of the intake manifold. Not looking too forward to that, but I'll get it done.
Anyway, while inspecting the upper manifold to figure out what needs to be done, I noticed something. He had mentioned that his cruise control didn't work, the blower didn't blow in all the vents, and so on. Sounds like a vacuum problem, right? So I find this little piece sticking out the back of the manifold, and it looks like three vac hoses run to it from the troubled accessories, and the little bugger is cracked up real bad. So, problem solved, right? Not so fast. Nobody, and I do mean nobody can figure out what this part is. It connects to a vac fitting on the back of the manifold by about 2" of hose. The part itself is a central tube that connects to that manifold hose, then a small disc, maybe 1" in dia and 1/4" thick (a regulator of some sort, I presume), and then three vacuum hoses connect to the various aforementioned accessories. Two of the output fittings are (were, actually. the fittings have come apart) capped off, presumably there for accessories this car doesn't have. All fittings lie in the horizontal plane, two on either side, and one sprouting off the back end. The whole part is about 3" long. It's some sort of vacuum distribution part, obviously. One line goes straight into the resivoir, one to the diaphragm on the cruise, and one disappears into the firewall (to whence I know not, but I think it's the blower selector thing). I have asked half a dozen auto parts store drones, who pound away at their computers and then give me puzzled looks. The Hayne's guide offers absolutely no mention of it, and I haven't been able to find a Chilton's that covers this vehicle. This is clearly a key part, so you'd think somebody would have a clue what the heck I'm talking about, but you'd be head-pounding frustratingly wrong.
So, before I give up and put a bullet in that frappin' engine, anybody have a clue what this thing is called?