While replacing the distributor o-ring (suspect in an oil leak) on my '93 LE 5SFE I found an interesting rubber sleeve just sitting in a low, flat area behind the left end of the engine. It was resting in a a pool of oil in a spot that was impossible to see until the air cleaner hose and resonator were out. It is a small black cylindrical soft rubber sleeve about 1 inch in diameter, and 3/4 inch in length with the letters "PPE" on one end.

Anyone know what this part might be? Could it be related to an oil leak?

Post a pic

Here's a picture...

http://i483.photobucket.com/albums/rr194/smwerntz/RubberPart.jpg

This may sound strange, but it looks like the end of a spark plug boot. Methinks someone replaced the old ones (or removed the current ones) and accidentally yanked one cock-eyed before it was all the way out of the tube, snapping the end off. I know that the wire for the leftmost plug (#4) isn't long enough to remove without either unclipping it from the wire loom or removing the adjacent plug boot (#3) as well.

Spark plug boot? You may be right.

[I]It is a small black cylindrical soft rubber sleeve about 1 inch in diameter, and 3/4 inch in length with the letters "PPE" on one end[I]

That looks more like some kind of rubber bumper or bump stop to me. It's too small in length to be a spark plug boot. It would be nice to see another picture to see if the hole goes all the way through or not.

Mike

Please re-read my post...I said it could be the broken-off END of a spark plug boot, not the entire thing. The annular ribs inside the hole which would match up with a spark plug's ceramic insulator ribs also were a clue to me.

If it were to be a bump stop or other rubber bumper, I could only guess that it came from the rubber retainer for the power steering reservoir (a nub on the bottom of the plastic tank would fit into the hole) or maybe the coolant reservoir. Those annular ribs don't match up though.... Perplexing:confused:

Looks like a boot to me....

That looks like some type of spacer/antivibration washer that might go on something plastic like the air breather box. Might go between something plastic and metal to keep the plastic part from cracking???????????

Show it to the parts guy at your dealership.

Show it to the parts guy at your dealership.
The problem with that is most kids they have working there don't have a clue.

It would be nice to see another picture to see if the hole goes all the way through or not.

Here's another picture...
http://s483.photobucket.com/albums/rr194/smwerntz/?action=view&current=RubberPart2.jpg

It doesn't match the boots on my spark plug wires. The mystery part is made of much softer rubber.

Did you check to see if it is the bumper stop for the hood? You have one on each side near the grill.