What is this (in engine bay)

[NCpaj]

Yesterday a few mates came over and just were mucking around and one of my mates was looking through my engine bay and we spotted a big cyclinder on the right side of the engine bay. its always been there ive just been to lazy to fiqure what it is. i looked through my haynes manual and it reckons its an early from of a cat convertor?

-do i need it?
-if i take it off will i get more power ?

(when i had my extrqactors put on i had the hot air injection disalbled, does this mean i still need the cyclinder)

[-Scott-]

It's a charcoal canister, to catch fuel vapour from your fuel tank. While your engine is running it sucks a small amount of air through the canister, so the vapour is burnt.

I'd be surprised if it makes a measurable difference to your power, and it is illegal to remove it.

Scott

[NCpaj]

will it do any damage to the motor if i remove it.

[j-top paj]

id leave it. its designed to be there for a reason. remove it if you need to put something else there.
i think it fould make the engine run worse and probably chew more fuel. espescially with todays fuel prices

[hudson44]

Yeah leave it on. There are no negatives in leaving it there but it will help with fuel economy if it stays.... it will burn fuel vapours through the engine rather than letting them evaporate into the atmosphere!