what does the charcoal canister do?

[clownracer]

the vacuum nipple broke off mine and i just plugged it..should i be rushing out to replace it?

 

[_Dylan_]

It's for the EVAP system. It collects the gas vapors from your tank.

You don't have to replace it, but now the gas vapors are going into the atmosphere instead of being collected and used by the engine.