What is this thing?

[Scott Forman]

Under the right front corner of my FC, there is a silver cylinder about
the size of a coke can. There are two hoses comng off it, one goes
into a 'T' that goes into the radiator, the other goes around the front
of the engine and enters the left side of the block just in front of
the bell housing. What is this thing?

The little hose coming from the rad has a slit and needs to be
replaced. When I loosened the clamps, coolant began to leak. Is the
full contents of my cooling system going to come out if I remve this
hose?

Scott Forman
82 FC35RB
Memphis