EGR Valve replacement - reusing the small oval plate

Hi - I just replaced the EGR Valve. There is a little oval plate on the body of the valve that eveidently needs to be removed from the old valve and put on the new valve. (The instructions refer to something called the “back pressure signal tube”. I don’t know if thats it or not.) Anyway, I removed the small torx screw to get the plate off, and then pryed on it. The plate is off, but there is a plug that broke off and remained in the old valve.



What is this thing and is it important?



I put the plate on the new valve mainly to plug the hole in the valve body, but I wonder if it is something I should try to replace.



thx for any help!



rob

What type of vehicle? Year, make, model, engine size?
~Michael

sorry about that!

1993 mercury sable 3.8