What is this called?

[JVburnout]

Can anyone help a n00b out?
Not sure what these are called.
My '91 1.8 8v Cabby runs, but on my way to Waterfest yesterday, I started loosing power on the Garden State Parkway. Pulled over and took the small circular piece that is in between the valve cover and intake tube out...car ran fine. 5 miles from the show and it starts acting up again. Put this piece back in...once again it ran fine.
It was the same story on the ride home.

Not sure if there is something wrong with this:



My dad thinks it has to do with the intake, this part in particular:



And to make things more interesting...my friends who were driving behind me noticed blue smoke coming out of my car. Oil levels seemed to be fine.

[Fat Rabbit]

The black circular object in your picture is the vent for the cylinder head sometimes called a PCV Valve. It vents oily engine vapors into the engine through the intake so they can be burned. Sometimes the vent valves get gummed up internally and don't work as they should. The circular rubber gasket where the valve fits into the head is also a source of vacuum leaks if it not replaced from time to time. They cost around $60 new so I flush them out to get rid of the accumulated sludge. FR

[JVburnout]

The black circular object in your picture is the vent for the cylinder head sometimes called a PCV Valve. It vents oily engine vapors into the engine through the intake so they can be burned. Sometimes the vent valves get gummed up internally and don't work as they should. The circular rubber gasket where the valve fits into the head is also a source of vacuum leaks if it not replaced from time to time. They cost around $60 new so I flush them out to get rid of the accumulated sludge. FR

Thanks man

[shortwave360]

The black circular object in your picture is the vent for the cylinder head sometimes called a PCV Valve. It vents oily engine vapors into the engine through the intake so they can be burned. Sometimes the vent valves get gummed up internally and don't work as they should. The circular rubber gasket where the valve fits into the head is also a source of vacuum leaks if it not replaced from time to time. They cost around $60 new so I flush them out to get rid of the accumulated sludge. FR

I just found the grommet here.

Here is the PCV.

I have been dealing with a bit of bog and stall when cold with a mix of rough idle. I'm going to change out the grommet which I found to be torn just today and do a throttle body clean along with the PCV to hopefully help clear the issue up.

I've been thinking about just putting in a catch can and just plugging the intake boot hole. Whoever that has done this chime in please and let me know how it affects a digi2 system. Car is a 92 Cabby.