Yes, you can remove that thing and the smaller one next to it. You can also remove the EGR valve by using one of Brian's kits or rolling your own. Plug the vacuum lines at the splitter and remove the lines, including the vent lines that run through the dash and terminate in the passenger compartment under the dash. There are several good writeups on this forum -- no need to repeat, just do a search for "EGR."

Jeremy

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970