What the heck is this in my intake?
 

86 Carrera

Had the engine apart so I know it went back in clean but just pulled the air filter and found this laying in the bottom of the plastic intake housing. Its not from a mouse, its hard and snaps like a pencil lead. Is there a charcoal canister in these systems somewhere that could have puked this out into the intake?

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...1/663f767b.jpg

Yep it looks like the guts of the charcoal canister in the fuel evap system.

And where might that be?

Depends on the year of the car. On my '77 it's on the right side of the engine compartment. Same with SC's. On Carreras it's in the right rear fender.

Edit: Doh I missed the first line of your post. '86 Carrera should be up in right rear fender. Follow the vacuum line from your air filter housing and you'll find it!