Is the thing circled the windshield washer pump? If so can i move it some place so the engine bay looks a little cleaner?

any downsides to this?

 

i really can't tell what that is in that picture.

although your windshield washer pump should be located on that grey housing to the left of your circled item. It houses both the wiper motor and wiper fluid pump in the same housing. It's easy to spot has to connectors going to it and like 2-3 small rubber hoses.


it's circled in RED. and no you really can't move it.

 

here's the pic WOOPS

 

now that you say that, it makes sense. but now my question is, what is it, and do i even need it??

 

No it is not the washer pump. Yes you need it. Yes you could move it, but I have no idea where would be any better. Like so many things, it's best left alone.

It's a vacuum "acumulator", with a little check valve, such that when the engine fills it up with vacuum, the vacuum can't get back out. It supplies the vacuum to the A/C and heater doors that control which vents the air comes out of; without it, the doors will all go back to their "rest" positions as soon as engine vacuum goes away, like when you take off from a light.

 

what you have circled in red is the wiper motor, can't tell if it has the pump attached or not. i believe some thirdgens had the pump on the wiper motor and some had the pump in the washer fluid tank. if you're not driving on the street or in the rain you don't need the wiper motor or pump, but if you do drive o nthe street it'd be very foolish to remove it. what you have circled in yellow is the EST.