damn, snoboy ... how'd you get so smart??? (it took me a lot of searching because nothing came up with the part number, but see center console here: http://www.lambertauto.com/cherokee.htm!) this would explain why there is hot air blowing like crazy from the windshield, feet, and the parking brake areas! when i picked the car up from the tranny place they had left the console torn apart (since that's the way we gave it to them). i wasn't the one who took it apart so i had to put it back together on my own and had no idea that the funky tube was even part of the console. i guess i have some taking apart and reassembing to do now!
and i owe snoboy a beer or two!