Lee:
The part that you are referring to is called a "suppressor." (I call it a distributor cap dust cover). It is MB Part Number 1031580685. It retails for about $7.50.
Now, what broke off in your car is probably the plastic part that attaches (or connects) to the distributor cap itself. This plastic part has tabs to which the "suppressor" attaches to. Look at the link below. The part that you need to replace is called the "screening cap." I don't have an MB part number for that part.
http://mb.braingears.com/124_DISC1/Program/Engine/103/15-3010.pdf
The diagram above shows the R&R procedure. It is fairly easy to do. Just please be careful, because that is a sensitive piece of equipment. Litlte screws tend tofall off, orjump off, and end up in hard to reach places. Be sure to follow all the steps listed above and keep your work area clean.
Hint: If you have a digital camera, take pictures as you go along. That way, you always know how the parts fitted together before you started to take them apart. Also, you can post pictures here and help others.
Incidentally, this may be a good time to replace your rotor and distributor cap. It is a cheap investment that yields a lot of performance benefits.
Also, some people simply hold the "supressor" in place using stout plastic zip ties. That's how it was in my car when I bought it. Other people simply run their engines without the plastic suppressor. I would not do it, because the suppressor protects the distributor cap from water and other flying debris (the cap is sooooo close to the radiator fan [
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the whole job shouldn't take more than one hour, depending on your mechanical skills (but if you change your own oil, you can do this)
Finally, you may also wish to change the plastic channel where the spark plug wires run on top of the engine (left side as you face the engine). These parts are cheap, $6.00 each for the top and bottom channel. Another cheap investment and it will make your engine look "fresher."
Hey, good luck with your project. [
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PS. To make it easier for me to work inthese areas, I removed the radiator fan shroud (the plastic part,not he radiator) and I removed the radiator fan. Removing the fan is tricky because you need two different tools. An Allen wrench (I forget the size) and a special tool to hold the fan and keep it from turning as you unscrew the bolt. YOu may be able to remove the distributor cap w/o removing the distributor fan, depending on your own levels of manual dexterity. I am a klutz and I need lots of room around me...
