What's this V6 tube?

[Joe Martin Cantrell <agiyo@domain.elided>]

I dropped by the dissection of a 2.5L V6 at Kollmann's tonight, and noticed 
something new to me.

Can anyone tell me (us) what the approx. 8mm I.D. U-shaped tube is, that is 
wrapped around the oil pump pickup in the sump?  The bottom of the U points 
toward the rear, one end appears to be pinched almost shut and the other 
had a short, apparently broken, length of rubber tube held on by a normal 
Alfa hose clamp---not the sort of thing I'd expect Alfa to put in a sump.

Is it an oil return from somewhere above that has been cut or broken, and 
the rest of the tube thrashed to rubber dust by the spinning 
machinery?  Maybe something  from the oil separator?

Not-so-great, but tired minds need to know...

Thanks,
Joe
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