First off, you were not removing the PCV valve but was removing the plastic breather hose elbow. Dodge moved the PCV valve to the drivers side in 2000.

 

I was replacing the pcv on drivers side , on my 2001 and you are correct, in that Chrysler moved the pcv to drivers side after 1999, saved them a lot of rubber hose.

Was reading that there is a screen or baffle area to keep stuff from falling into valley, but the two little pieces of plastic could block off the air flow possibly. Anyway I'm going and will see if it was anything to worry about or not.

Pulled valve cover , there is a baffle that keeps anything bigger than 1/2 diameter from getting into valvetrain area. Was able to fish out the broken pcv parts by standing cover on end and shaking the broken pieces to the end of baffle. Wouldn't have been the end of the world had they been left in there. Now to see if the spark plugs come out!

 

Doh, i forgot about those oil control baffles on the stock covers. They keep the oil from making out of those grommets. I ran the aftermarket MP cast aluminum covers for so many years I just forgot.