Can't help you with the charcoal filter as mine is on the exhaust side of the engine bay. If it helps, the vacuum line goes to a bracket on the MAF then to the BVSV on the thermostat housing.
That's one thing I'm anal about, no one, and I mean NO ONE touches my car except me. I don't need helpers to take parts off, if you do, then you should have just paid someone to do it because you are not experienced enough.
How do we know what happened to your lower thermostat bolt or starter nuts, you took them off or you had one of your wrench happy buddies do it. When ever I take a bolt or nut off, I put it right back on the stud or part that it threaded into as soon as I take the part off, that way you A. dont lose it and B. know where it goes when it comes time to reinstall. If it helps the thermostat bolts are 10mm with a M6 X 1 thread size and pitch and there are no nuts for the thermostat housing, for the water outlet housing there are 2 nut if thats what you are talking about. The starter bolt nut is 14mm with a 10mm thread size, don't know what thread pitch it is though.
Come on man, if you need to bring it to a shop to have a "once over" done then you shouldn't be working on your own ride. That says that you don't trust your own skills.
When I work on my car I make a mental note as to how and where every little vacuum hose, bracket or bolt goes. And if there is too much to remember, I take a picture or write it down. The first day I took autoshop in 9th grade the teacher told us, a monkey can take an engine apart, but it takes wisdom to put it back together.
Good luck and put the wrenches down and back away from the car slowly....
