Can damage to the vaccum 'ball', in the front left-side of my bumper, cause my 1999 Chevy Lumina to not start? there are small lines attached to it that T off, one goes to the top of the engine and one goes into a bundle of wires that disappears into the firewall.....

This is for a 3.1 liter engine.

the heater and air conditioner control switch could be bad.

The ball is a vacuum tank. It would take the active vacuum line on one side and the other would go to the vacuum line that leads to your ventilation controls. Connect a length of vacuum hose to either side and BLOW through it. If you can't blow through it, that's the side that goes to the engine since it would have a check valve to prevent the vacuum from escaping when the engine is off. If you can blow through both sides, then it doesn't matter which hose goes to which side.

stand on passenger side of car looking directly to engine, the first pulley from left to right is the alternator pulley, the next one is the power steering pump pulley and the third one is the water pump pulley with 4 bolts on center attach to water pump (pulley does not have any grooves on it).

 Turn steering wheel to the right and look for removable panel inside front of driver's side front fenderwell plastic between front bumper and front wheel. If there is no panel, then go to this web page:http://www.caraudio.com/forums/wiring-electrical-installation-help/241489-2001-chevy-lumina-battery-location.html

If its like my 99 Chevy Lumina, its behind the front bumper, passenger side. You'll have to take the whole front bumper off. Stupid I know. But thats how Chevy made them.

If it's like my 99 Chevy Lumina, it's in behind the front bumper, passenger side. I didn't know where mine was until my front bumper got ripped off. Long story.

a few things tires out of balance-bad tire-rim bent-shock/strut bad-worn or loose front end component-ball joints-bearing/hub---if bad enough to shake/shimmy u should be able to see or feel problem under front end jack up car and with wheel on move side to side than up and down than in and out when u do this if u hear a clunk or see a part move that shouldnt [tie rod connection/ball joint etc] than u found problem

It is a vacuum holding cell which is needed to feed vacuum to the heater air condioning controls inside your car. Also other vacuum related items feed off this vacuum tank

I believe the black ball you mentioned is a vac-reserve ball and the vacuum lines are on top.