...if you want to get it right the FIRST time without rounding the slots,buy a Japanese Phillips for this job.Heat the tip of the phillips first.Then immediately apply to screw head,let it stay on there several seconds and turn gently while adding strong pressure.Longer shank is best.Something that totally clears the airbox port.I would also carefully stuff a small rag or something under the plate(s)just in case one drops in the stack.I think the Japanese sizes are called 'JIS'.Something like that.Try to find one that has a magnetic tip on it.
I think a JIS will be best if you can find one. I used a regular brand new phillips with a grit coated tip. Think it had #2 stamped on it? It looked like your common sized phillips more on the smallish side. The 12" shank was essential. I have a pic if you need it.
I heated the screwdriver with a torch until the tip glowed cherry red. I let it sit in the slots for about 30 seconds to a minute. They all broke free but it was not like cutting butter, they were still a little on the stiff side. Think--push down HARDER than you need to for the amount of force you are using to twist. If the tip slips, those slots are gone. You can push down maybe about ten-twelve-15 pounds of pressure. Twenty, I'd say you're risking bending the actuator rod. BE CAREFUL not to touch the plastic bell mouths. They can be replaced but you almost might as well have taken the T-bodies out to remove the flies if your going to replace a duct.
I used a magnet tool on the shank of the screwdriver to lift the screws out. Stick the magnet in and it will stick to the fly plate as much as the screw and then you got trouble. I imagine a magnetic screwdriver would be best. It's touchy work so don't rush it.
I ever so carefully threaded a folded sheet of tin foil in each bore under the fly I was about to remove. You wouldn't want to rip off any scraps of foil and have that drop down in there either. There are the primaries below but as you'll see, there's a gap between the fly and the bore. Small objects will likely fall in through that gap.
Also,the 06's/07' and up till 12 have a ECU program in there that starts closing the throttlebodies at around 6-7K rpms(this is not the same as the low(rpm) closing plates.This is a safety feature in there.You might want to get the ECU flashed so that program is disabled.
With the flies out, there should be no problem. If the ECU wants to close the secondaries and the plates are gone, it's a mute point. The primaries are wide open and the ECU can't do a thing about that except richen up fueling or retard timing.
Another thing...to get more peppiness in the motor,get a Brock's manual adjustable timing wheel.Set it to 4 degrees advance.Use red locktite on the screws.This small mod works very well.
It's simple, it's old school. I like it. I like an ignition module with PC5 even more though. It's been 10 years since anyone talked about timing maps but the knowledge is out there somewhere (and I'm gonna get it). From what I can recall trying to figure out from Romans' PMs, +4° is the middle value for the hot timing map but it is not +4 across the power band. Romans always said the timing is already very advanced in some areas.
If you don't want to fuss with programming timing, a $60 TRE will give you zero timing retard and the mapping of this timing will be safe. It either locks you in Neutral timing or 6th gear according to which TRE you buy. Both of these gear maps have no retard. Healtech has a great switchable TRE with gear position indicator for $300. That's what I'm getting.
Otherwise, get a flash from a well trusted tuner. They might tell you to leave the flies in because they will program them to open at very low rpm.
'08 MIDNIGHT SAPPHIRE BLUE Now Deceased