If you can get the superficial air intake plenum removed (fairly easy) it should give you enough room to work to be able to put your elbow in your ear down there. Procedurally... these following ideas...along with a handful of Basic Metric Tools and some Common Sense will let you repair damned near everything yourself on this vehicle.. .short of Engine-Transmission-Gear Box and Rear Differential Change-Outs:
(1) ALWAYS refer to the Shop Manual (Google for written How-To PDFs & Part Data).
(2) ALWAYS take Digital Images & make a folder specific to each repair and park them there.
A Nickel's Worth of FREE Mechanical Repair Advice:
Youtube videos are abundant for doing most common repairs and they can take the sting out of having little or no experience when doing such jobs for the first time. Careful, thoughtful research will help to remove that lump in your throat when you first start removing the fasteners. ANYTHING that is thin,,, or made of plastic or has any kind of hoses or wire connectors attached to it will be more delicate than a Rare Porcelain Egg from Faberge'... so TAKE YOUR TIME WHEN REMOVING THINGS THAT ARE ATTACHED AND STOP IMMEDIATELY IF THE RESISTANCE SEEMS TOO GREAT. Use your Noggin' and think things through. Learn the the differences early between Inch Pounds and Foot Pounds ...for example.
Don't begin a project on a vehicle that is your only Daily Driver until you have three times as much available time to start and finish the job as the manual suggests and you know that you will not need it to pick up the kids from school...pick up the wife ...or take her to the hospital to have a baby...or God Forbid..have to take your Mother-In-Law clothes shopping.
Never start on a Work Day...Never start a Repair Project until you are certain that you have assembled all the tools, parts, gaskets, sealants, fasteners and instructions...first hand. And last but not least... Use a Notepad, Pencil and a Hot Cup of Coffee to sit down and PLAN EVERYTHING FIRST... long before you raise the hood and "Turn Two" on the Job...and ALWAYS USE THE SEARCH FEATURE HERE AT GMT NATION TO SEE IF SOMEBODY ELSE HAS ALREADY PLOUGHED THE FIELD AHEAD OF YOU.
Well...That pretty much covers everything... You have friends here that are total strangers right now...who will give you much of their time and energy and experience and knowledge because at one time or another ...they have been exactly where you are right now... so... Not to Worry, Brother! You can do this!
Good Luck...
