I know this vehicle is a bit new for this forum - but I know there are a few techs here that may have some insight. The WIS for the subject vehicle calls for removing the intake manifold to perform a spark plug change. The first step in the WIS is to remove the bulkhead (firewall insulation panels). The photos in the WIS seem to confirm that the bulkhead has to come out to remove 2 bolts at the rear on the intake manifold. The bulkhead is in 3 parts, L, R and center. The sides come out easily. The center section is ridiculously difficult!!

There are folks on the internet that have done this job without removing the intake manifold. Even though I normally am religious about following the WIS at this point I am leaning towards trying their methods.

Has anyone done this on this vehicle? Do shop techs really remove the intake manifold? Getting the bulkhead out is so difficult it seems to me that any tech would avoid it.