I'm trying to remove the upper inlet manifold to yank the engine. I'm on step 15 of page 453 of the D2 workshop manual.
15.Disconnect purge valve hose from inlet
manifold.

The black plastic clip that connects the hose to inlet manifold wont unclip. I've been trying to pull the little gray part out, but it doesn't do much. And its getting chewed up a bit by my pliers. I tried prying it a bit, but it's pulling the little tube its attached to out of the intake manifold (!!!).

Any suggestions?
If anyone has suggestions on 16-18 I'm all ears.

 

I've swapped my engine numerous times and have never been able to get mine off either. I've always just separated the hose at the purge valve. Much easier. Be careful if you separate it at the purge valve because it is plastic and has a long snout in the hose.

On the idle valve there is no reason to remove it. Just unplug the electrical connector. You will have to remove one hose to reach a bolt on the upper intake and the other side to take the main air intake off. Remove the former from both sides and remove the latter from the idle valve not the air hose. The air intake fitting is plastic and you don't want to break it. You can leave the idle valve in place when you remove the intake or take those two retaining straps off. I leave mine on.

Finally for the return air from the valve cover I cut that hose and put a bolt in it, then used a breather filter on the valve cover end, as suggested in one of Alex_M's awesome mod posts. Same on the other valve cover.

 

You need to squeeze it on the sides but not on the edges, if that makes sense. I use a pair of bent circlip pliers (something like this: Silverline PL65 Bent Nose Internal Circlip PLIERS180MM | eBay). I don't remember there being a "little gray part." It's a squeeze and pull deal.

For 16, you need a slothead screwdriver. Use it to push on the little piece of metal on the side (it's sort of like a paperclip). When that's pushed in, pull out the plug. I think the one on the back of the IAC (17) is the same format. 18 is just a standard hose clip. pry it lightly under the snapping mechanism until it clips out.

This video also covers it:

 

Is it a 1999-2002 or 2003-2004 model? Roll back the rubber sheath around the end of the hose where it meets the inlet manifold. You'll see one or two buttons (depending on which range of DII you have) you'll need to squeeze in so that the hose can be released. Early DII's have two buttons on the end whereas the last two years there was a single grey button. I've removed hundreds of these purge vavles and have never had to resort to separating the assembly anywhere else.

 

I just did this yesterday. The part that clips onto the manifold has TWO square pads, one on each side. They both have to be pushed in at the same time, and the whole assembly will slide off.

 

Two buttons for 1999-2002 and one grey button for 2003-2004.

 

Its a 2004. Well I hope it still works after all of the mechanical misery I've put it through.

 

Isn't that for the crank position sensor?

 

Thanks for the suggestions! that thing came right off when I squeezed it with my adjustable jaw pliers. Now I gotta figure out how to get the tube it was attached to back into the intake manifold. I was able to tap it most of the way in, but I'm not 100% it is in as far as it was before I messed with it.

That video was really helpful too. I think I'll follow that as much as possible.