Hi everyone,

While trying to remove the MAP sensor screw on my 2008 Honda Fit, the screw head got stripped. Now I can’t get it out with a regular screwdriver. What’s the best way to remove it without damaging the sensor or the throttle body? Any tips would be really appreciated.

 

For starters, get a +2 JIS screw driver. The cross-head (abbreviated "+") screws on Hondas are not Phillips, they're JIS. That's (one of the reasons) why your Phillips driver stripped out the screw. Vessel's #930-series Megadora through-tang drivers are excellent for stubborn screws. Something like 90% of the cross-head screws on a given Honda are +2, so it's worth the ~$15 investment. Brake rotor and door latch screws are +3 if you want to splurge a little, though I'll recommend the impact driver set for those.

The US shop manual shows the MAP sensor is mounted on the intake manifold, not the throttle body. You sure you're wrenching on the right part?

Considering its location, I would try cutting the head off the screw with a rotary tool equipped with a small cut-off wheel. Once the sensor is out of the way, you should be able to grab the remaining portion of the screw with adjustable pliers, a pair of "vampliers" or similar implement. Be sure to squeeze HARD with the pliers before trying to turn the screw. The goal being to deeply imprint the ridges of the plier jaws into the screw threads for maximum grip.

 

By the way, thanks a lot — these are gems for me. I’ll grab one.



this is the screw that I mentioned

 

That 3-wire bit is indeed the MAP sensor. The large plastic part it's attached to is the intake manifold. Specifically, the log-shaped portion that runs across the engine is the intake manifold's "plenum", while the tubes feeding each cylinder are called "runners". In the top half of your last pic, the aluminum part between the intake manifold and air intake/filter/muffler box is the throttle body. The throttle body also has a fuel vapor emissions valve attached to it (the black plastic bit on top), and the large drive-by-wire servo motor that moves the throttle plate to control air flow into (and power output from) the engine. Older engine designs have a cable-operated throttle, where the accelerator pedal (gas pedal) mechanically operates the throttle.