Any tips for removing stuck intake manifold? (Update...it worked)

Yeah I already covered everything up to minimize getting crap in there. Also I agree about the silicon. If you look at the back of the block he almost completely sealed what I assume is a water port. The car came with an extra set of edelbrock manifold gaskets and being that I have edelbrock heads/intake and they're free I'm going to use those with the gaskacinch I have from my old air cooled vw days.