ok i got a spray can of throttle/carb cleaner and one of silicone spray for 7 bucks total. took out the IAC (a pain!) cleaned with carb cleaner on the pintle and the inside of the throttle body, then finished off with a spray of silicone. i also checked the resistance of the coils (55 ohms in AB and CD). at first i forgot to reset the computer and the car wasnt really starting. then i did the 5 second on/10 second off and it started just fine.
BTW to put the screws back in i tied them with beading wire (or other wire) and secured around the throttle body or wires in the area. this way i made sure they dont fall off if i dont screw them in properly.
the test drive was very promising. no more idle surging, just barely at the beginning when the engine wasnt warmed up. the idle is pretty much constant around 900 or so rpm even at the longer stops at lights. it's quite amazing because even though i did soil a lot of cotton swabs, it didnt look like a lot of buildup.
i hope that solved it...