To gain access for removing...
To gain access for removing the lower intake plenum, you'll need to remove the distributor from the block. Begin by removing the distributor cap and wires. Use a china marker or a permanent marker to note the position of the rotor in relation to the cap adapter. Finally, unbolt the distributor hold-down and pull the distributor up and out. As long as the engine isn't cranked, the distributor can be dropped back in by marking the lines back up. Plug the distributor hole with a rag or paper towel.
* Inspect the cooling-system hoses and replace them during the intake swap. You'll be messing with the heater hoses, the front coolant transfer hose, the EGR cooler hoses, and the water-pump bypass hose during the job, so check them and get new ones now, not while the car is apart.
* Fuel-line disconnect tools are required for Ford's spring-lock fittings. The tools are inexpensive, so buy the entire set for future work on fuel and A/C lines.
* Since you'll be draining the coolant for the job, why not flush the cooling system and add fresh coolant on the refill?
* Most intake-manifold gasket sets come with a new distributor O-ring. If your gasket kit doesn't have an O-ring, be sure to get one. Most of the time the O-ring is so hard from heat, it simply breaks away. This is a common oil-leak path.
* Because you have to swap fuel rails and injectors from the original manifold to the new manifold, the old injector O-rings might give you some trouble with cracking or hardening. New injector O-rings from your Ford dealer are good to have on hand during the process.
 Usually the coolant transfer...  Usually the coolant transfer tube is removed from the lower intake plenum before the intake is freed from the grip of the intake gaskets. But oftentimes, and in this case, the nut and stud that secure the rear of the tube (arrow) are stubborn and will not release their grip on the tube. If you're lucky the stud-head bolt and nut will rotate together with some manipulation. If this is the case, remove the other 11 intake bolts first and remove this bolt last (as it will lift the intake). |  Here's where you'll need the...  Here's where you'll need the fuel-line disconnect tools. We're using the Ford/OTC style that wrap around the spring lock, but the parts-store versions will do the same job. Disconnect the two lines and move them out of the way. If you haven't drained the coolant yet, do so now. Remove the two hoses from the front of the intake at the coolant tube and thermostat housing. |  Once all 12 bolts are removed...  Once all 12 bolts are removed and the injector harness is disconnected from the main PCM harness (don't forget the HEGO ground on the back of the driver-side cylinder head and the oil-pressure sending unit wire), separate the intake from the heads, pulling the intake back and up to clear the A/C lines. |
 The Edelbrock lower manifold...  The Edelbrock lower manifold features 1.02x1.85-inch ports (at the cylinder head) and CNC-matched port openings (at the upper plenum). The lower intake is physically taller than the stock manifold, but overall height difference is minimal. The lower manifold has all the stock provisions for the EEC IV system-just reinstall the parts listed in the previous caption and you're ready to go. |  Here's some dirty work. Use...  Here's some dirty work. Use a gasket scraper, razor blades, sandpaper, or whatever works for you to strip and clean the cylinder head and block surfaces of all remaining gasket material. Leaving old gasket material behind can cause a leak, so be diligent in your cleaning here. Use shop rags or paper towels to block off the ports to prevent gasket shards from going into the combustion chamber. |  With the old lower intake...  With the old lower intake mani-fold on a workbench, remove the fuel rails and injectors, the temperature sending unit, the EGR cooler-hose fitting, the coolant passage plug, the thermostat housing, the ACT sensor, and the coolant transfer tube (if not already removed) from the intake. Clean everything and apply fresh thread tape or Teflon sealant where required. |