Parts & tools needed:

• 3 studs for the head (The 3 bottom ones are too big to use for the header).
• 3/8 ratchet with various metric sockets.

Cautions:

• Rusty bolts. Some bolts are rust welded on. The solution is to use WD-48, PB Blaster, or heat to loosen the bolts. If all else fails, cutting off the bolts/studs is the only option and then extracting the remainder with a bolt extractor. Sometimes a nut can also be welded on any part of the bolt/stud that is sticking out, and then used to screw it out.
• Stuck EGR nut. The EGR tube nut that is stuck on the manifold can be bought individually at a Ford dealer only (at least thats the case for me).

Procedure

1. Remove the 8 nuts from the studs. NOTE: The nut located on the left side of the 1st cylnder will be some what difficult to remove, it is do'able w/out removing the alternator. If you have A/C you will also need to remove the the A/C line brace from the alternator w/ a 10mm socket.

   

2. Cutting the exhaust with an angle grinder is probably the best way of removing it if it's not needed.

   

   

3. This is how it should look like when its out, as you can see I just un-bolted the manifold and cut off the bolts that hold the down pipe and the mid-section of the exhaust together.

   

4. You more than likely have to cut the exhaust pipe right in front of the back tire so you can easily remove the muffler and portions of the exhaust line.

   

5. This is what it will look like with out the manifold on. There are 8 studs and nuts all together. This might be a good time to repace both to make the install a little easier, but the original may still do. When putting on new or old STUDS remember to put some blue threadlock on the end of the stud going into the cylnder head. This will help you when installing the header and torquing down the nuts.

   

6. This Is what it should look like with the header installed. When Installing the header remember to put temperature rated gasket sealant on both sides of the gasket before installing it on the header or cylinder head. When torquing down the header nuts, do so in a center to out pattern. Meaning tighten down the two center nuts too about snug and then to the left of the center two nuts, then to the right (pretty much back and forth) until all are snug. Then you can go back and torque the nuts to torque specs in the same pattern you did to snug them. The reason why you want to snug the nuts first is to give an nice even pressure against the head.

   

   

   

Also see

• Ford Escort & ZX2 section for the entire index of all Ford Escort and ZX2 related articles.