On the1.9L engines the intake manifold doesnt have any coolant flowing through it, but in the engine head there are two openings into the water jacket - that the intake manifold gasket (backed up by the manifold) close off. One of the openings is between the 2nd and 3rd intake pipes. The other one is under the throttle body end of the manifold.
With a 12mm or 13mm socket on an extension you can undo that manifold, and slide it back a little bit. At least enough to have it pivot up a little, so you can clean off the surface of the head and the manifold, and install a new intake manifold gasket. If its been leaking for a while there will be enough crud from the process that it will take some time to get the surfaces (of the head around the openings into the water jacket, and the opposing surfaces of the intkae manifold) cleaned up and flat enough.
I like to put a thin smear of a gasket maker (RTV silicone stuff) around those two openings on the engine head, to help seal any leaks.
Also there are two places that can leak in the engine block itself. Below the intake manifold there are two core plugs. These may begin to leak after enough time - especially if the coolant never gets changed. They seldom seem to leak in Escorts, so hopefully that wont be the leakage. (With the engine in the car, the core plugs are tricky to get removed and new ones installed - though Im sure it is possible.)
And of course the lower radiator hose - where it fits onto the front inlet of the water pump - is tough to reach. I wind up taking off the serp. belt tensioner to get to that hose. Sometimes I have to remove the alternator and p.s. pump to get a new hose pushed on properly.
