[paul somlo]

I doubt that it can be done without removing the lower intake - and I've spent a fair amount of time staring at that coolant pipe and running through it in my mind. I just don't know how you would get at the hoses towards the firewall. Dealing with the lower intake is no picnic, but it's not a showstopper - I'm sure you can deal with it. Most people run into problems with the starter connections - the way the lugs are sized, it's somewhat self explanatory as to where they go. And you could label the rest of the connectors with masking tape, although the last time I did this, I remember them going back together with little ambiguity, either due to pin count or harness length.

Try it - see if it can be done with the lower intake in place. If so, report back, and you'll be a hero. If not, then proceed with removing the intake.

By the way, there's a writeup in the Knowledge Base here concerning cooling system overhaul. There should be some pics of the lower intake manifold being removed and reinstalled.