[Winny_the_Pooh]

Alofile is correct - you do have enough room. You may have to hold your jaw just right to get everything to clear but it can be done.

LeSabremint97 gave a good tip - change the VSS while you have the exhaust off. I did not and I had to drop the exhaust again when I my VSS went out and threw a CEL with a P0500 code. It sucked dropping the exhaust the first time so it wasn't fun dropping it again (but you get a good bench press workout). The bolts on the yoke tend to splay out and it is a bear to get them to re-align with the holes in the "yoke" on the flared end of the y-pipe. I had to find a stiff pipe to use to bend them back straight enough to get the yoke back on.

Keep track of which studs go into which holes on the cover and water pump. I seem to remember that some are different lengths or different thread lengths. You can "double nut" the ones that are giving you trouble in breaking the initial torque.

The Ford manual is not really clear on which stud needs the thread sealant to keep from leaking. So, I sealed a couple of them on the firewall side to be safe (this was after one of them started leaking on me - another do-over task).

I also had to do-over the gasket to the water pump. It started leaking so I had to use RTV the second time in addition to the gasket. It was a good thing I got two gaskets in the material list I provided earlier.

I have info on the CMP position that I am trying to get posted to the web.