Known mainly for its success in the World Rally Championship competitions, Ford Sierra Cosworth RS represents an iconic member of the Ford performance boosted cars family. With a rather simple but eye catching design and an unmistakable sound for the ears of car enthusiasts, Sierra Cosworth RS represents a hunting target for collectors. Built between 1986 and 1992, a properly maintained Cosworth RS is rather difficult to find, and the price rises with quality.

However, with perseverance, proper spare parts (as there is little no chance of finding new, unused OEM components) and the car’s service manual, you can restore and do basic and advanced maintenance on a Cosworth RS. Due to the fact that most of the car is based on pure mechanics rather than electronics (as modern cars), finding your way around is easier and requires just basic knowledge about electric components.

Finding the service manual

When sold, every Cosworth RS came with its own service manual placed in the locked compartment or handed over separately at the dealership. Given that right now, the newest Cosworth RS is at least 24 years old, there is a good chance that the service manual got lost somewhere along the way or it simply got damaged beyond usage.

Fortunately, if you no longer have the original service manual, you can find online and download it for free, saving countless hours and quite a few bucks, as existing service manuals for sale aren’t cheap at all.

How to use a service manual

Although it’s just a book and not a metal wrench, your For Sierra Cosworth RS’ Service manual can be of great help. The best part about service manuals for older cars is that they contain a lot more information than their modern counterparts. For example, there is little no chance of finding what kind of solder material was used to connect wires on the electrical network of the vehicle or what kind of welding has been used to create the chassis.

These and other data regarding foam, solvents, paint, adhesives and so on are found in Ford Cosworth RS service manual.

Along with necessary materials to undergo various repairs, the service manual also contains information about the proper fluids your car requires in order to function properly: oil, engine coolant, brake fluid. The trick here is to search for newer products that might have replaced the ones listed in your service manual, but are still compatible.

Next up, the service manual will list detailed and illustrated tutorials on how to diagnose, replace or repair various components of the vehicle. While simple tasks as changing a flat tire or replacing oil and filters are easy to follow and undergo, more complex processes such as crankshaft replacement, head gasket inspection or transmission repair are most likely to require professional help.

Any time you feel overwhelmed by the amount of data found in the service manual or lack the proper tools to undergo a certain service operation, don’t improvise: that is the time to call for professional help.