There's coolant in that there hole?

[Aurora40]

I don't know why an external line leaking would cause the car to run rough, though. Have you started it with the hood up to see if you can see it spraying?

FWIW, if you pull the plenum, you may want to take the starter out and give it a good cleaning, get all the coolant out from under it, and dielectric grease up the connections. My starter gave up the ghost shortly after a major coolant spraying incident.

[PhillipsLT5]

Good call Jerry, the rubber on that line will probably be dry after 20 years, try to tighten clamp

[GTOger]

Interesting thoughts guys. I've got a "prior engagement" until 2pm today, but then I can take a good look at the car. There are a lot of things I'd prefer to having to pull that plenum again so soon, so you better believe I've got my fingers crossed. I'm anxious to have a look!

And, oh... todesengel.... "pbbbbbbbbt"!

[A26B]

One of the subject hoses on mine split while driving & wouldn't you know the split was on the inboard side & sprayed directly under the plenum. What a mess.....the one place you wouldn't want it to go. When the engine is hot, there's no way to releive the pressure & LOTS of coolant went under the plenum. I replaced the hose, but fried the starter. Was able to push start & limp home. What a mess.

This may not be the problem, but the coolant passages in the injector housings are to the front of the engine, likewise on the plenum.

[Paul Workman]

Originally Posted by A26B

This may not be the problem, but the coolant passages in the injector housings are to the front of the engine, likewise on the plenum.

To Jerry's (very good) point, there is no coolant passages in the plenum or the IH near the location of you leak. All the more reason to suspect it is not the gasket, or at least not causing the problem seen in the photos.

And, further review of the photo seems to confirm that the spray pattern was external from the motor; the concentration of the fluid staining seems to center on a spot on the cam cover with what appears to me to be splashing radiating from that spot.

If you got coolant pooling under the starter, you wouldn't want to try to crank 'er until you pulled the starter and blow it out with compressed air if water did get into it.

Just a thought...
p.