I have a friend whose car puddles water on the passenger side of the lower manifold and leaks down the back side of the block onto the bellhousing and that area. Does this sound like lower gaskets or something else?
Is the EGR still hooked up on this motor?
The EGR coolant lines could be leaking as well.
The heater hoses are on that side of the engine bay as well.
The best way to find the leak is probably going to be by drying up all the wet spots, then doing a pressure test on the cooling system.
The pressure should force the coolant out of the leak.
I have been burned by what I 'thought was right' more times than I care to admit.
"I know I timed the dist in right" "I know I installed the plug wires in the right order" I was wrong in each instance, sometimes I screwed it up multiple times
Everyone screws the pooch from time to time... (even your friend, and especially me)
The point is, you have to start trouble shooting with the basics.
Do what ever you have to do, in order to talk your friend into running a pressure test on the coolant system.
i dont know why there is water unless he has water in his anti freeze resivour, you could also you a black light, anti freeze glows so thats a easy way to tell.. happen to me in my grand prix... when i replaced it i but the motor back togeather i didnt do sumthing right and ended up with a rod knock.. then got a whole new motor put in.. so it was a costly manifold. lol .