ok, so my friend has a 96 mustang 4.6 mustang and the other day it wouldn't start.. coolant was like dog poop, we had spark, we had fuel, and the car was smoking while running ( we were told valve seals prior). the car got towed to his mechanics and they said I cracked the intake manifold byt dropping a wrench or something (kiss my ass, that'd have to be a weak ass manifold...and i never dropped anything on the intake). now could a cracked intake manifold honestly keep the car from starting? i'm pretty sure coolant runs through the front of the manifold (from what i've read). but i just don't see a cracked manifold keeping a damn car from running. i could see it possibly making the car run like shit, or atleast worse but i don't know. can anyone chime in on this. their quoting him $1200 bucks for labor or swpping manifold...

thank you