Emails not sending all of sudden

I can send email via Send Email in the Admin/Tools, but ZenCart is no longer generating Order Confirmations to either the customers or the merchant (myself). I recently made a lot of changes, so I know I only have myself to blame, but I can't understand why Send Email would still be working if there is a problem.

I recently moved hosts to Camelot Hosting (PHP v.5.3.2), upgraded ZC 1.3.7-1 to 1.3.9c and installed a new template from Algozone. I assume either of those changes could hace triggered this problem.

My email too is hosted with Google Apps/Gmail, and my MX records are properly set-up on the new server. In ZC Email Options, I am set to PHP, smtp.gmail.com, port 465 (and I've tried 587 with the same result). I've also tried smtpauth with the port set to 26, but that didn't work either.

Previously, a contributor to these forums assisted me with some patches that worked on my previous settings... the patched files included
/includes/functions/functions_email.php
/includes/classes/classes_smtp.php
/includes/classes/classes_phpmailer.php
(just did that from memory, I think those are the correct paths/filenames)

Anyway, I tried installing those patched files as well, but no better results.

Any thoughts?

Also... the Account Set-Up Notifications seems to work fine, which makes the Order Confirmation issue seem like it's not because of the Google hosting... could it be an issue with SSL?

Same thing here! Google Apps Email was working fine for YEARS then all the sudden (last week? didnt' actually know until a customer mentioned they didnt get the confirmation email) it just stopped working! It brings up a white screen and says something about E-Mail Transport Method.

As I mentioned, it has been set up on PHP and using Google Apps for a couple years now. All of the sudden nothing works. Even tried SMTP and it didnt' work, as well as SMTPAUTH!

I had to switch it to "Qmail" temporarily just so the customer wouldn't get that screen, kind of as a way to make it seem like the issue was resolved when really it wasn't!

Email Error: Could not instantiate mail function. Please check Admin->Configuration->Email Options->Email Transport.

I checked the SSL, it's fine.

Zen-Cart isn't able to send emails from the contact form or from account set-up/order confirmation.

The SSL was "fine" but because it recently renewed, I had to go into GoDaddy and accept or verify the renewal. Of course I didn't know this until I called them! They said it will take up to 72 hours to complete.

Although I'm not sure the logic behind why the SSL would cause this error, I do know that the issue began right around the time of the SSL renewal... AND another ZC installation I run on another server is using Google Apps, just fine with the same exact settings (PHP). So based on deduction, I can assume the SSL is the problem.

For my issue it turned out to be a problem that the data center for my host discovered with outbound emails to major ISPs.... I don't know much more than that, but they fixed it. For the record though, the problem was not with Google or my Zen Cart settings.