HELP! Losing coolant and white smoke!

[RedDiabloStang96]

Hey guys,
I have a 94 ATX that has been losing coolant for a long time. Well, the tranny died last summer, and it hasn't moved since then, though it has run. Anyway, I am doing an MTX swap in it, and I figured what the ****, I might as well fix all of it's problems (that I can afford to!) while I'm at it! I have another car (hence my screen-name!), so I have a long time to complete this project! It was losing coolant a long time before the tranny went, but there were never any puddles, or drips, or syrup-y smell, or smoke! I could never find the leak, and it was REALLY bad (I'd have to top it off every day, I don't know how much it lost)! Anyways, after it died, I would run it maybe once in the first 4 months, and then one more time maybe 6 months later, and then just recently I ran it again. When I revved it up (I let it warm up for about 30 minutes (trying to recharge battery)), it was smoking (white) out the tailpipe. Any ideas? Is it a headgasket? What's the smoke? Where can I get a headgasket? SHO parts are hard to find!
--RedDiabloStang96 (Brian)
P.S.
If anyone wants to sell me some parts for my conversion, I'd be grateful (kinda need a job though (I'm workin on it, I'm still in high school!))

 

[MotoArts]

Yes, head gasket or cracked head is my diagnosis.
Pull the spark plugs and inspect them one at a time. The "really clean" one will be the cylinder(s) that are eating the antifreeze. You may even find green drops on the plug(s) as a telltale sign. **ABSOLUTELY DO NOT** attempt to start the engine ANY more without finding out the cause (not even "just one more time")!!!!! Antifreeze will NOT compress (as with ANY liquid) and can do what is known as "hydro-lock" a cylinder if enough coolant is in there, even with just the starter motor. At best, you will bend a connecting rod, possibly leading to a complete engine replacement .

 

[RedDiabloStang96]

One more thing though

Hey,
Thanks for all the help man, but I do have one more thing to add. I just remembered that a little while before the tranny went, my coil died and dumped raw fuel into the cats (they got so hot they literally burned a hole in them!), and catalyst spewed all over the subframe. Ever since that time, I had a little white smoke coming out the tailpipe. So, I'm wondering if the last time I started it, the white smoke was catalyst? But, the coolant still went somewhere! I've checked the spark plugs before, and they were all pretty much the same (a very little amount of white on them, but otherwise, healthy looking). I'm pretty much stumped, but if it was a cracked head (or heads), that would make my project a little easier (but a little more expensive!) Better not be just a damn headgasket, as the engine NEVER EVEN APPROACHED hot! Thanks a lot man!
--Brian
P.S.
I tend to write long posts! HEHE! Sorry! I just don't want to leave anything out!

 

[MotoArts]

Dude, there's some pretty serious issues going on there. I've never heard of burning a hole in a cat before. Not saying that it can't happen, but ! Jeez, it takes an acetylene torch flame to do that. Especially if the temp gauge never spiked. Catalyst is ceramic, like a coffee cup, and can't turn to a liquid. Anyways, start with compression and leakdown checks next to narrow the antifreeze leak source. Heck, just try removing all the plugs again and cranking the engine to see if antifreeze spews out of any plug holes. And remember, DO NOT attempt to start the engine.

I've had engines pop head gaskets (cast iron small block Chevys) that never ran hot, so it can happen regardless of temp.