engine problems need advice.

ok, i was driving home and after ripping it, my idle seemed really chuggy and my muffler sounded like put, put,put,put.... but when i got going say above 2000rpm it was fine, then it progresivly got worse for the next hour and finally overheated. now when i was checking it out just after i noticed the idle was screwy, i reved it up while it was out of gear and i blew a pretty big white cloud. so i thought damn it's the head gasket but when i started driving again the steam when away so now im not sure. could i have slipped a tooth on the cam shaft mabey?
anyway thanks for any help.

or... you could be blowing your headgasket out, if you can run a compression test and that'll let ya know... but running ruff and white smoke def. sounds like a headgasket...

Sure sounds like a blown head gasket. Check for water in the in the oil or oil in the coolant system. If theres nothing, then do a dye test.

i just pulled the plugs and the #2 (i think 2nd from the right) had oily coolant on it. damn it!!

does anybody know if i can use a d16a6 si head gasket on a d15b2 dx? cause i heard that people should use a gasket from a z6 (92-95 civic ex/si) or y8 (96-00 civic ex) on a d16a6 because there metal.

does anybody know if i can use a d16a6 si head gasket on a d15b2 dx? cause i heard that people should use a gasket from a z6 (92-95 civic ex/si) or y8 (96-00 civic ex) on a d16a6 because there metal.
yes...all the dseries sohc head gaskets are the same (dunno about 01+ though?). Definitely use the 92-95 or 96-00 z6 or y8 gasket. Use nothing but the metal ones!!! Or, you'll be replacing that carbon metallic 88-91 gasket twice a year!
Believe it or not, when a Honda dealership replaces the head gasket on the older 88-91's they use the 92+ metal gaskets.