2.2 questions

i am looking at a 96 cavalier gt with a 2.2 . they say that it has a hair line crack in the head. the car still runs but idels slightly rough but smooths out at higher rpms. it has a little white smoke from the tailpipe and when you hold your hand down there it dampens your hand a little. are there any way that this could affect the block? it is dropping a little water in the oil but not a lot. any thoughts or opions greatful, also is a 91 or 93 block the same as the 96?

also would the head from a 93 enginge interchange with the 96

A head with a hairline crack will fail faster than a head without one. As well, depending on where the crack is, you may experience faster degradation. I had the exact same problem, only I didn't know about the hairline crack. Over time, the crack worsened and eventually became a bow, of 20 microns, in my head, and that bow was enough to lose the pressure. You can take your chances, but likely the head will fail soon.

The 93 head will work. This head will fail fairly soon. It only takes a little water in the oil to do a lot of damage. The blocks are the same until the ecotec engine replaced them.