cough cough

[Allegretto]

i think i blew a (couple) head gasket(s). i dont know for sure but i think the person who told me is just trying to get my car for $50. my car, a 78 caprice, is leakin water from the exhaust and i get white smoke out the tailpipe. its in good condition and runs like it did the day i got it, save for some nasty front end damage, but i dont know anything about the exhaust system, and head gaskets, so i will graciously accept any and all info.

[BertMcGert]

Is it only blowing white smoke at startup? If so thats just condensation in the exhaust system, all cars do that. Does it overheat after extended periods of driving? Do you have water in the oil or oil in the water?
Pull your oil dipstick and check for a choclatey brown color. If your oil looks like choclate milk you have a problem.

[Allegretto]

it smokes continuously. sometimes its bad and sometimes its not, and yes it does overheat but i think thats the thermostat. the oil looks clean though.

[xtoyotacorex]

You only have one head gasket. Is the white smoke just a bit or is it a lot when you drive. Does the water come out the whole time you drive, or jst in the morning. If the white smoke is like billowing out your exhaust, could be a head gasket. But if it's on;y a bit, i doubt it. Maybe your valve seals are bad, because it's old it could be. That would make oil leak in your cylinder, casuing the white smoke. Check your compression. Buy a compression gauge ($20) and put it in each spark plug whole and turn the engine over, one at a time, make sure it's level all across. If your oil isn't milky, I doubt your head gasket is blown.

[Allegretto]

it does it how it wants to. sometimes i cant see behind me and other times its just enough so i can see it. i havent really been looking at the oil though

[TommySS]

if it's a white "cloud", it's water in the combustion chamber

if it's bluish, that's oil in the combustion chamber

if it's black or tan, it's unburned fuel in the combustion chamber

Please be as specific as you can.

[Allegretto]

im 100% sure its a white cloud

[Allegretto]

now how do i stop it is it my head gasket?