Big12ed

Hello cl! So I I replaced my Spark plugs and wires maybe 1000 miles ago because of a misfire, and a misfire has redeveloped 2 weeks ago and subsided about a week ago. (Weird)
Then I noticed a lot of smoke coming out my exhaust, its white because I'm only running water, after some small overheat problem I had. (My thermostat would go up and down up annd down between hot and operating temp for about 10 minutes, it was a very hilly road) filled with water since that. I'm losing a lot of coolant (at this point its all water) and its pouring out my exhaust, feels wet even after a long drive.
And I feel like I have to put oil in my car pretty often. Maybe a quart a month?
204k miles on the engine.
I'm suspecting a head gasket is cracked because I don't over heat, but I fill up my overflow resivoir(?) Once every 6 days or so.

So I want to go with a supra 3ply gasket, arp head studs. Anything else I should get while I'm in there? What other gaskets will I have to replace just to get to the head gasket. I know the throttle body for sure, but my list ends there.
So, to sum it up, does it sound like a head gasket? And what will I need for the whole job?

Zinik

iTrader: (1)

might want to have a machine shop check and or deck the head to make sure its true and flat again.

while you are in there you should replace things like the water pump and timing belt as well since they gotta come out.

any plans of boost? if not then no need to go for the thicker head gasket as your performance will suffer from the lower compression

Big12ed

Im planning on boost one day, but its far from now until I get a much better job. Otherwise I'm going to gut and start drifting my car, so I'd like it to be as bullet proof as possible

Big12ed

So basically just timing belt and water pump are the only things that must be removed? I won't run into a random gasket I don't have during this process? Never done such a big repair to my car so im trying to not have any surprises sneak up on me

snomanlex

iTrader: (22)

First thing would be to do a leak down/compression test. Another possible diagnosis would be to rent a coolant pressure tool and that would help to determine a leak as well. From the sounds of it a headgasket is a possibility.

To do the job properly:
Pull the head
Have a machine shop inspect it/clean it/machine it if neccessary
Replace Valve seals
Arp Headstuds (optional)
Get a top end gasket kit (it will come with some misc gaskets you may need)
New thermostat and gasket
New waterpump
Coolant
oil change
and make sure the radiator is in good condition