So I bought a 1995 chevy cavalier off of an older woman who said her son took it out one night and it came home on a trailer. I bought the car for $200 and spent $45 on a tow home. She said her local mechanic said it was a head gasket (they are common on this 2.2L engine) so i go out and buy a head gasket, and get the old head checked by apex (a machine shop that specializes in that crap) Well he gives me a call and tells me the head is warped bad, and took a straight edge to it to show me. So i buy a new head, have the new gasket, and buy new head bolts. All of which costs about $250 It takes me about 1 hr and a half to put it all back together. I go to turn it over and it doesnt start. Everything was plugged in, head gasket facing right side up, fuel getting to the cylinders. Then it starts! the worst white smoke ive ever seen, then the car shuts off. and doesnt want to start. This all happens in about 2 minutes!! well i took out the spark plugs, and shined a light into the cylinders. cylinders 2 and 3 were under water and cylinder 4 had some water in it. The gasket properly sealed, head bolts properly tourqued. I just sent the new head back to the guy tonight for him to check it over. any one have any ideas as to wat it might be. I checked over the block and didnt see any appearant signs of cracks. i still need to tdc and bdc out the cylinders tho. any help would be greatly appreciated. I want to sell this car for a profit.

ps. I am able to just get a whole new working engine for $400 from the local junkyard. It worked perfectly the guy said. that is an option i am condsidering right now...

 

You didn't say if you drained the oil before starting it up.
It's possible you have a cracked block .

 

No I did not drain the oil. But what would that have to do with water getting into the cylinders? Oil rises above water, so if rings were bad then there wud also be oil, not just the coolant/water

 

Come to find out it was the thermostat housing gasket to the head. Gasket didn't seal right. Replaced that and car runs great. The only problem now is it doesn't rev high... It drives fine and picks up fine. But it doesn't want to go to a higher rpm w o it sounding like it has a rev limiter