Subject: 1992 Eclipse Motor
Question:

My son had his Eclipse motor rebuilt. It was working fine for all of about 3 months and now the smoke just pours out the back of the exhaust. It is white colored.
He is now back to trying to take it apart again he has been told it's the head gaskets.
At this point in time we would take any suggestions that you have. Our final thought is to just junk the car. It didn't idle correctly before this, it would idle up then sound as if it was going to cut out, this was even before the engine was rebuilt.

Answer: Cindy,
The problem definitely sounds like a blown head gasket. It is a time consuming task to replace it. It's not uncommon for the head bolts to work their way loose after an engine rebuild. The bolts should be retorqued after driving it for about 100 miles to be sure they set properly. If not, the bolts can work free and allow coolant to pour into the combustion chamber and end up being burned off in the exhaust.

If the engine block itself is warped, it would have to be removed and resurfaced. Again, this is very time consuming and can be expensive. If the engine simply is too much to fix, you could even inquire at swapping out the engine for another engine. If your Eclipse was manufacturered after 4/92 (you can tell from the sticker on the driverside door frame), you can use another engine from a 4/92-94 Eclipse, Laser or Talon of the same engine size. If your Eclipse made before 4/92, it would be best to use a 91-4/92 Eclispe, Talon, Laser engine.
Good luck!