the car is a 1991 Civic LX not for performance reasons am I trying to get this car running, but for a friend.

It was knocking, I ran searches and found it could be the gas that was being used,
I used higher octane gas, 7 miles later Click! bang! boom! the knocking stopped, oil began leaking, (around front A/C compressor area) and white smoke (most likely from it burning off the HOT block) parked about 1/4 mile later found that steam and oil coming from the center of the intake manifold where it meets the head. it left a trail of dripping oil, my first guess is a cracked block, but maybe it is only a blown head Gasket. and now it won't Start and shakes really bad when trying to start.

I checked all the spark plugs to see if it would help tell me something but all looked as if they were run on 87 octane gas and maybe that the car was running a little rich. oh and when standing in front of vehicle facing the engine from left to right 1-2-3-4 the number two spark plug had steam/smoke coming out when I removed the plug , but it was the only one with that problem.
PLEASE HELP !!!

the car has 101546 miles on it, one owner, and garage kept for past four years, owner said the knocking just recently started.
It broke while I was test driving it!!!!!

 

Well if its actually knocking the thats not good, probally a spun rod bearing or something

You sure its a knock and not a ticking

 

IF YOU ARE SMART AT ALL OR EVEN HALF SMART AND A LITTLE MECHANIC MINDED......you will NEVER try to start it again until AFTER you have torn the motor down to see what is what, and then rebuild it.

It sounds like you either snapped a rod, spun a bearing, and overheated and fried the headgasket.

Its fucked, tear it down and look. DO NOT keep trying to start it.

 

^^Dude, I realize that you're annoyed with newbies, but there's no reason to be a dick to the guy. Everyone starts somewhere and everyone makes mistakes.

Alright dude, first of all you have the cylinder order backwards, it goes from driver's side to passanger side. So that would be the #3 cylinder you're talking about. That motor's, more likely than not, toast.

 

when i put my head next to the engine it seriously sounded like something was wanting to get out really badly

 

I only tried twice to restart it. and I am somewhat mechanically inclined , If I take it apart I can put it back together.

 

and I knew that I had the cylinder number wrong, but not worried about getting it right, so thanks, yea I am worried about the engine being toast, and I feel like I bought the car, the owner wants about $800 but she does not know yet that it took a **** yet. I will be talking her down from that price.

 

Did it sound like the top of the motor or the bottom of the motor?

 

probly spun bearing. if it was knocking just sounds like the motor was neglected at some point in its life.