I drive a 97 civic ex and when you get in, as soon as you shift, a tiny bit of white smoke comes out. Could that possibly be a head gasket? Also, when you stop you can smell something burning

 

You should have coolant lose if it is your head gasket your best bet is to check your radiator if not full fill it then drive it a few days comeback and check for lose of coolant. Also another great test yes white does mean coolant, but if you get on the accelerator should get white smoke coming out the tail pipe.

 

Compression test!

 

so you are sayin that when i run it hard i should get white smoke?

 

Check your coolant, see if it's still full

 

also pull spark plugs to see if white (if they are white it would indicate lean which wont smoke white or coolant consumption which will smoke white)

 

Sounds like a head gasket!

 

might also be burning oil...

 

Im pretty sure she burns oil, she does have 180,000 miles. But if the oil was burnin, that would be blue, not white right? It looks like im doin a head gasket this weekend. Ive never done one on a motor like this, im used to 350's. Any special tricks I should know?