Got tires today. The exhaust is pretty well non existant now, so it sounds like a motorcycle or something. but it moved under its own power. Yeah!!
  


Pretty cool. I DONT really like the sound - I just drove it to town to get the tags, and I feel like I am going deaf. Also, the power is missing - even for a Geo. I could not maintain speed in any gear. I think I got the timing belt off a notch.

Got the parts to fix the exhaust now. I will make it out alive yet! 

EDIT: Little update. I fixed the exhaust (mostly) and now am without a cat. That is where it rusted out, and I don't want to mess with a new one. No inspections in KY or OH.

So its quieter now, but now its super smokin' out the tailpipe. I mean clouds of smoke. And it stalls real easy, has no power at all. Ive got to check the timing belt, and see if I got off a tooth, or even two.

What else could be wrong? I need some input from our techie members @BB, all connected, PCV just cleaned.

After talking with the Mullet, he reminded me of one fundamental of Smoke Theory: Black smoke is fuel, blue smoke is oil, white smoke - like I got - is burning coolant.

Something ain't right and I gotta tear it all back down I think. This is all separate from the radiator fan not coming on. More on that another time.

Update: OK, I decided it is most likely the head that's cracked. I am not getting water in the oil, but it is burning a ton of coolant. So I ordered a used head from a junkyard ($60 shipped) and another head gasket ($15 shipped).

We'll see if this re-rebuild goes lickety split, since I already have the parts and the know-how down.

I did manage to confirm all the other components are solid (steering, suspension, etc) as I drove it in to town. Alignment is perfect, new tires run great.

I think I'd drive a Geo to the moon and back.