97 sunfire gt 2.4 engine shakes

[grilljames]

New to the forum and I'm getting a 97 Sunfire GT from a friend for cheap and the Engine shakes at idle and under load, loses coolant, guzzles gas, runs like crap all around, I'm thinking its a blown head gasket. Engine loosing coolant with no leaks, and "Fooling" o2 Sensor and dumping more gas into the engine and coolant doesn't burn well so that maybe the cause of the shaking and running like crap. Just wanting to get a few other opinions and hopefully a cure for this cause. My g/f has a 97 2.2L with the same problem and a trans leak that cant be found. any ideas, info, or previous experiences will be a great help .
Thanks
James

 

[melsg5]

any white stuff in oil filler cap, did you pull the spark plugs to check if one looks different from the others?

 

[Goatman]

Im thinking you are on the right track with the blown head gasket idea (real common with that engine)..
as for the trans leak some times the coolant tanks in the radiators crack and leak fluid into the coolant (so you would not see any fluid on the ground)..
takes a new radiator to repair that one..

 

[Mongoosemess]

also check for the tranny leaking your tranny oil cooler lines may be rusting