engine starts up fine, and runs fine, and my oil pressure gauge works, but when the car heats up the oil pressure gauge stops working, and when i hit the gas, it makes a strange knocking sound, also if i sit at a light, or just have it idle for a little bit, it puts out a cloud of white smoke

 

Sounds like the coolant is getting into places it shouldn't be.

 

makes sense, been having problems with my radiator, and just replaced my water pump, how do you check?

 

drain the oil...if its watery then you had coolant in it

 

just drained it, no water

 

there could be the possiblity that the head gaskets are going bad and the coolant is leaking into the cylinder and burning up before it gets into the oil.

 

well i know something is leaking onto the engine, because i get smoke from there after she warms up, and i am losing both coolant and oil, and im really tired of working on the car myself, what do you suggest i tell the people at the shop?

 

Just tell them you think your burning up oil and coolant but you cant figure out where its leaking from.

 

"Hi, this engine has had it, what would it cost to put in a 383 with a 4-barrel?"

But that is only a suggestion...

 

you have no idea how much i would love to tell them that but i damn sure dont have that kinda of money

 

Now maybe someone can explain my knock.

3 weeks ago it sounded like a rod was getting ready to break thru the block so I parked the car.
Last weekend I had to move it & no knock. let it sit & idle, no knock. took it down the highway at 80 mph & no knock.

 

It sounds like a piece of trash was trapped in a lifter causing it to collapse and later found its way out. Or a chunk of carbon was stuck on top of a piston and letting it sit made it soften and it went out. Bottom end knocks don't "go away".