if u put an aftermarket exhaust kit on it and didnt put the o2 sensors back in its gas.. i did that because the fittings wouldnt work...ebay junk
so ## valves could be burnt.. :/

It sounds like it's probably normal condensation in the exhaust. You can fix that by driving it until it's fully warmed up.

Just an update, as it's been a while since I've posted.

We checked the compression and that turned out okay. A little low, but the levels were the same across the board.
A few other problems we're having is that there's a drain on the battery coming from somewhere. Previous owner had a system wired in and it was NOT professionally done.

At this stage, I'm looking to just rebuild the engine and I was wondering what a price would be. I know that each shop charges something different, but a ballpark guesstimate would help. I make 10 an hour so I just need to know how long I gotta save for this.

Again, thanks for the replies. Big help.

We can through out ball parks all day for you but the best thing is just call a reputable shop and get a quote. Do t just go with the cheapest place as well, choose the most reputable one you can reasonably afford. Or if you feel adventurous rebuild your own( you will save tons)

I have my daily driver, which is a 99 Ford Explorer, that gets me everywhere I want to go. Excellent condition, too. So rebuilding my own is an option, but with my current work schedule, I would only be able to do this on the weekends. My first car was a 97 Eclipse RS, and ever since then I've been in love with them(regardless of the crankwalk joke my buddies love to tell me)

My skill in the automotive field is EXTREMELY limited. However, there's always time to learn, right?