white exhaust can also be water; although it sounds like its a problem possibly with him honing. why would you hone a 98, how many miles on it? you dont hone unless you have a big enough ring ridge you need to, like i have 800k miles on one of mine and i didnt have to hone, id be careful of buying, or reduce price and expect to have to work on it to get it right. the hone job may have ruined the block, unless you overbore it and put over-sized pistons in.