92 Civic aches and pains...

[krz2fer]

(1) So my mechanic thinks its a head gasket that needs replacing.. do you? Here are the facts:

When driving around town for errands - car off and on often - it stutters horribly upon restarting as if the idle is going crazy. Sometimes it smoothes out within seconds, other times stays bad and grey smoke/steam billows from the tailpipe when I gas it. Also, coolant has been mysteriously disappearing without leaks on the pavement and no loss of pressure (says the mechanic about the system). SO, coolant leaking into the engine causing the stuttering/overheating/smoke burnoff via a bad head gasket?

(2) Also just today I noticed upon braking my FL brake makes noise - but not when im not pressing down, or completely braking, just that middle ground if im coasting to a stoplight or taking a turn. It sounds like something rubbing once every revolution. Any ideas?