Need Help! Trying to pass California Smog Test.

[clayparkley]

I just got '92 325ic from out of state and trying to register.
I failed the smog test and don't know how to go from here.
First shop I've went to is telling me it's probably a carbon build up and he said it'd cost arond $400 to start with but can't guarantee it would solve the problem. I'm on real tight budget and want to know if there's something I could do my self to pass the test.
Here's the numbers to the test.

%CO2 %O2 HC (PPM) CO (%) NO (PPM)
TEST RPM MEAS MEAS MAX AVE MEAS MAX AVE MEAS MAX AVE MEAS
15mph 1964 14.7 0.2 114 31 102 0.73 0.10 0.31 785 237 934
25mph 1934 14.7 0.1 88 20 91 0.61 0.09 0.30 724 199 840
I'm double posting this to the regional forum as well. I hope no one minds.

[jlevie]

Those results are impossible to decipher with out being in tabular format. But if I am interpreting them correctly the car failed for high HC and high NOx. That won't be as a result of carbon in the heads. Something is amiss with the engine management system, causing the high HC numbers. The high NOx and at least part of the high HC are from bad catalytic converters.