1986 camaro emissions problem- 6 cylinder stick

seems like those may be two different issues. check for vacuum leaks and have your fuel psi checked. High fuel pressure can change your emissions numbers. I believe the fuel psi should be 30-45 psi. if its way above that then the nest step is to check the fuel pressure regulator

Emission test by codes reader? or smog? Any codes?

hi.
first thing to do is change the air filter. even if it appears clean, the airflow can be blocked enough to affect the petrol air ratios in the engine which will give high HC readings.
changing the spark plugs can give a cleaner spark, and better ignition, with lower HCs. high HCs could also be caused by traces of oil getting through worn piston rings and valve stem seals and burning in the combustion chamber. there are many oil additives that can help stop this and reduce HC levels as well.
hope these suggestions help

Here is some info for you to read, besides me explaining what ppm is, i also gave you some info of how to solve this, Ain't that special LOL. Mike

Overall Result: PASS or FAIL. A vehicle with a properly operating engine and catalytic converter will have very low HC and CO readings. However as a vehicle ages the HC and CO emissions will increase and may become erratic. As a vehicle ages it becomes increasingly important to be sure that the engine and converter are fully warmed up before the test to have the best chance of passing the test.

HC (PPM): The parts per million of hydrocarbons (unburned or partially burnt gasoline) in the exhaust.

CO (%): The percentage of the exhaust that is carbon monoxide (CO).

CO +CO2 (%): Complete combustion in the engine or catalytic converter will result in very little carbon monoxide (CO) and a high percentage (up to about 16%) of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the exhaust.

O2 (%): When there is complete combustion in the engine or catalytic converter there is a very little oxygen (O2) in the exhaust. Usually less than one percent. A higher reading indicates a problem with the engine, the exhaust system, the sampling system or the catalytic converter. Vehicles do not pass or fail because of the O2 reading; it is only diagnostic information.

RPM: The engine speed in revolutions per minute (RPM) or N/A.

Cruise Limit: The maximum allowable HC and CO emissions at 2500 rpm. The CO+CO2 (%) must equal or exceed 6. This verifies an adequate sample of the exhaust has been obtained. N/A for O2 and RPM.

Cruise Emissions: The emission readings measured at 2500 rpm.

Cruise Result: PASS, FAIL or N/A.

Idle Limit: The maximum allowable HC or CO emissions at idle. The CO+ CO2 (%) must equal or exceed 6. This verifies an adequate sample of the exhaust has been obtained. N/A for O2 and RPM.



These are the possible problems:

bad o2 sensor
bad EGR valve
bad cat
bad timing
dirty injectors
bad plugs or wires
the less costly fixes include replacement of the o2 sensor and EGR valve i would not clean the EGR I would buy a new one there are very cheap you can pick these up at any local parts store .
also run some injector cleaner through your car at least a full tank of gas and one bottle of injector cleaner should be ran through.
you can also have your timing checked for a relatively low price.
and when you go into to have the vehicle checked make sure the car is been running because your cat convertor has to be warm in order to preform at it peak so do not do it when the car is cold.
all of the above are pretty reasonable fixes the general rule of thumb when you work on your own vehicle is start with the cheapest fix first then go on to the next.

That problem will not cause a emission problem unless the knock sensor is picking up this noise.

what about the air filter is it clean ,silly question i know but you would be surprissed ,does this vehicle have one O2 sensor or two one after the cat as well or is it too old for two O2 sensors ,i know most europeon market vehicles didnt have cats till 1992 and most didnt have two sensors till around 2000 ,also check the two white or two black wires on sensor for 12v these are the heater feed wires for the sensors

did the car have an oil change before the test? has the throttle vlave ever been cleaned of accumulated carbon build up, is the engine reaching normal operating temperature? if not these are common reasons for the HC failure.

Take it to a shop ASAP

The advice that the garage gave you seems right. If any bushes were worn they would show up on the MOT Test. Try taking it to another garage to check out the Cat for your peace of mind.

Sounds like it's not getting enough oxygen to burn all the hydrocarbons and carbon. Change out the oxygen sensor. Hope that helps. Is the air filter dirty? It might even improve things enough if you just change that.