What location and type of of test? Also, did the printout provide O2 levels in the exhaust? The O2 level is a key diagnostic tool. If there is any O2 left in the exhaust it means there is room for improvement if the converter oxidizes more effeciently, which will usually occur if the converter is hotter. The converters on these cars cool considerably if the engine idles for more than a few minutes.

HC on M103 engines is usually high, and it due to too cold a converter at the beginning of the test, which is caused by excess idle time prior to the test or shutting the engine down for a period of time prior to running the test.

Prior to the test thoroughly warm up the engine and run it as hard as you can. In CA we have drive through emission test stations. My advice to owners is to go to one with a short or no line prior to thoroughly warming the car up as above. Keep the engine at 2000 revs with the defroster on Max (which will engage the compressor) to put some load on the engine while you wait.

Another alternative is to go on a rainy day and ask the tech to run the "tire dry test". This involves running the car on the rollers at about 25 MPH with no load for about a minute, and this will heat up the converter enough to reduce the HC count about 20 percent on the first 15 MPH loaded test, which is typically were the HC is on the ragged edge if not above the limit.

Duke