The old turbo dog failed smog NO at 15 mph but passed everything else. I've noticed intermittent smoke out of tailpipe at low speeds and smelled it while driving, too. It clears up at higher speeds. This seems consistent with my smog numbers:

(%)Co2 (%)O2 HC(PPM) CO(%) NO(PPM)
Speed RPM MEAS MEAS MAX AVE MEAS MAX AVE MEAS MAX AVE MEAS
15mph 1712 15.2 0.0 52 0.9 14 0.49 0.02 0.06 424 57 551 FAIL!!!
25mph 1702 15.2 0.0 36 7 9 0.46 0.03 0.04 711 50 480 PASS


One mechanic I talked to said it could be spark plugs, my turbo, the PCV valve. Another mechanic said it was probably my turbo starting to leak, and that they could do a "flush" of the converter (if I remember correctly, car speak flies over my head a little bit). But that this "flush" would not fix the problem long-term, but would increase my chances of passing since I was so close.

Does anyone know if this "flush" or detox as I call it actually works to pass smog (it costs $160.00!) so expensive just to pass smog, you know?? Should I put that money into instead fixing my turbo (which seems otherwise responsive and fine)--or does anyone have other ideas of what the problem could be? I am broke after just having dropped $600 on fixing the serpentine belt, axle boot, and oil change. The odometer is broken but it has about 155k miles on it--and last year I spent $2000+ for the 150k mile service, water pump thing, timing belt(s) etc.

Any ideas are welcome! I want my car to be healthy. I notice it's still above average in most levels, which I don't like very much.