smog test... big problem

[Dues Ex Machina]

i know theres other threads about this however not sure if its exactly like mine...
so i failed emissions and i took it to a shop where they told me i had huge intake leaks so they replaced the idle control gasket and upper plenum gasket. my alternator was also bad so they replaced it as well. when fixed, they noticed emissions were still high so they went ahead and did a compression test. turns out im low on compression.
#1 - 150
#2 - 250
#3 - 250
#4 - 250
#5 - 250
#6 - 205
i know i have a serious problem, my question is, is there any way to maybe even try to pass emissions? im in az and my previous results were
hc 5.68 limit is 1.60
co 85.81 limit is 15.00
nox 3.23 limit is 2.50
thanks

[Dues Ex Machina]

by the way its an 88 7mge no mods
and i just changed spark plugs, and wires

[cre]

The most likely explanation for the poor results is that #1 isn't firing or burning due to the indroduction of coolant or oil into the cylinder... Coolant is much more likely; You can tell if the piston crown looks nice and shiny/clean compared to the others. If this is the case you can try unplugging the #1 injector to eliminate the fuel which isn't being burned. It may handle worse though as you won't have even a partial burn to assist in moving the piston. If it's too bad you could then also remove the #1 spark plug (cap off the wire end so it's not sparking to ground the whole time). This will remove the resistance when the #1 cylinder is on the compression stroke.

And that my friends is how you half-ass it like a champ!

The high NOx seems a little odd to me though. Make sure your EGR system is functioning and that the plumbing is clear as it moves through the upper intake plenum.

[Dues Ex Machina]

hmm ok thanks for the explanation as I had no idea what to do. however they pop your good so wouldn't they notice a wire not connected to your plug? worth a try though... maybe ill get lucky hehe

[cre]

There is that and it's quite possible they'll notice... but you asked if there was anything you could do to even try to get it to pass. The only option with a dead cylinder is to make it less dead.

I wouldn't drive it around too much in this state either. It's possible that the lack of combustion pressures in #1 will allow the coolant to leak in with greater ease and it may accumulate in a quantity you do not want.

[Dues Ex Machina]

yeah fair enough i guess if that doesnt work ive heard that people use denatured alcohol. how effective is that really? also, how bad is that for the car? guess it doesnt matter too much... stupid cylinder....
btw how do you test the egr? is there a way to clean it or whatever?

[cre]

You couldn't run enough ethanol to cover your problems. Anything more than about 10% (which they often add to gasoline in many areas during part of the year) and you'll need a fuel controller to add more fuel. In reality it only helps with emissions tests if you're only failing by a very narrow margin.

The ERG system is covered in the TSRM for the most part. There's a channel in the upper intake plenum which lets out into the intake right before the Y pipe branches. The majority of clogs that I've seen and read about occur in that pathway.