Just had my emissions done after car sat for over a year. I did a tune up (oil, plugs, seafoam intake - oil - gas, cleaned air filter) and drove it about 100 miles. Drove around for a good 30 minutes on and off the freeway before I went in for testing.
They had issues getting correct rpm readings with their equipment, their needle was all over the place when I was cruising at 2500rpm. I passed with decent numbers, but I'm curious if there is any concern with the HC numbers. Car seems to run very well, but if I'm having unburned fuel through my exhaust, I'd like to figure out why.
I did notice one spark plug had some dark\black dry build up around the center part on the plug that is white. It wasn't terribly bad, but definitely wasn't white like the other 5. It wasn't wet, so I'm thinking a cylinder with slightly lower compression maybe and thus the readings as well?
Anyways I'll quit rambling. If anyone knows how to read these tests and what the numbers could be telling me about the health of my car, I would appreciate it.

(sorry for the crap chart below, had to use some place holder to get it spaced right)

Overall TSI Result: PASS TSI Test Sequence No: 1
....................HC (PPM).. CO (%) CO+CO2 (%) O2 (%) RPM
Cruise Limit: ...... 400 ....... 3 ....... > 6.............. N/A.... N/A
Cruise Emissions: 185...... 0.87 ......15.07 .............1......... 0
Cruise Result: ...PASS...... PASS .......N/A .............N/A ....N/A
Idle Limit:.......... 400 ........3 ....... > 6 ................N/A ....N/A
Idle Emissions: ...283...... 0.58 ....... 14.98 ........ 1.1 ........ 0
Idle Result: ......PASS .......PASS....... N/A ............N/A.... N/A

 

Hydro carbons on a 10 plus year old car will start to increase over time.
There is a million reasons why the short term, long term fuel trims will add fuel in your case a simple old clogged oxygen sensor can very well cause that.
A figure above double digits is a concern in the field. +20% is always a red flag
Scan it

Bad Fpr.
Restriction in return line
Bad o2
Exhaust leak
Fuel pressure high
Vacuum line

 

Damn, your car will fail in CA emissions. Mine just passed last year!

 

When I first got the car in 2003 and had it tested, it passed with flying colors.
HC at cruise was 7ppm with 150ppm limit. At idle it was 8ppm with 220ppm limit.
CO at cruise was 0.01% with 1.0% limit and 0.01% at idle with 1.2% limit.

Well 2 years after I bought it, I got tired of the VTC clacking and put in a JDM motor. While replacing my motor I replaced a lot of the sensors including o2 sensor while I was in there. I also put on a warpspeed 2.5" y-pipe, cat, and muffler from them as well.

My 2006 emissions I barely passed.
HC at cruise was 150ppm with 150ppm limit. At idle it was 115ppm with 220ppm limit.
CO at cruise was 0.52% with 1.0% limit and 0.01% at idle with 1.2% limit.

In 2007 - HC at cruise was 126ppm with 150ppm limit. At idle it was 154ppm with 220ppm limit.
CO at cruise was 0.73% with 1.0% limit and 0.23% at idle with 1.2% limit.

In 2010 - HC at cruise was 139ppm with 150ppm limit. At idle it was 142ppm with 220ppm limit.
CO at cruise was 0.66% with 1.0% limit and 0.02% at idle with 1.2% limit.

In 2012 - HC at cruise was 144ppm with 150ppm limit. At idle it was 209ppm with 220ppm limit.
CO at cruise was 0.66% with 1.0% limit and 0.41% at idle with 1.2% limit.

And this year which is slightly different because they couldn't get an RPM reading through cig lighter or battery with their equipment. I think this is why the limits changed to 400ppm?
HC at cruise was 185ppm with 400ppm limit. At idle it was 283ppm with 400ppm limit.
CO at cruise was 0.87% with 3.0% limit and 0.58% at idle with 3% limit.

So since the motor swap and mods, HC went up at idle and cruise. CO went up at cruise but stayed the low at idle. Recently CO at idle has climbed up.

So now I'm thinking either...
1. the JDM motor I got might have some internal issue like bad seals or valves or something?
2. Or the "hi-flo" cat I got from Warpspeed isn't burning off remaining fuel. Warpspeeds site does say "IF YOU LIVE IN A STATE WITH STRICT EMISSIONS TESTING THIS CAT MAY BE THE ONE TO GET." So I would think it should do its job fine. I would also think my CO numbers would be higher as well?
3. I did notice the clamp on the vacuum tube from pcv valve to intake is missing. The tube looks and feels oily, which I believe is due to it leaking. Not sure how big of an effect on emissions a vacuum leak here would have on hydrocarbons.

 

Well there you go.
A high flow catt isnt exactly environmentally friendly.
A real 3 way catt is the main component to reduce emissions.
Only other method that even comes close to the cat converter is staying within stoichiometric efficiency of 14.7 pounds of air to one of fuel. Which is exactly the air pressure at sea level.
Egr, pcv, obd2, are just icing on the cake that only contribute to a small percent of true efficient emissions since the gov. Mandated less emissions of any vehicle sold in U.S past 96'