So I just finished doing 4 tests.
1st Test - Infrared Thermometer before and after cat. (good cat should be around 100F hotter after the cat.)
So I just temperature tested my cat, right before and right after it. It was pretty consistently getting about 30 degrees F cooler after the cat. Maybe I wasn't pointing at exactly the right place, but I think I'm right in saying it was generally cooler after the cat.
So I think the cat is bad and I'm very likely going to get a new one.
2nd test - Vacuum Gauge where the PCV valve goes into.
19 inches of Hg (mercury). Gauge says that's good, and Holley Performance says a steady reading between 16 and 22 inches Hg is normal for most stock engines.
3rd Test - Vacuum/Pressure Gauge into O2 Sensor at exhaust manifold?
This one I'm not sure about. Maybe I didn't do it properly or use the right tools or just did it wrong somehow. Tried both my pressure gauge and my vacuum gauge, with the car idling and with some throttle. No change at all. I read that it's possible that if there's little or no change in readings, the converter may be plugged. But I'm not sure at all.
4th Test - Check for vacuum leaks
Again, maybe I did this wrong. Basically I sprayed carburetor cleaner all over everything under the hood, lol, and tried to see if the engine reacted at all. It might've, it might not have. I have no idea. Probably did this wrong too, but I don't think I have any vacuum leaks. Maybe this test is redundant with test #2, but like I understand anything I'm doing.
I can't imagine what else it might be. Maybe it is just the cat. Maybe my new oxygen sensor is bad or I need to drive more to reset it. But I don't know, I think maybe the car is running rich or lean or both somehow, lol. And a new cat won't fix that, if it is that. Next test I'm going to do is fuel pressure. Because I might have read somewhere that weak fuel pressure can cause the car to run rich or lean I don't remember. Which makes sense. Still what in the world is causing me to smog so badly? Is it simply NOx? Or is it coolant burning? Maybe the car is overheating and high temps cause high NOx. I know my radiator fans aren't working. But it's like 40 degrees F outside. Ah who knows. Really really glad my vacuum gauge reading came out good though. Yeah! Good compression and good vacuum gauge reading and I'm happy. That right there's a keeper. Except for the smog failing thing, that right there is not a keeper. I have mixed feelings about it. One part of me hates CA, hates that I can't buy certain cats because of some fascist CARB law. But the other part of me loves a challenge in trying to pass smog. Lol it's weird, I kind of feel guilty because this doesn't feel like work. It's so much fun. I like the challenge. California. I still think I'll look for other places to live, lol no I'm kidding. How can I leave this horrible horrible place.
So I'm totally going to try this before I replace the cat:
-Soak the cat in soap and water overnight.
-Also, lacquer thinner in the gas tank. Heck yeah.