Greetings:

Recently bought my duaghter a 1988 240GL for her sixteenth birthday. The car seems in good shape - high mileage (224,000) and never wrecked. Oil pressure is low at idle but increases as it runs.

I live in Albuquerque and in order to register the car we must pass an emmissions test. I had that done today and the vehicle failed the test. High speed test (2500rpm) standard level of HC is 220ppm - my reading was 547. At low speed (1300rpm) the standard is 220 - mine was 2201 (egads!). As for CO high speed standard is 1.20 - mine is 9.28; low speed standard is 1.20 and mine was 9.71.

The car seems to have been sitting around for a while and I have not done anything mechanical (other than check out the safety features - brakes, suspension, etc). Does anyone have any idea where I should start? My mechanical abilities are what I would call typical for a weekend mechanic and I would like to try to work on it prior to taking it to my mechanic (he is good but expensive).

May daughter, who turns sixteen on 2/19 and I thank you for any insight provided.