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1989 Mitsubishi Galant. Failed smog check for high NO (PPM) emission. Max 559, Meas 635

I plan to have repairs done in order to pass the smog check, but I don't want unnecessary work performed on my car. I do have white smoke coming from my tail pipe even after the car has warmed up. Could the main reason be a cracked or blown head gasket. I did have an oil change just prior, but I do know that I also need new tires and a wheel alignment. How much do you think it would cost to have my car repaired and is it worth fixing?
Answer:

The main reason can absolutely be a blown or cracked headgasket, especially if you already suspect that. Usually the EGR valve is responsible for high NOx, however since your Mitsubishi Galant is emitting white smoke from the exhaust there is a good chance the head gasket is defective. We'd recommend you have a smog check repair station conduct a cylinder wet compression and cylinder dry compression test on all cylinders. This will indicate whether there is a head gasket problem or not. posted by SmogTips Support

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