how can i fix this problem

Any codes in the computer?Did you make sure you egr valve ports wernt clogged?

before repairing, my timing was off by 11 degrees. then when i went in again today it was advanced by 5 degress, do i need to replace my cap and rotor? i REALLY dont want to have to replace my cat conv. but its looking like i may have to. if my cap and rotor was bad would it throw my HC and NO readings that high? i dont have carbon in my EGR ports, i cleaned those, i changed my oil today. all that work and my smog still failed

no codes thrown, from what ive been told if its the converter, it wouldnt throw a code...how much truth that i dont know.

ive heard some ideas on how to "mask' the issues so i can pass emissions but i dont want to mask it, i want to know what the issue is so i can fix i and not cause anymore issues. im sure the person before me that owned it did some shady stuff to get it to pass but, id really like to just get the issue fixed.

How do you really know the egr ports are clean?Did you remove the egr valve and start the engine and see if the engine races and you hear a loud exhaust leak?If you didnt you need to do that to be sure.Thats the first thing i would do as far as a code for a bad cat pre 1996 doesnt have a code for the cat.