I took my car in for a smog and upon release it seems the exhaust system is clogged somehow. I have lost power and it idles real rough. I can smell exhaust bigtime. It may just be coincidence that it happened at this same time but im not so sure. Think you could post some ideas on what it might be? cat gone bad?

 

Welcome to thirdgen.org

If you have a vacuum gauge or a low pressure fuel gauge (0-15PSI) you can check for exhaust restrictions.

Did this just occur immediately after the smog check? Then most likely not a coincident, but they may have unplugged a wire (check #1 spark plug wire) or knocked something loose under the hood...pop the hood and give it a good "once over".

It wouldn't be the first time a smogtech caused a problem.

 

Thanks glad to be here! I am also thinking that they caused the problem. It was the same day I started having the problems.

 

Cats don't just go bad- BANG!- clogged cat. They die a little slower than that. I'd look to see if they left something unplugged, vacuum hoses messed with, or if they monkeyed with the timing. Don't jusmp immediately to it being a clogged cat becuase it's probably not.