alfa 155 1.8ts 8v, very bad emissions test, help please

[Andy_sx]

my newly acuired 155 has failed her MOT spectacularly on her emissions this morning, readings are as follows

CO max 0.30% - actual 3.63% (run 1)
3.52% (run 2)
HC max 200ppm actual 211 ppm (run 1)
259 ppm (run 2)
Lambda 0.97-1.03 0.90
0.91

and on idle
co max 0.50% actual 5.10%

now, although i can take a car apart and rebuild it etc, other than replacing service items (just got a mate with a garage to order new plugs (8), oil filter, oil, air filter and lambda) other than the cat what else could it be thats making the results so god damn awful?

would appreciate your thoughts and inputs

[Snake the Sniper]

The Alfa's are well known for eating the MAF. That can give all sorts of weird reading to the ECU, and as such the fuelling goes more than a bit wobbly. Might be worth trying to find a scrappy one, or you can normally get them on ebay for about £40 or so.

[Dave_ST220]

MAF or plugs, had the same on a 2.5V6 Duratec, cleaned the MAF(Iso alcohol) and airfilter(reusable one) and changed the plugs and it flew through.