Aftermarket exhaust, illegal?

[turbogarrett]

A friend of mine was recently stopped in his rx7 by a highway patrol man for not having a front plate and a "louder than stock exhaust". The cop said that it IS illegal to use an exhaust that is louder than stock and he had to add resonators to quiet it down. His car is suprisingly quiet as is, well compared to most modified cars. WTF? Is this a real law or bs?

[SloFarmTruck]

The law reads that anything on the car that is not a manufactures (read stock) original equipment is considered illegal. Isn't that great, It all depends than on how loosely the police person wants to consider the law.

[Cleveland Dave]

i got pulled over and given 3 fix-it tickets for exhaust

usually u can get them signed off with out much hassle.

the law states something like this....

u may not modify your exhaust to make it louder.

one officier explained that is intended for those that physically modify there exhaust ie holes etc... to make it louder.

technically the person didnt modify there exhaust they have a new exhaust. the law is vague thats why some officiers will sign it off and others will not.

[SloFarmTruck]

it is correct. it's just one of those "we need money" laws in my opinion. then again, if it's something that has been deemed C.A.R.B. approved, meaning it's 50 state legal, then take it to court, show the judge and it "should" be let off. if not, get SEMA involved, they are all over **** like a wrongful ticket. they helped me get my two nitrous bottles back when they were illegally confiscated. the system wasn't even wired up at all.

Chris/CrawlinZ

[SloFarmTruck]

3 people posted at once, and two of them are the same people :) we need automatic sign out C1 here on the computer at home

CrawlinZ

[Al]

Back when I had my prelude, I was pulled over by a cedarburg cop. My exhaust was obviously modified, but not very loud untill I really got on it.

After I got the ticket, I drove over to the cop shop and they signed it off right away.


One arguement I tried to pull off with the cop was that the muffler was actually quieter in reguards to decibles at 3 feet, but the lower frequency of the sound made it less likely to be distorted and hence, seemed louder. I actually DID get away with that part, but he did say that it was still too loud from his perception.

[dr doom]

i got a warning from the state boys about the exhaust on my daily.......pretty gay......they need to find better things to do.

[theavenger333]

there was a big thread about this a week or so ago the law reads anything louder than the OEM stock decibel limit. hence why if you have a rusted out muffler they can get you too

[Pig Pen]

Q. How many retards does it take to figure out in 2005 that aftermarket exhaust is illegal despite it being ever so much in magazines, the internet, and spoken in person like a rumor of murdering Ceaser in Rome?

A. Stay posted to BCM and this post and time will tell.

Trans 305 .20 and WI State Statute 347.39

[Pig Pen]

it is correct. it's just one of those "we need money" laws in my opinion. then again, if it's something that has been deemed C.A.R.B. approved, meaning it's 50 state legal, then take it to court, show the judge and it "should" be let off. if not, get SEMA involved, they are all over **** like a wrongful ticket. they helped me get my two nitrous bottles back when they were illegally confiscated. the system wasn't even wired up at all.

Chris/CrawlinZ

I agree and disagree with this law. It is a great way to go fishing and take out some more sh!t heads that seem to have modified exhausts. NOS on the other hand if it is kept in the cabin of a motor vehicle is considered an open intoxicant, just like a bottle of beer.

But...CARB only applies to it being legal to pass the sniffer. CARB approval has no bearing on it being legal, sorry, any exhaust not made to stock standards and has pitch and tone changed is illegal.

I, just like you guys, get harassed EVERY DAY I go to work. My Supervisor, the Sgt. of the Traffic Unit had a special little sit down type meeting with me a month ago about my exhaust and questioning me on whether I was aware The TRANS 305.20 and 347.39 law......How do I answer that seeing as he was my teacher 2 years ago in Traffic Theory at WCTC.

Ultimately, any and all laws are judged by the officer making the stop. They determine what they'll enforce and how hard they will enforce it. I know a guy that has some serious OCD about tinted windows. He hates them, but he really doesn't care about modified exhaust as much as some other officers.

[Al]

I agree and disagree with this law. It is a great way to go fishing and take out some more sh!t heads that seem to have modified exhausts. NOS on the other hand if it is kept in the cabin of a motor vehicle is considered an open intoxicant, just like a bottle of beer.

But...CARB only applies to it being legal to pass the sniffer. CARB approval has no bearing on it being legal, sorry, any exhaust not made to stock standards and has pitch and tone changed is illegal.

I, just like you guys, get harassed EVERY DAY I go to work. My Supervisor, the Sgt. of the Traffic Unit had a special little sit down type meeting with me a month ago about my exhaust and questioning me on whether I was aware The TRANS 305.20 and 347.39 law......How do I answer that seeing as he was my teacher 2 years ago in Traffic Theory at WCTC.

Ultimately, any and all laws are judged by the officer making the stop. They determine what they'll enforce and how hard they will enforce it. I know a guy that has some serious OCD about tinted windows. He hates them, but he really doesn't care about modified exhaust as much as some other officers.

I tell you what, that is the most useful information I have ever heard on exhausts and how it pertains to the specific laws.

That last thing you said makes sense too. For those who don't know, my exhaust is leaking. I have driven past multiple cups while I was accelerating, but they have yet to pull me over.

"By the book," my exhaust is illegal because it is louder than stock. But I could also add to this statement that as soon as the exhaust comonent has been manufactured, it begins to deteriorate. For the casual observer, there is no apparent change in the muffler, but at the mollecular level, there is corrosion and deterioration at the rate of millions of molecules per day! Also, on a larger scale, a muffler can begin to rust itself from the inside-out and become less efficient at stopping the sound. If you use equipment that is precise enough, it can be measured.

BUT...

I am not that much of a democrat, so I'll fix the exhaust soon. The only issue is "when" I will fix it.



BTW- the exhaust isn't too loud. There are other cars out there that are a bit louder without and aid from rust. A great example is a mustang or that infinity suv.

[Prince Valiant]

I in general have trouble with laws that are basically "fishing" laws...IE, they basically do NOTHING to protect the public and ensure safety (unless you count fishing out meatheads) but give the officer a blanket excuse to stop you...

...to me, it's just like cruising laws. I have the freedom to drive where I want on public roads in a safe manner, AND I should have freedom (with limits) to modify my car as long as it doesn't affect emission, and it falls under a set limit for deciebels.

So should the state want to pass laws such as this, they need to set a universal limit, IE 90 db/etc...just blanketly stating "louder than stock" leaves to much leeway for creative interpetation. So the guy with the mufferless SRT-4 can go with pretty much anything, while the caddy driver has little choice in the matter...and how does a cop know what "stock" is? They don't. How do they know what the stock DB should be at 50% throttle? 25%? 5%? so on and so forth...

...if I was to ever get a ticket for such a silly statute I will most certainly fight it. Sure, I'll be convicted at a municipal level, but I'll keep appealing until the state supreme court if I had to. My GF's a lawyer looking to use her degree a little :goof

[Cryptic]

my 7 screams... pulled out the silencer last week. Its a matter of time before I get pulled over for loud exhaust.

I have the Apex'i N1... the silencer for it does quit a bit!

Another interesting thing is the catback comes with a certificate that allows its use in Japan where they have pretty harsh emmision laws.

You can also play the card that its just the sound a Wenkel makes. A Harley has its signature sound due to its motor design and you dont see Bikes being pulled over everywhere.

[turbogarrett]

Q. How many retards does it take to figure out in 2005 that aftermarket exhaust is illegal despite it being ever so much in magazines, the internet, and spoken in person like a rumor of murdering Ceaser in Rome?

A. Stay posted to BCM and this post and time will tell.

Trans 305 .20 and WI State Statute 347.39

Sorry for asking. I've heard different things from different people. No need to be an ass about it :rolleyes:

[SlowStee]

Sorry for asking. I've heard different things from different people. No need to be an ass about it :rolleyes:
Thats just his personality :goof

[theavenger333]

A Harley has its signature sound due to its motor design and you dont see Bikes being pulled over everywhere.
its a double standard, as cited in the last thread. what cop in their right mind, especially in Wisconsin would pull over a harley for exhaust, it will just never happen. they sound the way they do but prob 90% of harleys have pipe work done on them by dealers a SUPER sophisticated process which involves a tech shoving a drill in the pipe and boring it out. i used to work around a harley dealer, they do it often, usually for free. btw, mostly imports are pulled over for exhaust violations. it depends on the officer as pig pen mentioned. also depends on your driving as well as your attitude. you smart off to a cop they will do that crap, along with tint, other stuff

[Al]

What about that "Honda Factory Performance" stuff, Mugen, Nismo, etc...
They are each owned by the vehicle producers and are considered OEM. Is that allowed?

[theavenger333]

those companies are only factory replacement in other markets, not USDM. but i don't know honestly. i have seen Evos get pulled over for their factory exhaust......

[Crawlin]

True on the nitrous, BUT if the officers would actually read the nitrous bottles, they'd realize that there is an additive put in called sulfur dioxide, to keep stupid people from sniffing it. Reason is because it is so easy to get compared to medical grade. PLUS, the fact that you run a blow down tube keeps things from happening like in "Black Sheep". Again, the cops were just waiting to find something illegal about it. Had me pulled over for 1.5 hours, I had a town of pewaukee, a state trooper, then a sherrif. i had to be patted down so i could get out and walk around the car, i opened the hood to show the solenoids and the wiring going to no where so there was no way i could use it for normal operation. yet the "officers" despite all knowledge being brought to the table regarding it's LEGAL mounting in the vehicle and additive known to cause very bad side effects, still felt the needed to confiscate them and have the DA look into it. THAT to me is discrimination. To just sit on something and look up every possible law regarding a very small issue to write me a ticket when i was VERY pleasant with them throughout the whole ordeal. The way i got the bottles back was i finally called, and they actually let me talk to the captain or whatever at the time, and i said i was bringing my lawyer at 5pm and it's the bottles or a bad situation for him. they said that the only way i could take the bottles was if i emptied them. i then had my lawyer contact them seeing as nothing illegal had been done, there was no way they could make me drain them. 5pm i had my full bottles. for that i have no respect for ALOT of officers.

when it comes to exhaust, there is a limit. there are cars/trucks/bikes that are EXCEPTIONALLY loud. fine and dandy if you want to pull them over cause it is a disturbance. but on half the cars on this message board, we all get pulled over because it's slightly louder than stock. i had some idiot cop tell my dad that our '69 Chevelle had to be as quiet as his cruiser. My dad laughed in his face and said from the factory these things weren't even that quiet. Just another way for departments to make money. That is ALL it is. if it's CARB approved to pass the sniffer, then WHY isn't it legal to run on a car? cause it gives a better tone? cause it's louder when a person really gets on it. you'd think that'd be a blessing for most cops seeing as they could hear you coming. it's plain and simple just a bogus law aimed at money in my opinion. But the illegal exhaust isn't a moving violation so i could care less if i get a ticket(which i never have for it) so i'll just roll up and pay it. I still got the lawyer information from SEMA and they still work for the consumer against local law enforcement officials when it comes to this stuff.



I agree and disagree with this law. It is a great way to go fishing and take out some more sh!t heads that seem to have modified exhausts. NOS on the other hand if it is kept in the cabin of a motor vehicle is considered an open intoxicant, just like a bottle of beer.

But...CARB only applies to it being legal to pass the sniffer. CARB approval has no bearing on it being legal, sorry, any exhaust not made to stock standards and has pitch and tone changed is illegal.

I, just like you guys, get harassed EVERY DAY I go to work. My Supervisor, the Sgt. of the Traffic Unit had a special little sit down type meeting with me a month ago about my exhaust and questioning me on whether I was aware The TRANS 305.20 and 347.39 law......How do I answer that seeing as he was my teacher 2 years ago in Traffic Theory at WCTC.

Ultimately, any and all laws are judged by the officer making the stop. They determine what they'll enforce and how hard they will enforce it. I know a guy that has some serious OCD about tinted windows. He hates them, but he really doesn't care about modified exhaust as much as some other officers.

[animal]

So is there a law against my blower being as loud as it is? I found a way to make it even louder but it can be damn near deafening as is. I know that within a couple of feet its definately over 85dB.

[turbogarrett]

Well since my car is fairly quiet right now, I will probably go with some cutouts for the track and keep the dual tip'd muffler catback.

[USMARINE1108]

*cough* electric cutout *cough*

[USMARINE1108]

*cough* electric cutout *cough*

*cough* switch hidden in the ashtray *cough*

[TransAm12sec]

I'm trying to get one from Mccord, but they were gone until the 16th, and haven't returned the message my dad left.

[GTSLOW]

I guess they're cracking down more, because I used to run without a muffler whenever I went to highway. But they sure followed me off alot :(