Exhaust noise level

B

Buck Rogers

New member
Anyone know where the noise level of an exhaust system can be checked? In Maine I believe the maximum noise level is 95 decibels. I believe mine is right on the cusp of it, and this morning the town cop gave me a warning (not written) so I would like to check mine without having to buy a meter. I have had this exhaust for 3 years with no problems, I have even gone through some sobriety checks with no issues.

Buck

 
Welcome to my old hell. I had my TXS RFL TI exhaust system for over three years. Lived down south with no problems then moved up here and about 6 months ago from being up here for 1 1/2 years started get harrased by the cops for the noise. I finally gave up and switched to TXS standard tip muffler and sold the RFL muffler. To be honest the car sounds better and is not as loud and have yet to be messed with by the cops anymore.

You have to get a sound gauge. They test the car in like 3rd gear at like 40 mph on an incline from 100 ft away and it cannt go over 95db.

Just suck it up and buy a diffrent muffler. I lost no power with mine at all.

 
I have been lucky with mine. It's just a little loud at full throttle. But I have had no problems yet!!! But I'm curious about getting a sticker with it!!

 
I have a db meter that I keep in my car... 94.9db baby! There is a place in bido that does it not sure of the name... PM stinate, he failed the test lol!

 
I have a meter also, The test is to place the meter at a 45 degree angle from the tip, 20 inches away, and the motor must be 75% to redline, and that is your DB measurment, according to the DMV website..

 
3/4 max hp not redline... it uses the sema test. Your meter has to be certified but it helps to have one when you get stopped to show the cops that they are wrong... Most of the time i tell them my exhaust is stock.

 
so how do you show a cop that your at 75% horsepower?
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I have a window sticker in my glove box... it states what my max hp is at which rpm... you then take 75% of that rpm and rev to that... They usually take your word for it once you show them the meter and the test (i have a copy of it in my glove box to show them). When you know more then they do they tend to drop it. My car would need to be reved to 4250 or something like that. I have it written down in the glove box. I dont get my car tested because at that hp it is not as loud as a stock g35 which is around 98db at that point... my car is much louder tho at higher rpms and below 3k rpms.

Basically just get your car tested if it is loud and you get stopped a lot for it dont drive crazy around cops. I haven't been stopped in a long time around here because I talked with an officer in my town who cleared things up (he was at my house , just driving by, so we got to talking and he was cool).

 
As stated 95 db is the line..I thought if a cop asked for a test, they paid,i could be wrong...I do know my cobb exhaust states the db level of 95 right in the paperwork.

 
As stated 95 db is the line..I thought if a cop asked for a test, they paid,i could be wrong...I do know my cobb exhaust states the db level of 95 right in the paperwork.
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95 db is the line... most cops do not no this... In fact I have a letter on my desk from the Chief Of Police in freeport saying sorry to me and my friend for stopping us last year. His officer thought the law was nothing other then stock... We explained that we where in a 1987 AE86 and no stock exhaust would be still on the car. He argued I told him the law he wrote a ticket... we drove to the station, he followed us in and yelled as we filed a complaint... The next week the ticket was dropped and we got a letter and he was put thru training again.

You must pay for the test... Not the station. Some stations will have a meter but it must be done in an area that is not going to bounce sound and cause the DB to go up. The meter must have a certification and be sealed so it cant be tampered with. If you get a ticket take a picture of you exhaust get the paperwork on it and get it tested. Also get the stock exhaust db rating and you should be good to go. If you are way over the limit just put your stock exahust on take a picture with a newspaper in it showing the date and bring it to court... normally they will drop it because you fixed the problem (or get someone to right you a bill showing it was fixed).

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Thanks for the info guys. The exhaust is the Random Technology system for the 2.5 N/A engine. I purchased it from Xcelleration.com about 3 years ago, it is a cat back and there is no resonator with it. The mid-pipe is 2.5" which gives it a nice rumble. It does have a nice bark to it around 4k, but I don't think it is over the 95 db threshold. I think it would be worth having it tested first, and if it does fail maybe put a resonator in the mid-pipe. I bought this more for sound (truck like) than performance as it is a N/A.

 
Title 29-A subsection 1912 exceptions states you must provide proof that it is not above 95decibels and it must be done at a a participating inspection station.

 
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