Exhuasts.......how loud is yours

[millerblud]

Well was about few months ago I got stopped with my old system on the car, admittedly I knew my car was loud to some degree and prob not as loud as some peoples but it came on the car! Before he even tried the test, a pre noise check found I was near on the limit which I thought was 95db (not..its 90db) and which he moved his car as it was right next to it and it came back as at 4k revs = 104db and tick over = 78db which soon after I got rid of the system which did have a cat and changed to a scorpion back box and to just a standard mid box.
Got sent this through a car group im with, thought it might be some help:

eThe Motor Vehicles Regulations 1996 (which apply to passenger cars, dual-purpose vehicles and light goods vehicles which are amateur-built or personally imported) say:

1. The vehicle shall be fitted with an exhaust system including a silencer such that the exhaust gases shall not escape into the atmosphere without first passing through the silencer.

2. When—
(a) the vehicle is held stationary on a level surface such that there is an unobstructed area not less than 3 metres wide all around the vehicle; and

(b) the engine by which the vehicle is propelled run at a constant rotational speed of 3500 revolutions per minute or 3/4 of the rotational speed at which maximum power is produced (S) if S is less than 4500 revolutions per minute,

the noise measured at 0.5 metres from the exhaust outlet at 45 degrees to the axis of the outlet pipe in a horizontal plane, shall not exceed 101db(A).


However, I's also like to show you this from Ace Cafe's website:

The police say that trained officers will be using the equipment in areas such as The Hoe in Plymouth which is regarded as a ‘trouble spot' for drivers of cars with modified exhausts.

A police spokesman claimed that "During the first trial in Newton Abbot, Devon, a driver was fined £30 when his car exhaust was making more than three times the acceptable level of noise".

The report later says that "Vehicle noise levels should be between 82 and 89 decibels", although whether this was the ‘Legal' level or just the ‘Acceptable' one is open to discussion..
In regard to the motorist issued with the FPN, the report say that his vehicle was found to be putting out 93dB.

The maximum permissible level to pass the BIVA test is 98dB, which is down from the SVA limit of 101dB
ISO 5103
There is nothing in the report that show what testing procedure the police are using and officers are trained in the ISO 5103 process, which is the internationally recognised procedure for conducting stationary noise tests on motor vehicles and details, amongst other things, microphone placement and the engine rev range that should be used for such tests.

A recent Dft document assessed the various methods of noise testing for vehicles and details some of the problematic issues involved with roadside tests involving inexperienced testers.

Vehicle Noise Test Procedures

Devon & Cornwall Constabulary's response
We contacted Devon and Cornwall police with these concerns and received the following response for Sgt Keenan of the Traffic Division.

"We are looking at two different offences
Modifying a vehicles exhaust beyond the ‘standard' EU limits and Producing excessive noise.

For this we have purchased 7 Cat 1 testers which are set up and used in accordance with ISO 5103 testing procedures.
We take a number of ambient readings and readings taken at different engine rpm's from a fixed distance and angle to the rear of the vehicle to get an average Db reading.

The figure we use in 82-89 dB, this is the EU Limit for Type approval, even though there is no actual legal dB limit on road vehicles.
89dB is a large 4x4 at full throttle.

We will consider prosecution at 90dB and so far, in testing we have had one vehicle at 103dB and one where we had to abort the test due to complaints about the noise level while the test was being conducted."

We asked about the position with an SVA'd vehicle, where the threshold for a failure is 101dB and were told that and said that "If you produced an SVA certificate we would not prosecute if the level were over 90dB".

"If you fail the noise check but claim that you did not modify the exhaust, in other words the exhaust is how it was when the vehicle was purchased, we will not prosecute based on modifying the exhaust, but will use the Excessive noise legislation instead.

This is an area where the ‘Tone' of the exhaust is as important as the noise level and is at the discretion of the officer and can be a reason for the vehicle to be tested."

Sgt Keenan also said that, if a vehicle was reported as too loud, but when tested was under the level they would consider showing the readings to the complainant as a way of educating the public in terms of what is and is not an ‘illegal' exhaust system. Also, the readings are considered to be guidelines to assist in court cases but are not a basis for court action in their own right.

Some interesting things come out of the response.

D&C constabulary are taking a firm, but sensible approach to this issue, in that they are conducting 'Proper' tests as opposed to just 'Sticking a probe in the exhaust' and they are aware that there are certain vehicles that will fail the roadside checks even though they have passed elsewhere.
They also hope to be able to use this testing to 'educate' people on the subject of exhaust noise.

Soo have you been tested? fined? or even had your MOT suspended!

[SAM-S44MDS-]

F*ck me talk about an essay

Mines pretty loud....never been stopped for it though so all is good

[millerblud]

soz just thought id share

Well I was saying that right up and until the day I got stopped lol!

[TomT]

Mines very very very loud tbh.

Changing backbox soon though.

Never been stopped so far though

[SAM-S44MDS-]

Originally Posted by TomHannah

Mines very very very loud tbh.

Changing backbox soon though.

Never been stopped so far though

Guess what gonna happen on way home

[Pixie]

Quite loud cause it has a hole in it at the moment

[adamf0707]

ive got a duel backbox on mine, not overly loud just a nice tone, quite loud if you put your foot down though

[TomT]

Originally Posted by SAM-S44MDS-

Guess what gonna happen on way home

I'm at home

Originally Posted by adamf0707

ive got a duel backbox on mine, not overly loud just a nice tone, quite loud if you put your foot down though

What backbox is that?

[Pricklep]

Nice and quiet.

[adamf0707]

not sure, it was on it when i bought it, i was told peco though

[TomT]

Alright cheers.

[SAM-S44MDS-]

Originally Posted by TomHannah

I'm at home



What backbox is that?

C*nt....that backfired didnt it

[citroen_saxo_vtr]

I got pulled up in my old vtr and the pig said the exhaust wasnt standard and was way too loud and he wanted it changed in 14 days and he said he was going to come into work and check it, i reversed into the bush so he couldnt see it and he never came and checked, did i fuk change it either!! police station is only across the road lol. Iv got a peco bigbore 2 on the valver with no cat so its loud when it rev but not too bad ticking over but im sure id get kicked if they heard it pop

[Yates]

not as loud as my itbs

[RustySkull]

Mine's too loud, I set off Car alarms down my road if I go above 3k.

I hope I don't get stopped

[Sexooo]

My mate has a scooby exhaust on his punto (loud)

My other mate has a quicksilver, cut the back box of and welded a cap (sounds fucking beautiful)

[SAM-S44MDS-]

Originally Posted by Bikekid450

Mine's too loud, I set off Car alarms down my road if I go above 3k.

I hope I don't get stopped

Mine does that...does that mean its too loud?

[VTR-GAZzA]

mine's pretty loud especially when i go over 3.5 lol

[Pricklep]

Originally Posted by Sexooo

My mate has a scooby exhaust on his punto (loud

Extrah powahhrzz.

Any vids of this?

[Peter_D]

My exhaust aint too loud really it's mainly engine noise on mine

But i see they said if you produce an SVA certificate for the vehicle, they wont prosecute even if it's over 90dB...so i should be fine

I doubt they'll have any figures for the DC5 anyway so i could just say 'that exhaust is standard' and they wouldn't be able to tell me otherwise as they have no official readings for it, being an import