I just convinced my DMV that my exhaust was legal in new jersey after two days of trying. I called the president of the manufacturer of my cat-back and after we discussed it for a while, he agreed to email me a letter to give to the manager at the DMV. This particular exhaust system uses glasspack mufflers at the rear of my (chev. pickup) instead of a conventional chambered muffler, and since there was no tailpipe connected rearward of the mufflers all ten knuckleheads at the DMV including the manager said at best they are resonator tips. I even showed them the advertisement in the catalog in which I purchased them that says "50 state legal". After my discussion with the company, I learned the truth about this claim that alot of you might not know, or at least think about.

there are two tests that are conducted that determine 50 state legal

1. "50 state emissions legal"- all 50 states agree the exhaust does not change emissions, ie. move the cat. converter

2. "50 state noise legal"- you've never seen this in a catalog because it does not exist in the aftermarket. Forgive me if I am wrong but I believe wisconsin is an example of a state that does not allow ANY vehicle to be louder than stock. New jersey claims to have this requirement as well, but my dmv does not have a way to read decibles so it makes me wonder if they were just amusing me.

3. To use a vague statement like just advertising "50 state legal" without specifying emissions or noise IS allowable, because again, some states require stock sounding exhausts and therefore whether it says so or not, cat-backs can only be proven emissions legal. Even a dynomax super turbo is not truly "50 state legal" unless you are only evaluating it's effect on emissions.

I hope this clarifys things for you. In case you were wondering about the glasspack mufflers at the end of the system, they are in fact, considered mufflers, as of 12/02/2003 at the Eatontown, NJ DMV. Minnesota DMV has already lost this argument with someone else.

:hail: loud pipes save lives :hail:

 

Good info.

What most people don't seem to understand is that emissions laws are federal but enforcement is local - based on EPA assessments of local pollution conditions. The exception is California, which is allowed to have stricter laws than the federal mandates.

Noise and safety laws, however, are state and local. For instance, glasspacks do not provide spark surpression, and are therefore illegal on farm trucks in most states. The debate over "stock" noise is one that is bound to continue, I'm afraid.

I've seen a lot of dumb and annoying things done with exhaust over the years, so I'll have to say a lot of the trouble has come from our own ranks. The more we do to police ourselves, the less we'll have to worry about what's forced upon us.

 

well i suppose you can hand over some/most of the blame to the import crowd For NOISE POLUTION. I'd like think that the american muscle car crowd has some sense to the matter about not going overboard on the noise factor, i dont mind noise but when ya rattle my teeth, its time to stop. excessive noise doesnt intimidate anyone it just sounds gay, attracts cops. what ever happened to the common sense that the average JOE used to have? did that go out when imports became popular in the U.S.?

But...on the emissions side the EPA can kiss my ******* *** the smog tests are a revenue generator, in no way do they control air quality. stop flying the dam commercial airplanes. and as far as the EPA saying that older vehicles produce more smog then newer ones is also :BS: (take for instance my daily driver[1998 F150] it runs PIG rich-richer then my 3rdgen has ever run).

 

id like to point out that the FAR GREATER MAJORITY of people hate the reving american muscle car noise just as much as the blip-fart of a inline 4cyl reving.


loud pipes doesnt save lives. paying attention does. its just that SOMETIMES a loud exhaust gets peoples attention......


personally, i feel that we've outgrown the need for loud exhausts.. we can be quiet and fast, and if you still want to be loud, use a elec cutout valve and regulate the noise to a reasonable volume. meaning closed at 1am in the neighborhood, and if you want, wide open elsewhere.....

 

They just need to fix this emmisions laws state by state. It's pretty ridiculous Ohio for example doesnt have any, yet it's neighbor Pennsylvania does. That makes no sense. I say, lessen the strictness on emissions, and make every state have them (except california, they are in a league of their own). I don't see how we are helping the cause of global warming and air quality, by letting different states have different laws. It's complete if you ask me.

And how can a loud exhaust save lives? That is about the same stretch as saying if you buy an SUV you support terrorism. What the ____!

 

yeah I'm pretty sure the import crowd helped turn the dmv against everyone. I know for a fact that those guys hate to see a nearly brand new sub 2 litre import fail inspection due to tampering. Those cars get butchered far too often with their resonator tips that displace more than the engine does, wings, neons, windshield wiper lights, tint, etc. But this post isn't really about blaming anyone, or I'd blame myself because I've had open drag pipes on the half dozen bikes I've owned. People can distinguish what a hole in the exhaust sounds like, and that is what most dmv's are trying to control. My truck with the glasspacks is quiter than a 305 running a hooker or slp exhaust, and neither one sounds "obnoxious". In fact, my camaro went right through inspection last time with nothing but one of those pace setter 2.25" in/dual 2.5" outlet chrome resonator tips. It was never even considered that it might have been too loud. Now that the exhaust is rotted through, yes, it has attracted the police.
Just do yourself and everyone else a favor if the dmv gives you a hard time. Present your facts to them like I did, so they don't close in completely on the aftermarket exhausts. Many of us require high flowing exhausts to allow our engines to be efficient, and it just isn't possible for these exhausts to sound stock. If no one argues their points and just takes the hit like the dmv wants them to, there will come a time when we won't even have a choice as to what exhaust system we can use. Stand up for yourself. We will all appriciate it.

Cool one- no, if you buy drugs then you support terrorism, at least I've heard that one before, lol. But my saying was just something that is common with old bikers, no one actually believes it, it's just an obviously stretched statement that we say when we have no other way of justifying drag pipes.

 

yeah I'm pretty sure the import crowd helped turn the dmv against everyone. I know for a fact that those guys hate to see a nearly brand new sub 2 litre import fail inspection due to tampering. Those cars get butchered far too often with their resonator tips that displace more than the engine does, wings, neons, windshield wiper lights, tint, etc. But this post isn't really about blaming anyone, or I'd blame myself because I've had open drag pipes on the half dozen bikes I've owned. People can distinguish what a hole in the exhaust sounds like, and that is what most dmv's are trying to control. My truck with the glasspacks is quiter than a 305 running a hooker or slp exhaust, and neither one sounds "obnoxious". In fact, my camaro went right through inspection last time with nothing but one of those pace setter 2.25" in/dual 2.5" outlet chrome resonator tips. It was never even considered that it might have been too loud. Now that the exhaust is rotted through, yes, it has attracted the police.
Just do yourself and everyone else a favor if the dmv gives you a hard time. Present your facts to them like I did, so they don't close in completely on the aftermarket exhausts. Many of us require high flowing exhausts to allow our engines to be efficient, and it just isn't possible for these exhausts to sound stock. If no one argues their points and just takes the hit like the dmv wants them to, there will come a time when we won't even have a choice as to what exhaust system we can use. Stand up for yourself. We will all appriciate it.

 

lmao. And "ah" on the story behind that saying. I thought you were serious, and I couldn't think of any logic in the universe that would really support that statement it was so far off base. Pretty funny though. I should have told my teachers back in high school "procrastination saves lives" on days I didn't have my homework done.

 

Wait, you actually go through real inspections? and you call yourself a NJ'er? Every corner gas station on earth will give you a sticker for the right price in the GREAT corrupted state of New Jersey.

 

amen brother

 

eh, he's just saying that because he lives in vineland. lol. I grew up near there (franklin twp) and still haven't come across one "legit" pizza place. And the corner gas station thing.... PLEASE! You can just go to the dmv and pay them off directly. The whole city is corrupt, hence the 3% sales tax, hahaha. But really, I love it down there, I'm hoping to move back after I get out of school.

 

oh yes. if it has wipers, head lights and a new gas cap it will pass.