EPA Noise Defect Notice

[Lindsayl284]

haha just found out why my car is so loud. Got a call from William and they had my car up on a hoist. It turns out I don't have a muffler! Just a hot dog. Far out. How the hell did that pass roadworthy and complaince? What a joke!

Anyway, getting a muffler fitted now, shouldn't be any need for a silencer now.

Goodbye exhaust note

[rs73]

I just got an bloddy EPA exhaust noise letter today.......

May give Exhaust City a call... i got front pipe, hi flow cat, cat-back with resonator, and proper muffler... I am hoping it will go pass the test at around 89db (finger cross).

If not maybe a silencer would be an option i have to choose....

[[ant]]

hm i dont think they do this wierd letter sending in WA .. never heard of it ever before. they just yellow sticker u on the spot for noise if they want to do something like that. but my S13 went over with full turbo back 3" exhaust with no resonator but high flow cat and 3" straight thru muffler. they didnt even test it with a meter he just goes 'yeh its fine' haha and u cant permit exhaust over here, they just say 'yes' or 'no' when u go to the pit he said yes to me but another guy mite test and say no i dunno

[Lindsayl284]

I just got an bloddy EPA exhaust noise letter today.......  

May give Exhaust City a call... i got front pipe, hi flow cat, cat-back with resonator, and proper muffler... I am hoping it will go pass the test at around 89db (finger cross).  

If not maybe a silencer would be an option i have to choose....

I only had my car taken to Exhaust City because William knew the guy there, so I am not sure if you will get special treatment if you just rock up. The guy almost didn't pass me with my external wastegate, but let me through only because he had already done so many jobs for William before.

If you get a silencer put on make sure it's welded, other wise they may not pass you. It's still easy to take off anyway.

[rs73]

how much an average silencer cost? under $100?

[Lindsayl284]

how much an average silencer cost? under $100?

I'm no expert, but in my case I was originally going to just borrow one off William's car for the EPA test. Unfortunately my tip was a different size so I couldn't use his silencer, and then I was going to get a silencer made up. That's when they found out I had no muffler

I think he quoted me $150 or so including labour (can't quite remember), but I can check with him again. Looking at that figure, it seems pretty pricey just for a silencer. The good thing is that even though it is welded on, it is easy to take off, then you can just put it back on again if you get another EPA defect!

[rs73]

I bought the Apexi N1 silencer ($106 delivered) just to quieten things up

while I'm driving around town. 115mm diameter, shaped like a cylinder.

Had to grind the back end a bit as my Trust tip is not straight like the N1

but a bit tapered. I need to push it in enough to give a bit clearance when

drilling the exhaust tip for the bolt (can't get too close to the edge or the

metal may breakoff).

$20 job by a nice mechanic.

Another guy walks in and said..."need to be welded by law, u know?"

I said "yes I know, but it passed at 90db anyway, I just wanna quieten it a bit"

"90db? With that silencer on?"

"No, without silencer"

"When?"

"2 weeks ago"

He went quiet.

I haven't notice much difference in performance. Same exhaust note, deep bass sound

going to raunchy roar past 2500rpm, except it's quieter. Like listening to the same song

on your radio with the volume knob turned down a bit.

[GTR-N1]

Here's the problem:

I got a letter in the mail today from the EPA stating that a police officer had lodged a report against my car because it was "excessively noisy". It goes on to say that I must take the car to an Approved Vehicle Noise Tester to determine whether it complies with the Environment Protection Vehicle Emissions Regulations. (There is a list of 24 Noise Testers across Victoria on the last page of the defect notice). After I obtain a Certificate of Compliance from the Noise Tester (asssuming I pass!), I must lodge it with the EPA by 20th February. It also says that it was not necessary to stop my vehicle in order for the police to file the report! All they needed was my rego.

There is some information contained in the letter about the noise tests.

"Maximum noise levels for stationary vehicles not to exceed 90 dB(A) for a passenger vehicle manufactured after 1st November 1983" (I've paraphrased slightly.)

So my questions are:

- What in particular do the noise tests involve? I have read elsewhere on the forum that you need to rev your car to a certain level, but how is this level determined? By engine capacity? Whatever the case, I am certain that my car will fail because it is f***ing loud! in which case...

- What are the options I can take prior to the test to ensure that I pass?

- Also (this part is mainly a whinge), isn't this stuff covered by a roadworthy and/or Certificate of Compliance? I'm talking about the Certificate of Compliance you get when you first import a car into the country. When I first registered my car last year after importing it (and getting my engineer's CoC), I was surprised that neither the engineer or Vic Roads did not say anything about the noise. I had it registered at the Burwood Vic Roads who are notorious for checking EVERYTHING, so I am a little surprised that nothing was mentioned at all about the excessive exhaust noise level. (As a side note, avoid getting your car registered at the Burwood Vic Roads, this is a tip from Dean at Ultimate Performance Imports in Moorabbin. The guy wouldn't pass my car because it was ONE CENTIMETRE too low! Plus he had this measuring stick thing which was supposed to fit under the car to test the height and he was banging it like nothing else against the exhaust tubing.)

Any comments or suggestions are welcome.

At least one London couple had a go at a Lambo...

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/lamborghini-v12-sound-generates-pedestrian-road-rage-video-46013.html