EPA Noise limit testing procedure.

[Abo Bob]

Protection of the Environment Operations (Noise Control) Regulation 2000

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Schedule 2 Testing procedures

(Clause 54)

Part 1 Motor cars, motor cycles, motor lorries and motor buses

Division 1 General

1 Definitions

In this Part:

diesel engine

means an internal combustion engine which operates on the compression-ignition principle.

engine speed at maximum power (ESMP)

means the speed at which the engine develops maximum power (r/min).

spark ignition

means positive ignition.

2 Measuring instruments

(1) A Type 1 sound level meter complying at least with AS 1259.1, concerning the characteristics of sound level meters, must be used. Measurements must be carried out using A-weighted frequency levels set at “fast”.

(2) The sound level meter must be calibrated against an acoustic calibrator immediately before and after each series of test runs. If the meter readings obtained from these calibrations differ by more than l dB(A) the test is to be considered invalid.

(3) The rotational speed of the engine is to be measured by an external tachometer whose accuracy is within 3% or, where an external tachometer cannot reasonably be used, the vehicle’s tachometer.

(4) In this clause,

AS 1259.1

means the document numbered “AS 1259.1—1990”, published in 1990 by Standards Australia entitled

Acoustics—Sound level meters—Non-integrating

, as in force on 1 September 2000.

Note.

A copy of AS 1259.1—1990

Acoustics—Sound level meters—Non-integrating

is available for inspection at the offices of the EPA.

3 Test site ambient requirements

(1) The measurements must be made in the open air where both the ambient and wind noise levels are at least 10 dB(A) below the noise level being measured. The site may take the form of an open space or beneath a canopy if no part of the canopy or its supports is within 3 m of the microphone being used for the measurement.

The test site within 3 m of the microphone must be substantially flat and may include kerbs, channels, gutter, poles or other objects that in the opinion of the authorised officer do not provide acoustic reflection sufficient to substantially affect the measurement. However, in no case is the microphone to be placed within 200 mm of any article or object.

Note.

The term

substantially flat

means an area without any obstructions present that would in the opinion of the authorised officer unduly affect the measured noise level due to reflected noise and does not refer to the gradient of the test site.

(2) Any sound peak which appears to be unrelated to the characteristics of the vehicle is to be ignored in taking the measurements. If a windscreen is used, its influence on the sensitivity and the directional characteristics of the microphone must be taken into account.

(3) While testing is in progress no person other than the authorised officer must be within 1 m of the microphone in use. No person other than the authorised officer and an observer, the driver or owner of the vehicle or, in the case of a motorcycle, the rider is to be within 3 m of the microphone in use. No object (except as provided in subclause (1)) other than the vehicle, any trailer attached to the vehicle or any part of the vehicle being measured, the contents of the vehicle being measured or the objects necessary for the making of the measurements is to be within 3 m of the microphone in use.

(4) Before the measurements are begun, the authorised officer must ensure that the engine of the vehicle is sufficiently warm to allow the noise measurements to be carried out.

Division 2 Test method for motor cars

4 Microphone position

(1) The microphone must be directed towards the orifice of the exhaust outlet and must be supported by a tripod or similar device not providing excessive acoustic reflection. The general requirements for positioning microphones are shown in Figure 1 at the end of this Schedule.

(2) The nominal axis of maximum sensitivity of the microphone must be substantially parallel to the test site surface and must make an angle of 45 degrees ± 10 degrees with the principal direction of gas flow from the exhaust.

(3) In selecting the 45 degree alignment from the outlet of a motor vehicle fitted with two or more outlets, only the angle resulting in the microphone being farthest from any other outlet must be used.

(4) The height of the microphone above the test site surface must, in the opinion of the authorised officer, be substantially equal to that of the orifice of the exhaust outlet but must not be less than 200 mm above the test site surface.

(5) The distance of the microphone from the exhaust outlet orifice must not be less than 500 mm.

(6) For vehicles fitted with one exhaust outlet, the microphone must be placed so that the greatest possible distance is achieved between it and the vehicle within the configuration shown on Figure 1 at the end of this Schedule.

(7) For vehicles fitted with two or more exhaust outlets spaced less than 500 mm apart and connected to a single silencer, only one microphone position is to be used. That position must be selected in accordance with the procedure described in the preceding subclauses in respect of an exhaust outlet which results in the greatest possible distance from the vehicle.

(8) For vehicles fitted with two or more exhaust outlets connected to separate silencers or spaced more than 500 mm apart, each exhaust outlet must be treated separately as if it were the only one.

(9) Despite anything to the contrary in subclauses (1) to (8), if the microphone positioning procedures result in no suitable position due to an obstruction being part of the vehicle or in an obstruction being directly between the microphone and the exhaust outlet, the requirements of subclauses (2) and (3) may be varied.

(10) Despite subclauses (1) to (9), if the microphone is to be placed so that it is less than 500 mm from the engine then the angle between the direction of gas flow and the angle of the nominal maximum sensitivity of the microphone may be altered so that the microphone is more than 500 mm from the engine.

5 Vehicle operation and noise measurement

(1) The vehicle must be stationary with the transmission in “neutral” or, in the case of a vehicle with automatic transmission, with the gear selector in the “park” position if such a position is provided.

(2) The engine of the vehicle is to be operated in accordance with one of the following procedures:

(a) If the ESMP for that engine has been determined by the EPA—the engine is to be brought to and stabilised at a speed as close to 3/4 ESMP as the testing officer can achieve.

(B) If the ESMP for that engine has not been determined by the EPA—the engine is to be brought to and stabilised at a speed as close as the authorised officer can achieve to one of the following speeds:

(i) if the engine has 5 cylinders or less—4000 rpm,

(ii) if the engine has 6 cylinders—3200 rpm,

(iii) if the engine has 8 cylinders—3300 rpm,

(iv) if the engine has more than 8 cylinders—4300 rpm,

(v) if the engine is a rotary engine—4500 rpm.

© If, in the opinion of the authorised officer, the test speed determined by reference to paragraphs (a) and (B) is not attainable by the engine—the engine is to be brought to and stabilised at the maximum speed that the authorised officer believes that the engine can be safely tested.

(d) A single noise level measurement is then to be made.

(3) The specified procedure is to be repeated until such number of readings, each within a range of 1 dB(A), as the authorised officer considers appropriate have been made. For the purposes of this clause non-integer decibel readings are to be rounded downwards to the nearest whole decibel.

6 Interpretation of results

(1) If one microphone position is used, the noise level of the vehicle is the arithmetic mean of the readings specified in clause 5 (3).

(2) When the noise level of the vehicle has been calculated, non-integer results are to be rounded down to the nearest whole decibel.

(3) If more than one microphone position is used, the noise level at each microphone position is to be determined as if it were the only one. The noise level of the vehicle is the higher or highest noise level so calculated.

(4) If the microphone position is less than 1 m from the engine compartment of the vehicle, the calculated noise level is to be reduced by 2 dB(A).

[Abo Bob]

This is for NSW by the way.

The noise limit is 90 dB.

The on the spot fines are:

Up to 5 dB over - $150

5 to 15 dB over - $250

More than 15 dB over - $500

They can choose whether to give you this or take you to court.

At court the maximums are:

Up to 5 dB over - 50 penalty units at $110 each = $5,500

5 to 15 dB over - 75 penalty units at $110 each = $8,250

More than 15 dB over - 150 penalty units at $110 each = $16,500

[Abo Bob]

Whoever knows FOR SURE at what rpm their car makes peak power in standard form please post here. Don't post stuff like I think maybe this or I heard that. Let's try to keep this thread clean and informative.

We should try to get peak power rpm for every relevant car; ie R32, R33, R34 GSTS's, GTT's, GTR's etc.

[Abo Bob]

Figure 1 Typical test site layout and microphone locations: motor cars and motor lorries

[Abo Bob]

Something interesting. Note the use of the word MAY. "An authorised officer... MAY also affix..."

27 Defective vehicle labels

(1) An authorised officer who issues a defective vehicle notice for a motor vehicle may also affix a defective vehicle label to the inside or outside of the front windscreen of the motor vehicle or in a conspicuous position on some other part of the vehicle.

[Abo Bob]

You could say please don't make a big mess of my windows. It's not compulsory to put a sticker on. It's up to your discretion.

[INASNT]

aint no big deal and already had this test done at epa testing centre along with nearly every other vic skyline.

Its piss easy to have the car pass on the day

[Duncan]

Excellent post Adam. I haven't seen a stock dyno graph lately but since they specify 3,300rpm or 3/4 of maximum power, 3,300 must be lower and therefore quieter. For 3,300 to be higher ESMP would have to be under 4,400rpm...no way is it that low.

[INASNT]

They test the car at 5000rpm as that 3/4 power level

[ferni]

http://www.gtr.co.uk/html/technical/index.asp

has stock specs for GTR's

This would explain why i've read people saying 'they only tested mine at 3200rpm' and people saying 'they tested mine at 6000rpm' if they know the max rpm, they would work it out to be 5500-6000, if they don' then they do it at 3200rpm?

[Emre]

GTR makes maximum power at 6800 rpm x 75% = Supposed to be tested at 5100 rpm.

GTS-T makes maximum power at 6400 rpm x 75% = Supposed to be tested at 4800 rpm.

It seems that if the tester do not have this info at hand, you are lucky and get tested at 3200 rpm.

[Abo Bob]

Nearly right there. I've put some more info in this other thread.

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/sh...0170#post970170

[CerealKiller]

4,800rpm eh? Mine's reasonably quiet there but really loud between 2000 and 3000