Boxeat2469

Well, I just got stopped by the IL State Police. I was issued a ticket for loud exhaust. Just thought I'd share this with everyone. According to state law, IVC 625 ILCS 5 SEC 12-602, it is illegal to replace the exhaust or any part of the exhaust system with anything louder than what was original equipment. The muffler must prevent any unusual or excessive noise. How many cop cars are equipped with sound level meters? Even if they had one, how many decibels is the factory exhaust on an 89 Formula? Whos judgement is "unusual or excessive noise" based on? Why is it that a Harley can be heard from a mile away, but I get screwed with. On the highway at that. With big rigs and road noise and what not, how could he tell just how loud my car was? Sorry, but I had to vent and share the technical aspect of this BS law.

vic_V8

I'm going to be a state cop (3 more years) so at least I'll be on the muscle cars side!!!!!!!!

a state trooper told me that it is actually illegal in IL to change your exhaust at all (bs) he said as long as you have all your stock equipment in the right place, it doesn't matter how loud it is, you must have hit a city ordinacne, or county or something,

another stupid law: you can have the highest cowl induction hood you want, but you can't have an air freshener in you rearview mirror!!!

johnsjj2

Be careful, before long some stupid ***** in his CRX that is 2 inches off the ground will bitch that they can't see over your hood, and that why they wrecked. Then you will be sued, and all cars more than 2 inches off the ground will be illegal!! But of course the cowl hoods will still be okay.

SMURFN' Z28

iTrader: (2)

i got one like yours from a trooper that lived near my friends house.... total BS ticket.. every other cop i asked said to fight it.. but i was on vacation 4 the court date so i just paid it =( that bastard pulled out the rules of the road book and highlighted the section about exsaust, the paragraph is sketchy at best (plenty of room for pigs to bend it how they want) as long as you have a muffeler and cats, and no exhaust leaks i dont think they can do anything. I think the only reason that trooper did it in the 1st place was cuz he had a personal vandetta against me and my friends. btw what highway were u on? maybe it was the same **** smoker

oh and what do yah know! you have an 89' formula 350 w/ a flowmaster just like mine when i got the ticket is yours red?

MetalliCamaroRS

iTrader: (15)

That is a ridiculous law. How much is the ticket?

HrdRockA4305

You know, I've heard varying things on this. According to the "rules of the road" book from the DMV you just have to have some kinda muffler on the car and thats all it says. But I think its honestly a subjective ticket that they can pretty much write if they feel like it.

BTW - Motorcycles - What I've heard on these is that since they're registered as a "recreational vechicle" or something like that, they are emissions and noise exempt as vehicles. Which I think is BS for several reasons. 1. Some bikes are so damn loud its obnoxios... and thats coming from a 20 year old who used to play bass in a punk rock band. 2. Aren't some of our cars recreational vehicles? If its your 2nd or 3rd car, its not for transportation, its recreation. Why not equal noise/emissions exepmtion for cars with the same use? And how come if they don't write a noise offense ticket to the owner for being to loud? Not a motor vehicle ticket, but like something in the same league as having a loud party and pissing off your neighbors? Its public disturbance one way or another.

~my rant for the night~

Boxeat2469

This is a cut and paste straight from the Illinois Statutes:

(625 ILCS 5/12-602)
Sec. 12-602. Mufflers, prevention of noise.
Every motor vehicle driven or operated upon the highways of this State shall at all times be equipped with an adequate muffler or exhaust system in constant operation and properly maintained to prevent any excessive or unusual noise. No such muffler or exhaust system shall be equipped with a cutout, bypass or similar device. No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise of such vehicle above that emitted by the muffler originally installed on the vehicle, and such original muffler shall comply with all the requirements of this Section.
(Source: P. A. 77-37.)

Boxeat2469

Basically, you're not allowed by law to modify your exhaust if it causes the car to be any louder than it was the day it rolled off the showroom floor. And then, even if it is stock exhaust, its still subjective to what the cop feels is "loud or unusual". Its a BS law to say the least. I think its a $75 ticket, but I'm not positive.

FruityOne

Oh yay, this sounds great. Another thing I have to fix on the GTA if I want to avoid a ticket. The stupid thing is that the law is based on the officers opinion. If he feels like its too loud then you get the ticket. If he's had a bad week he can take it out on you with a ticket. So much fun. Some laws are stupid.

And a 3" exhaust on a import isn't more annoying than the sound of a V8? Thats nasty, they sound like popcorn machines with those exhausts on them.

TBI305Camaro

That law is stupid. Around here they don't care although it is illegal to modify your car. But they never check it. Besides there are alot of ricers and especially mustangs out there way louder than mine so im not worried. A buddy of mine is a city cop and he told me as long as our not sitting there and reving to 6k that they wont pull you over. Soon as they start pulling my fiend over for loud exhaust in his 85 custom deluxe with headers/dual/no cat/glasspacks (ungodly loud) then ill start worring about it.

CraZ-28

Stock exhaust huh? What about older cars? What about that t-bucket with the bigblock and a blower that's running side pipes? Where are you going to find the stock exhaust on that? What about classic cars that had to replace the exhaust because of age and you can't get the stock muffler any more. What kind of crap is this?

I don't have anything against cops or other law enforcement but it's things like this that give them a bad name.

vic_V8

the state trooper I had a ride along with was totally cool with cars, he said he'd pull the cat off himself it he had a camaro.

well IL, just wait, I'm on my way, ricers will pay, good ole f-body guys will be just fine as long as they aren't breaking the 'real laws'

maybe in 3 years you can be like "trooper Garland is in my car club, and he said the exhuast was perfectly fine"

johnsjj2

Hey you want to come to Indiana also? Please??? We need more of you here also.

kfoley

I agree with johnsjj2...

MetalliCamaroRS

iTrader: (15)

haha thats awesome :sillylol:

vic_V8

well hopefully I'll be sent to district 1, where i live right now, nw il, but usually the rookies get sent by chicago, so metal, I'm coming your way

Camrs89

I know that after 20 years or so you can modify your exhaust. I've been running around for 3 years with my 72 that has staight pipes with glasspacks on it and no one has said anything about it being loud.

HrdRockA4305

Gotta love laws that are 100% subjectively/selectively enforecable. Lets just hope not many officers drive hondas off duty.

wes2k3

The cops sit outside my school and pull over loud cars. I have a friend with a 79 camaro, 305 and glass packs. It is loud and sounds really bad. He has several warnings. My bosses truck has glass packs and it is really loud. He has never had a problem. I think cops are just prejudice against fast cars. My dad used to get pulled over for "safety checks" when he was a kid. It was all BS. They just wanted to harass him cuz he had a 69 mustang mach 1.

wes2k3

The cops sit outside my school and pull over loud cars. I have a friend with a 79 camaro, 305 and glass packs. It is loud and sounds really bad. He has several warnings. My bosses truck has glass packs and it is really loud. He has never had a problem. I think cops are just prejudice against fast cars. My dad used to get pulled over for "safety checks" when he was a kid. It was all BS. They just wanted to harass him cuz he had a 69 mustang mach 1.

"But trooper Garland said I could"

Nice Vic

vic_V8

haha like that Wes?

bbtaz97

iTrader: (3)

ive done headers and 3 inch flowmaster exhaust and have never been pulled over for that where i live.. my question about then be if you cant modify the exhaust at all, why do headers and exhaust systems have the 50-state logo on them?? I mean as long as you pass emmision testing, and not gross load, whats it hurting.. i would fight the ticket if it was me.

bbtaz97

iTrader: (3)

one other note my brothers camaro doesnt even had a muffler and tailpipes on it right now.. his exhaust is comming strait out intermediate pipe and he hasnt got pulled over in 2 months like that

HrdRockA4305

And if its illegal, how can stores legally sell/install aftermarket mufflers and glasspacks? Hell you can buy a fart bomb at autozone these days, but i guess 20 years ago when the "ricers" didn't have imports available they bought glass packs so its same principal.

kfoley

On the box:
*For off road use only.
But that doesn't mean you'll follow that...

Boxeat2469

kfoley is right on. All the performance parts always have their little disclosure statements that say "for offroad use only" or "its the users responsibilty to make sure it complies with local code" or something of the sort. Guns are legal, but you can't shoot them off in the middle of the street. Just because your car can pass an emissions test doesn't mean it will comply with the law.

@ZZKKER

iTrader: (1)

tall cowl hoods, there is a thunder bird around decatur and he has a cowl hood as tall as his roof, no joke. you can see into it from inside his windshield, and what do you see, a factory motor, no mods.
stupud fords

around here, the police hardly ever pull anyone over for loud exaust, only stereos.

damn state troopers, (exluding any board members as long as i revieve no tickets form you) they need to concentrate on ricers and drug dealers for cryin out loud.

anthony

SLOWFIVEOH

iTrader: (2)

Virginia has the same stupid law, The inspection laws say that it just has to be a sealed exhaust system exiting behind the passenger compartment or in close to stock locations, Which means you could take out all the muffs and still be legal, But State Police laws say no louder than stock decibal. Around here the only ones that will pull you are State Boys or Henrico or Louisa county, Other than that no one really pays attention

JucinGTA

Next time anyone gets pulled over for exhaust, ask them if they measured it with the decible meter, if he says no, then ask him if he is offically certified to measure sound with his ears by the state of Il. If he says no, then ask him, how does he know if its over, if he says he is going to give you a ticket, then say you want it measured by the decible meter, which is supposed to be placed 100 ft away from the vehicle itself.


Yes Im a Smartass

vic_V8

100 db? isn't a small plane like 70 or so?

HrdRockA4305

Last I remember, a jet plane is about 160 db. I'm not sure about a small one. Remember too that decibles are more of a logarithmic/exponential curve than linear. In other words, 100 db is not twice as loud as 50 db.

From what I understand, every 3db increase = 2X SPL (sound pressure level). But I could be wrong, thats just whats coming to mind.