How legal is your exhaust?

Kinja'd!!! "Nibbles" (nibbles)
10/09/2013 at 16:57 • Filed to: lawlopnik

Kinja'd!!!1 Kinja'd!!! 28

Going from the lighting discussion, I found myself delving deeper and deeper into Colorado automobile statues. I came across this little gem:

C.R.S. 42-4-225

COLORADO REVISED STATUTES
*** This document reflects changes current through all laws passed at the First Regular Session
of the Sixty-Ninth General Assembly of the State of Colorado (2013) ***
TITLE 42. VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC
REGULATION OF VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC
ARTICLE 4.REGULATION OF VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC
PART 2. EQUIPMENT
C.R.S. 42-4-225 (2013)


42-4-225. Mufflers - prevention of noise



(1) Every motor vehicle subject to registration and operated on a highway shall at all times be equipped with an adequate muffler in constant operation and properly maintained to prevent any excessive or unusual noise, and no such muffler or exhaust system shall be equipped with a cut-off, 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 emitted by the motor of such vehicle above that emitted by the muffler originally installed on the vehicle, and such original muffler shall comply with all of the requirements of this section...

...(3) Any person who violates subsection (1) of this section commits a class B traffic infraction.

So my Saab (when running) is illegal and I'm committing a class B infraction, because I have a complete 3'' system with high-flow cat and 12'' glasspack. It's not obnoxious, but it's definitely louder than "...that emitted by the muffler originally installed..." yet it passes emissions and I've never been given a second look by a cop.

So that's Colorado's official take on exhaust requirements. What are your region's? Are you actually illegal and didn't know it?


DISCUSSION (28)


Kinja'd!!! Benzed92 > Nibbles
10/09/2013 at 17:01

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So illegal. Illinois has a "any and all exhaust modifications are illegal, and all parts in need of replacement must be done so with OEM parts." That being said, the 3" catless turboback exhaust on my Mazda heavily violates this rule. The O/R X-pipe on my dad's '97 Cobra doesn't bode too well either. I've been pulled over for being too loud and thankfully got away with a warning. Pass emissions with flying color though, take that EPA!


Kinja'd!!! vdub_nut: scooter snob > Nibbles
10/09/2013 at 17:02

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This is one of those "Don't be an ass and it'll never matter" laws.

Mine's stock, with lots of rust ;_;


Kinja'd!!! ddavidn > Nibbles
10/09/2013 at 17:02

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Sadly, mine is not stock. Though the first affordable stock muffler I find is going directly onto Eva. Mine is pretty quiet, but sounds a bit like a crappy mustang and is a little louder than stock. I'll have to see if I can find our laws regarding that exhaust thing tonight.


Kinja'd!!! KillerRaccoon - Group J's Sébastien Loeb > Nibbles
10/09/2013 at 17:05

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Once I finish rebuilding my bike I'm going to straight pipe it, so not at all.


Kinja'd!!! MonkeePuzzle > Nibbles
10/09/2013 at 17:05

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illegal!

but I have a stock muffler to add on in the event I get a ticket, but I don't bother for yearly emissions test, its a glorious sound in that little dyno room, usually turns some heads :D

cats are there, so it still fast passes, just noisily


Kinja'd!!! PowderHound > Nibbles
10/09/2013 at 17:05

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It passed inspection so… legal?


Kinja'd!!! 190e30-Now with COSWORTH > Nibbles
10/09/2013 at 17:11

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Ain't have none resonator. So not legal, I guess.


Kinja'd!!! dieselwagon > vdub_nut: scooter snob
10/09/2013 at 17:12

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"Don't be an ass, and you'll be fine." is all well and good until it's "Someone with authority has the perception(or just a bad day) and makes you an ass, now we can find a huge list of violations to charge you with."


Kinja'd!!! Nibbles > MonkeePuzzle
10/09/2013 at 17:12

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I thought about keeping my OEM exhaust handy just in case too, but in order to install the 3'' system (it's fully welded) I had to disconnect a good bit of my rear suspension, so that's just not going to happen.

Also it's been turned into an exhaust system for the truck.


Kinja'd!!! 04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches. > Nibbles
10/09/2013 at 17:15

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Mine is obnoxiously loud....

And cops tell me to rev it up at red lights and try to get me to do fly-by's on the interstate lol. I swear, I think if you drive a V8 in the US that you'll have a lot less problems with cops than if you drive an Evo or something similar that was just as loud.

Not to mention my car isn't some stock 94 Mustang GT with straight pipes. It's simply loud because it actually makes the power to back it up, and you can tell by looking at it that it's not just loud to be loud. I think that really makes the difference.

I've had friends get pulled over for exhaust, but most were stock Mustangs, Civics, Evos, Subarus, etc. that just wanted to have some outrageously loud exhaust because they could. If you're driving what looks to be a Group B rally car, or something that just left the drag strip, whatever I think they're more likely to admire than to write you a ticket.


Kinja'd!!! MonkeePuzzle > Nibbles
10/09/2013 at 17:16

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I retain the ginormous exhaust from cat to rear axle, and then the stock muffler is modified to connect to this system from axle back. So its the stock, very heavy muffler, with 1 inch piping widened to fit onto the aftermarket exhaust. I test fitted it a few times, but I've never used it. Just sits in my basement in case the day comes when I need it.


Kinja'd!!! Casper > Nibbles
10/09/2013 at 17:26

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I would note is that it places a requirement of the officer to know what the car would have sounded like stock. Sure, that's easy for a new car, but not anything more than 10 years old, which probably have provisions for the exhausts to have been replaced due to shortage of parts/repairs. It is specifically worked in a way that requires the person to be far enough out of spec that it's blatantly obvious you don't have stock exhaust.

I do hate laws like this because they are vague and subjective while also serving no real purpose other than to control people. If they cared about sound, it would be based around decibels. If they cared about emissions, it would be based around emissions testing. These laws are just in place to give officers and excuse if they want to harass someone.


Kinja'd!!! 04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches. > KillerRaccoon - Group J's Sébastien Loeb
10/09/2013 at 17:28

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What bike, might I ask. I've heard a few bikes that surprisingly sound great with no muffler.


Kinja'd!!! Bandit > Nibbles
10/09/2013 at 17:30

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http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic…

No cat = legal

Exhaust leaks = illegal

Has some sort of muffler = legal

Excessive fumes (my car runs hella rich) = illegal

Cutouts are illegal but I want them


Kinja'd!!! Brian Tschiegg > dieselwagon
10/09/2013 at 17:42

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It really is one of those things that you get away with until you meet the cop who decides to give you a ticket.


Kinja'd!!! Brian Tschiegg > 04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches.
10/09/2013 at 17:43

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So a fartcan can actually cost you more than your dignity?


Kinja'd!!! ColoradoTaco > Nibbles
10/09/2013 at 17:46

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If you can pass emissions I wouldn't worry about your set up. Mine is modified and fast passed when I did my test in June. My old A4 had a high flow cat as well and passed without issue. Dark tint is illegal here as well, but if cops actually enforced it they'd do nothing else.

There are so many guys in the Audi and Subaru communities here that run no cats and just swap in the original parts come test time then swap it right back in for the next two years. 2ez


Kinja'd!!! Nibbles > ColoradoTaco
10/09/2013 at 17:48

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That's pretty much what I do. I just found it funny that there's actually a law against loud exhausts - I've installed custom setups on pretty much every vehicle I've owned and have never been given any grief.


Kinja'd!!! ColoradoTaco > Nibbles
10/09/2013 at 17:50

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me either, not for exhaust or tint. Hell i've never even caught grief for not having front plate for that matter.


Kinja'd!!! 04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches. > Brian Tschiegg
10/09/2013 at 18:03

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Haha, I would suppose. Although, I'd love to own a newer STi or Evo, I think I'd definitely get different looks in it than my Cobra. Me personally, I look at pretty much all modded cars with the same glazed-over-look of admiration. Except those damn Hondas and Integras.

I've owned N/A 4 cylinders, but something about the Honda/Integra crowd just annoys me.


Kinja'd!!! Brian Tschiegg > 04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches.
10/09/2013 at 18:19

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I think it's just the low level of effort that seems to be put into some of them. I've seen ones that I've really liked though because you can tell they put a little more thought into it rather than cutting the springs and purchasing the loudest exhaust they can find and call it a day.


Kinja'd!!! 04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches. > Brian Tschiegg
10/09/2013 at 18:27

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Or the roof racks as someone posted up earlier.

Because rusted fenders and a roof rack just screams #dope.


Kinja'd!!! Jeremy Bloyd-Peshkin > Benzed92
10/09/2013 at 20:25

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Well, I don't have a cat. Fortunately, my car is 26 years old, and doesn't have to pass emissions. Which is good, because man, that exhaust reeks.


Kinja'd!!! MtrRider Just Wants Doritos > Nibbles
10/09/2013 at 20:47

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How would they know if you changed your muffler? Can a cop pull you over for sounding too loud? Is he going to pull you over and crawl under your car? Are they even allowed to do that without a warrant?


Kinja'd!!! Benzed92 > Jeremy Bloyd-Peshkin
10/09/2013 at 23:09

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That's lucky for you! I always go to emissions hoping the guy testing my car has a stuff nose so he can't smell the raw fuel and corn from my exhaust :P Thankfully my ECU tune takes care of those darn O2 sensors, the emissions guy suspects nothing.


Kinja'd!!! KillerRaccoon - Group J's Sébastien Loeb > 04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches.
10/09/2013 at 23:41

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'81 Suzuki GS550. I think it'll sound pretty rad, especially at 11k rpm ;)


Kinja'd!!! Nibbles > MtrRider Just Wants Doritos
10/10/2013 at 09:02

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A: It's louder (noticably) than stock. Pretty much any aftermarket exhaust is noticably louder than stock.

B: Yes. Especially if you're driving through a neighborhood with a posted sound ordinance.

C: Possibly, if he feels the need to.

D: Yes. Visual inspections - "Safety inspections" - are allowed during a stop if the officer deems necessary.


Kinja'd!!! 04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches. > KillerRaccoon - Group J's Sébastien Loeb
10/10/2013 at 09:34

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I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE older Yamahas and Suzukis. My very first bike was an XS1100, and my dad had a GS1100. Always wanted to get both bikes again and restore them back to factory.

Never heard one with a proper exhaust, but I have to agree that it'd sound fantastic. :D