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For those of you in Kalifornica who fear they may be the target of the "Muffler Police", I'm willing to adopt a Fister and give it a good home. Just send me a PM.
This map is a bit old (2013), but this new law seems hardly unique to California. Many states with far different reputations for automobile regulations have similar laws. https://www.semasan.com/resources/ex...ise-laws-state
My understanding is that if you take your car to the CA Ref, they know every detail of you emission system, and the car must be brought back to stock 100%. This means that if you have your SAI removed, even if it passed SMOG, you must reinstall it. Just like someone mentioned, hopefully the 911's are low key and will not raise to many eyebrows.
I am somewhat tired of the street takeovers. IMHO, they should just crush the cars for scrap if you are a participant.
Heres the way this works (have first hand, well, buddies first hand knowledge). He got a ticket for a loud exhaust before this law passed, his car has body work, but the engine/emissions are stock except he was running no muffler. The cop was in a parking lot when he pulled in, and probably revved the crap out of his car LOL.
Some cities will work a special patrol looking for these types of violations. Usually its looking for ricer cars that are highly modified and hooning the crap out of the streets. The cops that work these are trained to look for basic mod types. If they see them, they'll send you to the Smog Referee. This happened to a buddy of mine that got pulled over for speeding in his 993 like 10 years ago, the cop was sort of a dick and was questioning if the car was modded and asked him to pop the engine bay. he was a trained mod cop.
Regarding the Ref... These guys largely have NO idea what they are looking at. Especially with porsches. And especially with old porsches. They pulled the engine cover off his car (f'd that up in the process BTW) and just put it back. They then plug the computer in and do the same sort of check they do at a smog check and ensure the computer is OEM. What are they looking for? Big aftermarket intercoolers, turbos, and things that don't look stock.
Frankly it was no different experience than a typical smog check but at a specific location.
Here's the deal: I suspect it will be HIGHLY unlikely some cop is going to roll you for having fisters on your 993.
This law will eventually be shut down, and overturned in the appellate courts. It’s unlawful to make an infraction punitive. Hopefully, in the mean time, it’s only used to try and curb moronic street racing. I’m not looking at getting rid of my GT2 EVO pipes any time soon. :-)
Remember that "excessive noise" is subjective and, I would assume that a facility would have to be set up, per state specifications, to get a correct reading on how "excessive" exhaust noise is. This could be added income for muffler shops to add necessary testing equipment to gain extra income and protect their loyal customers........
Just say'n............
One day, I was at one of those partially enclosed bus stops and a biker blew by with open exhaust. Noise bounced off interior shelter wall and into my ear, Wow, just short of pain!
This law will eventually be shut down, and overturned in the appellate courts. It’s unlawful to make an infraction punitive.
First, the new law simply changes a correctable infraction to a non-correctable one. No substantive change in law or (presumably) enforcement. That will not be overturned.
Why is it unlawful to make an infraction punitive? It's a crime (see Penal Code section 16 ["crimes and public offense include: 1. Felonies; 2. Misdemeanors; and 3. Infractions."]). It's subject to "punishment." (see Penal Code section 19.6 [punishment for infractions defined].) Punishment for crimes is, by definition, punitive. One could argue that a $1000 fine is cruel and unusual punishment for an infraction but not a Porsche driver, given the cost of the car!
Has anyone measured the Fister noise level? I think 95db is the legal limit for exhaust in CA.
The question I have is about cars from out of state. Let's say I go to Luft this year with my friend who has a straight piped 991 GT3RS. Will they just give him a ticket or impound his Montana plated RS?
Oklahoma - No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle in any manner which will amplify or increase the noise or sound emitted louder than that emitted by the muffler originally installed on the vehicle.
Idaho - No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle or a motorcycle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise of the vehicle or motorcycle above that emitted by the muffler originally installed on the vehicle by the manufacturer.
Illinois - 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.
Kentucky - No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle or an off highway 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. The original muffler shall comply with all of the noise requirements of KRS Chapter 224 and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. No person shall operate a motor vehicle with an exhaust system so modified.
Washington - No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the engine of such vehicle above that emitted by the muffler originally installed on the vehicle, and it shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle not equipped as required by this subsection, or which has been amplified as prohibited by this subsection
etc...
Why does this new CA law pose a greater danger to our modified exhausts than these existing laws? What's new with this law (obviously, I'm not a lawyer) that would impact us CA residents more than WA, NC, KY, OK, or other states with the same law?
Why does this new CA law pose a greater danger to our modified exhausts than these existing laws? What's new with this law (obviously, I'm not a lawyer) that would impact us CA residents more than WA, NC, KY, OK, or other states with the same law?
I think it is the newness of the change which is drumming up all the concern. The law enforcement is pay close attention to it right now. That said, I personally think it is bad policy and should be reversed.
This map is a bit old (2013), but this new law seems hardly unique to California. Many states with far different reputations for automobile regulations have similar laws. https://www.semasan.com/resources/ex...ise-laws-state
I reside in one of the strict red States on this map (Nebraska) and I’m not sure it’s accurate. I’ve never heard of anyone out here being pulled over for a loud exhaust. And I run Fister 2’s on the 993 and a Fabspeed x-pipe with PSE on my 997.2 and have never personally had any issues either.
But with regard to the OP’s post, I don’t know how anyone could voluntarily choose to live in a State that is so restrictive about everything. Good grief.
01-08-2019, 10:06 AM
