What to do about exhaust, ticket for 2nd time today..

[Fryguy]

I just got my second ticket in a year and a half for a loud exhaust, and I'm up for inspection in a week or so (april), and inspection people don't want to pass my car because of the volume of the exhaust.

It's a bossal brospeed on my 97 nt. So basically, with 2 tickets, and the need to pass inspection coming up, it's about time I got a legal exhaust that nobody is going to give me trouble about.

The question is, what to do now? All I have now (for exhaust) is this muffler, so I doubt I'm even seeing any HP gains from it (it was on the car when I bought it, so I can't compare).

Should I just go to a muffler shop like midas/meineke and get a stock setup? Or can I get a legal catback that's not loud that will still pass inspection and not get me harassed by cops?

I live in MA btw, really strict emissions state, so...

 

[dave99gst]

People sell stock 2g turbo mufflers on the trader all the time. that may be a option ya wanna look into

 

[Fryguy]

It's just a muffler though, is it really going to do much of anything?

To me, from talking with other people, both live and on the forums, the 2 main options at this point seem to be:

1. Get a stock muffler and leave everything else alone.

2. Get a catback that you know for a fact to be legal and not loud.

Since all I have is a muffler now, I doubt "stepping down" to a stock muffler is going to make much, if any, difference. The thought of stepping up to catback is on the table simply because I have to replace part of the system anyway, although cost might be restrictive.

How much does a typically 2.25 or 2.5" catback cost? And how much does a typically stock cost, installed at a shop?

 

[kpt4321]

Just buy a straight-through magnaflow muffler, one of the round ones. Get the longest length you can fit on your car, and have it welded into the pipe under the car somewhere.

This will greatly decrease the volume without increasing backpressure.

 

[Fryguy]

so keep the stock catback piping, and get a magnaflow straight muffler?

What about if I wanted to get a catback? what's a good, quiet catback system?

 

[98RedGs]

Greddy Evo. (low until you WOT the car I hear)

or

Apexi-N1 (heard it's loud)

 

[leet]

I'm gonna go with Kyle here. EVERY Magnaflow muffler I've heard is quiet.

 

[paranoidTSi]

Thats interesting, I've never been in trouble for loud exhaust...and I can hear the humm of my car idling in my driveway from inside the house...this is with all garage doors shut.

 

[Fryguy]

paranoid, it's a state-by-state thing. Massachusetts (my state), is ANAL about stuff. I'd bet massachusetts compares to california for strictness of emissions and similar things.

Cat is going to be way too expensive for me (I have $58 to my name right now), so I'm going to look at either just replacing the muffler and basically keeping the same stock everything else, or maybe add a resonator to see if that will decrease volume a bit.

 

[mykfwdtalon]

5 steps to bliss
1.) get a stock muffler
2.) replace big ol' can with stock muffler
3.) take test
4.) remove and put the can back on
5.) repeat as necessary

 

[Fryguy]

It's not only that, it's cops giving tickets for loud exhausts.

I need a permanent, worry-free solution that isn't very expensive, and I think the best solution at this point from thinking and reading what people have had to say, both here and other places, is to just get a random muffler that isn't as loud, like a magnaflow or w/e

 

[Devicex]

Can't the N/T guys use the entire fwd turbo exhaust as an upgrade? I remember when I was trying to sell mine a couple N/t guys wanted the whole thing.

 

[Fryguy]

yah i've been sort of looking around for a gs-t exhaust as well.

BTW, rims in your pic, are those exels from wheelmax? I just happened to notice them. I'm pretty sure I have the exact same rims. Definetely a nice look for eclipses imo

 

[ProjectTwin]

I'd fight it in court. Unless he has some sort of proof of exact distance, db readings, etc...

loud is a relative term.

semis are loud...garbage trucks are loud...lawn mowers are loud.

 

[Fryguy]

well, i sorta implied it above, but i am going to court, if I go to court and show that I have a legal exhaust at that time, they typically throw it out.

And distance/level doesn't matter in massachusetts. If it's not stock, it's illegal basically.

 

[ProjectTwin]

If an exhaust is "legal in all 50 states"...

 

[Turbo97]

Greddy evo cat-back with apex downpipe


thats my setup and its very low...until WOT when its not even that loud

plus its real deep

$922 though :X

 

[riceburner]

well if you want something cheap but want a little sound maybe go with a pace setter exhaust they are cheaper than a stock exhaust and a little sportier sounding the bad thing is no good hp gain maybe 2 or 3 at the most



pacesetter exhaust= 174.95 not a bad price

 

[ColonelOdem]

Move to Indiana! straight pipe anything!

 

[dsmturboawd]

lose the melon shooter.

 

[Fryguy]

went out pricing stock exhausts today,and looked under the car to see exactly what I needed to replace. Damn stock exhausts are expensive ;(

 

[crankbender]

sigh. First off stop listening to these guys telling you to get a downpipe...

Unless you really want to try and get performance from that little engine just put a muffler on it...just about any stock muffler will work.

You can go to the junk yard and get a muffler (they won't likely sell you a cat tho) and get the junker welded on. it won't be pretty but it will be quieter and very cheap.

 

[n0va91TSI]

my friends dad drilled a hole in his pipe. jamed iron wool in the pipe passed the drilled hole. put a nail thru the hole, so the iron wool doesnt shoot out. took the test. passed. took out the nail. rev the engine and out shot the iron wool.

the end

 

[98RedGs]

Originally posted by crankbender
sigh. First off stop listening to these guys telling you to get a downpipe...

Unless you really want to try and get performance from that little engine just put a muffler on it...just about any stock muffler will work.

You can go to the junk yard and get a muffler (they won't likely sell you a cat tho) and get the junker welded on. it won't be pretty but it will be quieter and very cheap.

Just get a stock gs-t's muffler and get it put on. It looks nice (personally) and will give you a lower tone to your exhaust note. It won't be loud so don't expect it to be.

 

[RiceKiller_TSi]

Originally posted by Fryguy

I live in MA btw, really strict emissions state, so...

Move to the south.