Woot! Failed my first safety inspection!

[okyoureabeast]

Left the car at the old shop where I took my Honda so I could get my safety inspection. I was under the impression they didn't know what they were looking at and would just "pass" me, hehe I was wrong

Apparently my front shock absorbers are both bad and my "intermediate" exhaust pipe has rust on it. I'm assuming he's talking about the rust at the very end near the trunk.

Shock absorbers aren't a problem. I'll just look at the FSM and probably do it myself, but the exhaust is a different story.

I want to straight pipe it and have a shop in town who can make a stainless steel pipe for me.

My question is, does anyone have any PA straight piping advice for me. I was under the impression it's possible to legally straight pipe a diesel car since the turbo acts as a noise suppresor, but I'm getting conflicting reports and not sure.

Happy I did it now since it expires at the end of the month.

Edit: I also have a guy who will "pass me" if the set up looks safe. I've been seeing other people report that straight piping in PA is ok, but I need to look up the law.

[TheDon]

I can tell you in FL a turbocharger does not suffice for an exhaust muffling device.

slap a cherry bomb on it. Technically its a "muffler"

[Stretch]

Your state government may have restrictions on the amount of noise a vehicle may make - may be you can find this sort of information online? They are ususally complaining about motorcycle noise over here - but it is also aimed at cars too.

[okyoureabeast]

Vehicle code for the commonwealth of PA

http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms/vehicle_code/chapter45.pdf

Section 4523. The law doesn't mention anything regarding straight piping on a diesel vehicle. Only that "noise amplifications modificaitons" are illegal.

I've heard recordings of a striaght pipe and it doesn't sound any louder. When I see my old mechanic, I'll ask him. There are a lot of diesel trucks who come into his shop for inspections as well. There has to be at least one guy in town who's straight piped a cummins or something.

[connerm]

I replaced the intermediate piece (resonator) and the muffler piece on my 85 300td wagon in about an hour...with no beer. Bought everything at Napa for a few hundred bucks. Dickheads at Midas wanted something like $800.

[moon161]

I've found markup on parts at midas to be over 100%.

[charmalu]

Originally Posted by okyoureabeast

Vehicle code for the commonwealth of PA

http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms/vehicle_code/chapter45.pdf

Section 4523. The law doesn't mention anything regarding straight piping on a diesel vehicle. Only that "noise amplifications modificaitons" are illegal.

I've heard recordings of a striaght pipe and it doesn't sound any louder. When I see my old mechanic, I'll ask him. There are a lot of diesel trucks who come into his shop for inspections as well. There has to be at least one guy in town who's straight piped a cummins or something.

I guess you answered your own question "noise amplifications modifications" are illegal.

I would imagine the laws of each state are the same or similar.

back in 68 I had a set of stacks and dual glass packs on my 64 International Harvester step side pick up. the CHP back then had these safety inspections in various places. I got cought in one. bottom line, I had a modified exhaust system and had to put it back to original.

they don`t do that now days, state is too broke, and we don`t have yearly safety inspections like a lot of states. As screwed up as Calif is, you would think they would have them for the added revenue.

Charlie

[layback40]

You need a friend that you can borrow a standard pipe off. Get your inspection & then have fun.
The shocks are easy enough.
When I was a poor student many years ago, I was failed on shocks as they were moist from seal leaks, I just removed them, cleaned them, painted them with a can of spray paint from the discount store & put them back on. The guy too one look at them, assumed they were new and passed the car. I replaced them a couple of years later.

Good Luck!!

[okyoureabeast]

The guy who does my inspection said to me he has passed straight pipe diesel trucks as long as the noise isn't unbearable. He agrees that a turbo is a noise suppression device!

Haha either way I have two weeks to work this out. I do want to straight pipe it but if I may have trouble in the future with different states.

I got a pair of shocks as a birthday present so no problem

[JB3]

they made me install a resonator as some sort of muffling device on my straight pipe. The car was no quieter, but had a nicer rumble too it. I actually loved it ultimately.

Noise was less of an issue than meeting the "some type of muffler" requirement for the state. I would do what was suggested above, throw a resonator or something like that on there. Then you can just point and say "of course it has a muffler!"

I was happy as long as I could lug the motor and set off car alarms still.

[Squabble]

register & get inspect in ithaca, i've got a guy that will pass pretty much anything...

[latitude500]

I have a straight pipe on my 87 300SDL and its not load at all. I didn’t even dump it out the back, it has a down pipe at the end that stops under the rear driver seat. If I had to do it again I would have it exit out the back. Because I have to clean my car more often because of the soot. But if you’re worried about noise coming out of your car with a straight pipe I wouldn’t worry about that at all.

You can purchase the parts at your local NAPA or autozone and be done with it in a couple of hours.

Have fun.

[okyoureabeast]

Originally Posted by latitude500

You can purchase the parts at your local NAPA or autozone and be done with it in a couple of hours.

Have fun.

Really? Bare with me for these noobish questions, but what do I ask the parts guy at NAPA or Autozone? Just say I want exhaust pipes and maybe a resonator on my 300D?

How would that connect up to the original exhaust hangers?

Originally Posted by Squabble

register & get inspect in ithaca, i've got a guy that will pass pretty much anything...

You sold the 300D and didn't tell me?!

[TchTchr]

I had the 300TD straight pipe last spring. I'm not liking it and plan to add something to quiet it a little - it has a pretty heavy drone when getting up to speed. I don't want to put that old boat anchor muffler back on though.