The Story:
"My car gets a nasty flat to the point where I need a new tire. So I end up having to barrow the spare car, which is a 94 Honda Accord with a AEM cold air intake, DC headers, and a Tanabe Hyper Medallion exhaust. So literally the week I start driving this car I get pulled over for the exhaust. The part that really bothers is that we have had that car for about 6 or 7 years and no one has ever been pulled over in it for any reason the entire time we have had it, and we purchased the car with all the modifications already done to it. I was driving home from work which is literally about half a mile if that from my house, like so close I should probably walk there but I'm too lazy to. I was not driving over the speed limit or accelerating quickly, which would rev the engine higher. Lastly Tanabe claims that there exhaust are designed to be below 95db.
http://www.tanabe-usa.com/exhausts/medalionhyper.asp
The Facts:
"Exhaust Systems: Whistle-Tip Prohibition
27150.3. (a) A person may not modify the exhaust
system of a motor vehicle with a whistle-tip.
Modification of Exhaust Systems: Sound Level in
Compliance
27151. (a) 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 the vehicle so that the
vehicle is not in compliance with the provisions of Section
27150 or exceeds the noise limits established for the type of
vehicle in Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 27200). No
person shall operate a motor vehicle with an exhaust system
so modified.
(b) For the purposes of exhaust systems installed on motor
vehicles with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of
less than 6,000 pounds, other than motorcycles, a sound level
of 95 dbA or less, when tested in accordance with Society of
Automotive Engineers Standard J1169 May 1998, complies
with this section. Motor vehicle exhaust systems or parts
thereof include, but are not limited to, nonoriginal exhaust
equipment.
This was pulled directly from the California Vehicle Code which you can find here http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/vcpdf/d... if you have any further concerns.
There are also other statutes regarding the catalytic converter, but that isnt California law, it is CARB law.
Your vehicle must have a catalytic converter with a functioning O2 sensor attached.
Thats it, keep it under 95 decibels, no whistle tip and have a functioning catalytic converter." -copy and pasted from an answer given by "imthevoiceofgod"
Which is what I got out of it as well when I read the law. So my true question is: Is there a way to take my car to get inspected somewhere where they can verify that my car is in fact within in the legal limit and give me some type of proof (ie: sticker or card). Or am I just stuck having to get a stock replacement?
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