Virginia Muffler Laws?

[JGrefenstette]

does any one know for certain what is legal as far as diesel exhausts are concerned. I was wondering if i could legally run strait pipe in va. i have 10,000 pound truck tags if that makes any differance. i have a 93 d250 and it dosnt have a cat, just the stock muffler. i want to run it strait and was jsut wondering if this was legal or not. thanks

 

[HGreen]

I understand that there was a law passed several years ago to get rid of the ricer coffee can mufflers, if basically says that the muffler has to be stock. I had 2 friends with Miatas with aftermarket mufflers got tickets for just that. Go to U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs and get to the index and find Title 46 (maybe 46. 1) and search out the state code, you should find the code section that the officer would use to write the ticket. I beleive that Manassas Park was the leading local government to get the law.



I'm down here between Richmond and Charlottesville, and just about anything goes.

 

[HGreen]

Some how the web site converted. Its the Virginia government site that your want, not Veterans Affairs.

 

[BDanner]

I have been loud for 3+ years in Loudoun County. Never had a problem, even at a DOT trailer inspection in Marshall, VA. Truck plates also. I have a cleaned out stainless Banks Monster exhaust (straight pipe?) for show and visual inspections.



A straight pipe Cummins is loud up close and more so inside the cab. Ricers are annoyingly loud a mile away. Only my dog hears the truck that far away.





Loud and sometimes smokey in Sterling, VA

 

[JAlderman]

Got to DMVnow.com there should be a link to the state inspection rules. I've never read or heard anything about it, but they can get you on tampering with the factory exhaust system. But this state likes to make rules as they suite their needs.

A straight pipe will tattle tell on you, it's how they get most of the hot rod fords around here.

 

[AndrewKing]

I run a straight 4" in Charlottesville... . Even got an inspection recently... NO problems so far... ( I do let off the throttle and don't push hard when near police tho). Also, I hear that sometimes a turbo counts as a muffling device?

Andrew

 

[Greenleaf]

I built a 4" exhaust system on a 1993 D250 and did not use a muffler. The truck is registered in Floyd (45 min. South of Roanoak) and passed the annual vehicle inspection with honors. The owner is now contemplating a muffer of some sorts due to loss of hearing.





GL

SMOKEHOUSE DIESEL

 

[JGrefenstette]

this is real interesting

thanks for the responses

i think the only way to find out is to go the the sheriffs office and aske them.

 

[Simplysmn]

Be sure to bring a dozen donuts with you they will let anything fly by

 

[69RoadRunner]

Can someone explain why Harley riders can get away with no mufflers? Those things are incredibly loud!

 

[HGreen]

Had a few minutes here at work and found the following. You will find that the inspections regulation deal with leaking systems, if I recall. This is long, but its the Virginia Code Sections.



§ 46. 2-1047. Muffler cutout, etc. , illegal.



It shall be unlawful to sell or offer for sale any (i) muffler without interior baffle plates or other effective muffling device or (ii) gutted muffler, muffler cutout, or straight exhaust. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate on the highways in the Commonwealth a motor vehicle, moped, or motorized skateboard or scooter equipped with a gutted muffler, muffler cutout, or straight exhaust.



§ 46. 2-1049. Exhaust system in good working order.



No person shall drive and no owner of a vehicle shall permit or allow the operation of any such vehicle on a highway unless it is equipped with an exhaust system in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual levels of noise; provided however, that for motor vehicles, such exhaust system shall be of a type installed as standard factory equipment, or comparable to that designed for use on the particular vehicle as standard factory equipment. An exhaust system shall not be deemed to prevent excessive or unusual noise if it permits the escape of noise in excess of that permitted by the standard factory equipment exhaust system of private passenger motor vehicles or trucks of standard make.



The term "exhaust system," as used in this section, means all the parts of a vehicle through which the exhaust passes after leaving the engine block, including mufflers and other sound dissipative devices.



Chambered pipes are not an effective muffling device to prevent excessive or unusual noise, and any vehicle equipped with chambered pipes shall be deemed in violation of this section.





§ 46. 2-1048. Pollution control systems or devices.



No motor vehicle registered in the Commonwealth and manufactured for the model year 1973 or for subsequent model years shall be operated on the highways in the Commonwealth unless it is equipped with an air pollution control system, device, or combination of such systems or devices installed in accordance with federal laws and regulations.



It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle, as herein described, on the highways in the Commonwealth with its pollution control system or device removed or otherwise rendered inoperable.



It shall be unlawful for any person to operate on the highways in the Commonwealth a motor vehicle, as described in this section, equipped with any emission control system or device unless it is of a type installed as standard factory equipment, or comparable to that designed for use upon the particular vehicle as standard factory equipment.



No motor vehicle, as described in this section, shall be issued a safety inspection approval sticker unless it is equipped as provided under the foregoing provisions of this section or if it violates this section.



The provisions of this section shall not prohibit or prevent shop adjustments or replacements of equipment for maintenance or repair or the conversion of engines to low polluting fuels, such as, but not limited to, natural gas or propane, so long as such action does not degrade the antipollution capabilities of the vehicle power system.

 

[JGrefenstette]

ya as far as the harleys, i got no idea. they are wicked loud. its not a bad sound though. i kinda like it.



Hgreen, thanks for your time in finding this. i wrote the state police website and asked them about it. they sent me the exact section you posted. so at this point, ive talked to one of my buddies who got pulled for no muffler, he said it was a $30 ticket, non moving violation. so its not that big of a deal even if you do get nailed.



my last question is, what is the loudest, nastiest exhaust i can get for a first gen. that is reasonably priced??

 

[radcam]

Can someone explain why Harley riders can get away with no mufflers? Those things are incredibly loud!

I was thinking the same thing. There is no comparison between a straight piped Cummins, and a Harley. The Harley will literaly rattle your teeth when they blast by.



A straight piped Cummins isn't very loud at all at an idle, at least mine isn't, and I couldn't tell you how loud it is when the hammer is down as I'm in the cab, usually with the back window open 'cause I just love that sound.

 

[WyattEarp]

unless your hot dogging the truck like the somewhat younger generation are wanting to do, i don't think you will have any problems with the police, my 2000 has been muffler free since new, now take it mind for a little while i just ran the can and nothing else, Loud yes, get you in trouble? yes if you let it, i even went through a traffic stop with it like that, you ease on the pedal and away you go, i think alot of us can get by with it due to the old 12 V engines, you can thank them, they just expect them to be naturally loud.

 

[bmoeller]

ya as far as the harleys, i got no idea. they are wicked loud. its not a bad sound though. i kinda like it.

Not a good sound when rounding up cattle that got out of their pen. #@$%! #@$%! Almost had them in, and some SOB just hammered down and spooked them. They turned and hit a dead run. #@$%!

 

[HGreen]

JGrefenstettem, the fine may be $30, but the court cost will eat you up. My Miata friends with the Miatas ended up paying $85 each for the ticket. They did not contest the ticket, as that would have added the State Trooper's time to it.

 

[JGrefenstette]

so i cant just pay the $30 and be done with it. there are court costs for simply paying a ticket?

 

[HGreen]

You got it, got to help pay those court clerks, and into the judges retirement fund and for all those criminals cases that get off after stealing your truck because their lawyer finds all the screw-ups the cop made trying to solve the case.

 

[JGrefenstette]

thats crazy. i dont doubt you at all though. so a $30 ticket like this would likely end up acctually costing me about how much?

 

[bmoeller]

so i cant just pay the $30 and be done with it. there are court costs for simply paying a ticket?

You pay plenty of fees on top of the actual ticket.

I got a small overweight ticket ($50) in IL, BUT the fees, surcharges, other BS jumped it to $132. #@$%!#@$%!#@$%! My gross was OK, but a little heavy on my drives.