[aronhk_md]

I've failed inspection twice now....they make you rev to 2500 rpm and take a reading. First time 101db, 2nd time 102db. 96 db is the limit. Its a 3 inch exhaust with spintech mufflers, and they are measuring the sound at the tip. Its a 73 bird, 462 with a garrett turbo.....so the turbo wheel is already helping muffle things a bit.

I tried after the first round pulling off the rear sections of pipe and stuffing with steel wool. Didnt help because the second reading went up as you can see...lol. Any suggestions? I know I can change to different mufflers, and that might have to be my next move, but figured I'd ask first...

[68gtoMN]

If you live where noise abatement/measurement is in place, you'll likely need to change your mufflers to actual MUFFLERS that silence the sound. You'll lose VERY little power, contrary to popular belief...

[dickey]

How bout sliding in some baffles out of a motorcycle exhaust? I know it makes a hell of a difference if you pull them out of Harley pipes.

[aronhk_md]

68gto - I really wanted to wait and later get an oval exhaust before changing mufflers if I can, but....

dickey - that sounds like an idea, but not being a harley guy, are they expensive? Available at any harley shop? Again, dont want to drop too much $ especially on something untried unless I just bite the bullet and buy some mufflers.

[dickey]

I see some smaller diameter baffles on ebay, that aren't real expensive, but I don't know how well they would work for you. My pipes I think are 3" diameter on my bike, and the baffle has some kind of a fabric that wraps around them.

[wytnyt]

just pull off 4 spark plug wires then do the test
no regulation on how poorly it runs right?

[aronhk_md]

Hmmm......thinking about the baffles. As for pulling off plug wires.....would that really work? I'm thinking each and every cylinder firing is hitting 102db coming out of the tailpipe, not a cumulative effect. Am I right?

[wrenchmen]

I also have Spin Techs. I think they sound great at idle and when gettin on the throttle

BUT...they have a terrible resonance at cruise speed...after awhile on long trips its annoying to say the least. I threw on some Hedman Hot Tips...little glass packs
and it completely eliminated the resonance!...it does weaken the overall sound
and I dont like that, but it made the car more enjoyable on long runs.

I dont think the Hot Tips would work for you and they dont make them in 3"
But I did come across Dyna Tech Vortex Insert Cones while searchin for a way to tone down the exhaust.

Here is a link for them at Jegs....http://www.jegs.com/p/Dynatech/Dynat...50014/10002/-1

I have no experience with them at all...was going to try them but was a little to pricey for me.

[aronhk_md]

Yeah I have that resonance with the spin techs too, but with the 3.73 gears I was taching 2650 at 60 mph, and it just got it out of that resonance range. I am however installing 3.08 gears, so it would put me right into it at cruise.

I appreciate the info on those cones, but for that price I am going to just go for the Goerlich x123 xcelerator mufflers. The #'s at the end of the list below are the decibels....I assume the first is at idle, the 2nd maybe at cruise, the third wide open throttle?

From Tom Hand:

"Oh. I just realized you currently run spinTechs, this are extremely loud no matter what you do.Get them off and get some more quiet mufflers on.


Spin-Tech Sportsman Street + X 78, 94, 102

Goerlich's Xlerator + X (3.0") X123 4.25" x 9.25" x 18",97% flow 71, 82, 92



New XLERATORs by themselves may do it after all! Good idea Aron!"

[blue goats]

Aronhk,
How did you do? I guess you went to Churchtown Rd. The DMV is rough on you in Dover.They flunked me with flowmasters but passed me with magnaflows. The Dover DMV won't give you 1 db here.
George

[aronhk_md]

Hi George,

I havent gone yet. Since one of the other things that didnt pass was the right rear brake due to a faulty wheel cylinder, I decided to go ahead and finish the 4 wheel disc conversion, change from 3.73's to 3.08's, drop the stall from 4600-3000 for better pro-touring/street/road-racing use, move the wastegate for the turbo and reroute the exhaust pipes at the turbo........well, below is the list of changes done so far, in progress, or parts bought and soon to be started. Meanwhile I HOPE to have the car back on the road again in about 2 weeks.

So you think the churchman's rd DMV might be a bit easier? Might be worth the trip up as I'm all the way in Laurel, DE at the moment. I'm really hoping the Goerlich's do the trick. Where are you located? I want to get up north soon to do some cruise nights soon too.



-3.08 rear with S10 disc brakes. Had 3.73's, but turbos like LOAD, so the taller gears will be better.

-Converter restalled from 4600 to 3000....tight. Again, turbos like load

-methanol injection system with boost switch at 40%

-Oil accumulator to back up oiling system under hard right turns

-moved wastegate to clear front R tire

-consolidated and cleaned up wiring

-March Performance Style Track Serpentine System

-Vintage Air heat/air/defrost

-1987 WS6 steering gearbox 2.5:1

-new burnt orange cut pile carpet w/insulation

-RSX leather race seats

-new door sills

-kenwood stereo & speakers

-new door hinge pins

-12 volt fan added to turbo oil cooler

-radiator dropped/tilted forward with intercooler

-glasstek early style tall TA hood scoop with piping reroute to put stock hood back on

-Complete fiberglass front end purchased. Will tilt forward. Not going on for a while...when the body gets reworked and repainted

[blue goats]

When I lived up in Wilmington I never had a problem getting old cars thru inspection.They would just say the licence plate light was out and get that fixed and pass you.They knew you were a car guy just looking at the old car and trusted you to fix it rather than wasting another afternoon in the inspection lane over something minor.Later on I moved to Newark and would get my cars inspected at Churchtown.They were a little more strict but you could reason with them. Then when I moved 5 miles west of Clayton I would get my car inspected in Dover . Long story short if ANYTHING is wrong you will go thru the re-inspection lane no exceptions! I once had a 66 cat cv that had trips and would load up just sitting in the lanes for hours waiting for my turn and fail emissions every first time I took it , the inspector knew this and would say take it around the block and blow it out and try again. The problem with that idea is you have to get back in line hence more loading up, instead of just passing me.Then when you go inside the lady behind the counter says "Oh a 1966 and it passed?" "Miss it only has 72 thousand miles on it."What an incredible frustrating waste of time going to the DMV can be.How is it in Georgetown ? I can't imagine they are harder than Dover.I guess it could of gotten worse though if they had allowed dealerships and garages to do inspections and gotten rid of our state run inspections.State employees have no incentive to fail you like privately run facilities.
Good luck,
George

[aronhk_md]

George,

You are so right....I hate the states that have the private run inspections.....its a scam and allowed by our own government! I'm fairly new to lower DE, but so far the DMV guy (and I've been unfortunate enough to get the same guy twice!) has been rude. No bending on anything. Getting him to talk to me was like pulling teeth to explain what I needed to do to get it to pass. I cant compare it to Dover since I've never been through there, but the thought HAS crossed my mind to take it to New Castle.

Still, I believe all the issues will be taken care of except perhaps the hydrocarbons.....and I CAN get that waived by spending $75 on tuneup stuff. So it should pass even down here if I try it once the new mufflers are installed and the brakes done.

Hey, hopefully we'll get a chance to run into each other at some event. I'm going to go to the Harrington car show I think this weekend, but the car wont be on the road. Plus, they limited it to 1972 or earlier, and mine is a 73!!! Talk about annoying. Wont be winning any car shows with it anyway, so I could probably tell 'em its a 72 and they wouldnt know...lol.

[shiftydr]

Blue Goats/Aronhk md,

I wouldn't suggest the Churchman's Road Lanes if you are only hoping to get by with noise. They are just as tough as the others. The only place that may be worse are the lanes at Wilmington. They are true ball busters for noise, and any other potential violations. I have two Harley Davidsons that have engine and exhaust mods (not straight pipes) that I had a hell of a time getting passed. Both bikes are baffled-mechanically. In addition I had to pack a ton of dirt bike fiberglass in front of the baffles to pass by 1 lousy db at 2500 rpms! Needless to say either bike will hardly idle, let alone run like this!

Blue Goats,

Why did they emission test your 66 Catalina? I am sure that the old rule was that anything prior to 1968 was not emission tested. The sign used to hang on the wall at the old Wilmington Lanes on Bancroft Parkway. Has there been a change in policy?

Aronhk md,

I have serious concerns about the noise test myself as I just finished getting my 1967 GTO running, and have yet to get it inspected. It has a PYPES x-pipe system with Violator mufflers. Definitely not a sneek up on you type of exhaust. I don't mind the noise but DE DMV may. I run ram air manifolds so slipping a perforated "cookie" in a header collector will not work for me but you could try it if you have a 3" junction in your exhaust. I wouldn't run it that way for long with a turbo though. We used to baffle up our bikes in the DMV parking lot before going through the lanes. Boy were those guys pissed when we got our tags and removed them before leaving! Ahhh.... the not so long ago pre politically correct days of yore. Good luck. Let us know how you do.

Shiftydr

[aronhk_md]

shifty,

Well, the wilmington lanes are gone.....and theres the new ones off Rte 13 near I-495. I'm wondering how they'd be. Still, I'm hoping the switch in mufflers does it. From all accounts I SHOULD see a 10 db drop at that rpm. Gonna try down here first and see.........

I dont have any collectors.....its a set of original Tri-y pipes with attached pipes heading straight to the turbo where they merge. So I'm stuck there. Will let you know when I get there how it goes. I'm thinking you might have problems with your exhaust. If you are running 2.5" though its probably easy to pick up a used pair of mufflers on craigslist if you need to to throw on for inspection. Mine is 3", so it makes it tougher combined with the limited space 2nd gen birds are known for.

[blue goats]

Shifty,
You are so right they didn't test the cat it was my 71 challenger with a six pac. I've had way to many cars over the last 29 years and have got them confused from time to time. So I guess none of them (DMV locations) are to kind to modified cars anymore.Oh well,it could always be worse.
Aronhk,
Is that the state fairground show. It's always brutally hot at that show. I am more of a Fox Run -Pike Creek cruise in guy.The weather is always cooler and being at a show from 9AM to 3PM never works with 4 small children. Early AM weekend cruises for coffee and bagels or evening little league games at the ballpark is more my style. I will be going to Woodward again this year too.IMO it is the greatest car show on earth and is never as hot as here in the summer.
George

[aronhk_md]

George,

I used to live in Pike Creek so I know what you mean. My friend just finished his 70 chevelle after 20 yrs and about $130K, and he lives there and will be going to them.....so hoping to hook up with him up there sometime. Have another friend with a 79 TA in the area too.

But I'm single again, and no kids......a little heat doesnt stop me....lol. Yes its the Fairgrounds show I'm referring to. Went to the OC show a few weeks ago.....it was incredible. So many cars. Where is Woodward?

[blue goats]

Aronhk If you like OC you would love Woodward.Like OC on steroids.40-60 K cars and ALOT of people .Put it on your bucket list you won't regret it. It's just outside Detroit.I have family in Ann Arbor and visit them around the same time as the show. It's the best Wed- Fri night and way too crowded on the official Saturday cruise ,but I still go anyway.
George

[amcmike]

Originally Posted by aronhk_md

Where is Woodward?

Someone take his Pontiac-Car-Guy card away.

[aronhk_md]

George,

It sounds awesome. MI is much farther than I think I'm willing to go though...lol.

As for taking my pontiac guy card away....lmao....I dont have one. I have had my share of Pontiacs though and if someone wants to take those away...bring reinforcements.