Loud exhaust regulations in Illinois? Options

[awd4kicks]

Ok, last night I got stopped by the same county cop that gave me a ticket for my license plate cover a couple months ago. In the previous stop, he told me it was illegal to make the exhaust tone of your vehicle louder than stock. I told im that wasn't the case, but didn't push the issue and he let it go.

Last night he stopped me because of my exhaust and we went through the whole thing again except I told him the cat back was labeled as 50 state legal. He retorts with 'That's not true and I've talked with the State's Attourney and he says that he will prosecute anyone that an officer decides to write up for this violation.' Then he handed me my stuff and let me go!?

Don't get me wrong, I don't intend on changing my exhaust...but I would like to get the story straight and maybe have some back-up paper work with me if the cops are gonna start this friviless non-sense.

Has anyone researched this issue in deapth. Any ideas on where to go for Illinois legal regulations on the internet?

Thanks,
Marcus

[natedogg]

Try this site.

http://www.leginfo.org/

[natedogg]

This is even better. I did a search for exhaust at the IL legislation site.

http://www.legis.state.il.us/scripts/searc...earch92leg.html

[awd4kicks]

Well, I guess the Sherrif wasn't BS'ing me. Heres what Lucid posted on CII.

(625 ILCS 5/12-602)
Sec. 12-602. Mufflers, prevention of noise.
Every motor vehicle driven or operated upon the highways of this
State shall at all times be equipped with an adequate muffler or exhaust
system in constant operation and properly maintained to prevent any
excessive or unusual noise. No such muffler or exhaust system shall be
equipped with a cutout, bypass or similar device. No person shall modify
the exhaust system of a motor vehicle in a manner which will amplify or
increase the noise of such vehicle above that emitted by the muffler
originally installed on the vehicle, and such original muffler shall
comply with all the requirements of this Section.
(Source: P. A. 77-37.)

check the archives - we had a big discussion on this earlier
-------
http://www.legis.state.il.us/ilcs/c...25act5Sub73.htm
did you know it's illegal to have a secret compartment in your car, and if found, your vehicle is subject to repossession.


__________________
--nicbink--

[gvr4ever]

Where do you keep getting pulled over? I hate cops that try and make up the law on the spot.

It never fails to amaze me that cops try and run it all. The only right a cop has on the street is to give you a ticket or arrest you. If a cop ever tells you that you are breaking the law (like having a exhaust that is too loud), tell him that he can then write you a ticket. Take it to court. You know in court, if you make a cop look bad, the judge starts to ride the cops ass. I've done it before. Cops are not the law at all, they only inforce it.

As far as not having a exhaust that is louder then stock, that is BS. There are laws about changing a exhaust on a brand new car. You're car really should be like 3 years old and 30K miles or something like that. However, I think all our cars are past that. As far as how loud your exhaust can be? That comes down to local laws, but you have to be pretty loud to be breaking the law. V8 boys make a lot more noise then us.

If I ever got pulled over for my exahust, I'd invite the officer to give me a ticket. I'd then take paperwork to court showing my muffler has a DOT rating. Cuz no cop or judge can really argue against that. If they did, then you could really raise a stink. Write to the papers, the DOT department, ect. There are ways and then there are ways.

My Galant exhaust is kinda loud, but only when I get on boost. When I see cops, I just chill out. They could never really pull me over unless I was above 3K RPMs and giving it some gas. Then, I would be getting a ticket for speeding, not being too loud, so.....

Sorry for the long post, but I've read about this crap before. I've heard stories about cops threting to have cars towed or impunded if the exhaust wasn't returned back to stock. They are picking on you. They don't have this right. They have to test the loudness of your exhaust from a distance (90' I think it might be). Then and only then do they have a real case. If they tell you different, they are BSing you.

BTW club, good job on looking up the laws.

William

[gvr4ever]

(625 ILCS 5/12-602)

This law goes aginst DOT.

You are alowed to replace a broken muffler and it doesn not have to be from the factory.

I think the law suggest making mods for the sole perpose of making your car louder. If you have a DOT cat and muffler, you should be fine. If you exhaust is not legal, then you might want to make it so.

William

[awd4kicks]

This particular County cop has gotten me the last two times on 116 coming out of German town Hills toward Peoria. He sits right before the speed limit jumps up to 55MPH. This guy is obviously stalking me because the last ticket I had before the license plate cover was by him also. He nailed me coming home from Eureka on 117 after I put 8 hours in at work on a Sunday. It was right after I got the Talon and I wasn't used to it yet. That means my last speeding ticket was almost 3 years ago! Knock on wood.

On a side note...the Circuit Clerk that took my money for the speeding ticket told me this guy never lets anyone go after she seen his name on the ticket. Nice! :roll:

Marcus

[gvr4ever]

He sounds like a real nice DICK!!!!

Might be time for you to order a rocky mountian radar jammer and detector. I had just the jammer a few years ago and it worked for me. I even had my detector go off on laser going 85 in a 65 and a slowed down and didn't get a ticket. I'd order one again, only I don't drive as fast as I used to.

William

[Serbd97]

I have always been told by numerous cops that as long as you aren't fucking around and causing trouble that they should have more important things to do than to pull ya over for the exhaust. Must not be too many doughnut shops near there or he would have something else to occupy his time.

Eugene

[gvr4ever]

About 98% of the time, that is very true. Cops will not mess with people unless they are doing something wrong. However, some cops are just assholes that love the f^&k with us.

Many many moons ago when I was going to school. I stayed with my sister a few night out of the week so I wouldn't have to drive so much. She lived in this really small town outside of Lafayette,IN. Anyway, one morning I got up to go to school, and I saw the local gomer pile driving by as I was leaving the house. I got in my car that was a 88 POS cavlier. Nothing even close to anything sporty. As I was leaving town, I saw him behind a building waiting for me to go by. The bastard even smiled at me. What a dick. I was the only one on the road and he followed me out of town.

Not too long ago I was leaving Indy going west on 74 from the movies late at night. It was prolly around 1:30am or so as we went to the late show. The redneck Browsburg police tailgated my car(GVR4) for miles. Untill the next rest stop that I only stoped at to see what the cop would do. The cop followed me into the rest area only to circle it while I told my wife to go in and use the rest area. I was like WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was not speeding. I was not doing ANYTHING. They just messed with me. They even had friends come join in. Then when I left, they sped past me and went up the road and pulled off and parked looking for other victoms I guess.

If I had the cash, I would have installed spy cameras in the car the next day. I would have sent that footage to the news the next day. That was total BS. There was no cause for it and the cops were taunting my wife and me after a date. I don't remember the last time I was so mad. I felt like I no rights. I couldn't even get the numbers off the car because they were blinding me with the tail lights they were ridding so close. Or I might have called and made a few complaints.

Anyway, some cops are just assholes and some are really great. Just have to really watch out for the assholes I guess.

William

[scorp28]

Just because something says that it is 50 state legal doesn't mean that it is necessarily true. It may be legal according to federal regulations but state or local laws may be more stringent. The stricter interpretation of the law supercedes all others. Most radar detectors will say that they are 50 state legal but they cannot be used in Virginia or Washington D.C.

[gvr4ever]

If you buy a good muffler, you should be okay. Mainly a catback and not a glass pack.

It really comes down to if you exhaust is loud or not. If it's not really loud, you should be okay. I've known people who run without anything!

As far as the cops, just look out for them and don't floor it in town. That loud exhaust sounds echos off of buildings really bad.

My friend had a full 3" with a high flow cat, resinator, and turbo back mufffler. It was really quiet. So, it can be done, just cost alot more. If you're like me, you wen't for the cheaper louder exhaust

If you see a cop, just push the clutch in and slide on by.

[awd4kicks]

Yep, mine's about as open as it can be, but I can still make it fairly quite when I want to be incognito.

I've checked into a Corsa system because they use sound cancellation that does not hurt flow. They currently have systems for Vette's, Vipers and some trucks, but no imports. Interstingly, the person I contacted there owns a DSM and a WRX and he said these systems are in the works!

Not cheap, but I don't really care about being loud, I just want performance.

Marcus

[mark95turbo]

Marcus-

Unless the cop can prove that your car was reading a louder db than stock you cannot be prosecuted. This means that he would have to have the stock db #'s for DSM's, and also would have to have a db meter onhand when he pulled you over. He can issue the ticket, but unless he can PROVE without a doubt that your car is louder than stock it cannot be enforced. I asked a friend of mine that is a lawyer and he said that all you have to do is take it to court and ask the cop if he could provide the proper stock db ranges, and proof of a db readin at the time you were pulled over. Sure it may piss him off and only agrivate the matter, but it works.