Side Pipes

[01Townie]

anyone know if its legal to run side pipes in virginia? i cut the muffler off my Townie last weekend and wanna run duals, but dont know if i can afford to pay the exhaust shop to have em run out the back, and i can do the side pipes myself with a buddy of mine, just need to know if theyre legal or not

[SVT98t]

A quick Google search says no.
Second or third post.

http://ls1tech.com/forums/generation-iii-external-engine/147135-side-exhaust-legal.html

Here is the law:

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+46.2-1049

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.

Sorry mang.

-ryan s.

[johnunit]

Most states and provinces have rules about the exhaust ending past the rear doors. However, enforcement varies. I'd consider risking it considering how vague the above is (sounds like a law that might not be enforced often) IF you're running something quiet for mufflers. With glasspacks or flowmaster 40s you're probably going to get pulled over. often.

[SVT98t]

Glasspacks are also illegal.

-ryan s.

[Lincolnmania]

pete has va inspection lic, i'm sure he will chime in when he gets a chance to check the forum

[01Townie]

glasspacks are illegal? thats interesting, considering just about every muffler shop in town sells em. thats exactly what im puttin on...been ridin around for a week with no muffler on it at all and aint been stopped yet. (my town is crawlin with cops)

[01Townie]

im goin with the glasspacks, so i guess ill have to get em run out the back

[1990LTD]

Your muffler needs to have baffles around here. If you can stick a broom handle through the muffler, it will fail....those are the "rules" but I've never heard of anyone with glasspacks failing inspection and I've installed a number of them

[Lincolnmania]

it's gonna hang low with side exits mang

get a drivers side tail, and a pr of ofset ofset 2" mufflers and a h pipe.........the h pipe you may be able to find a decent one at the yard, iirc the later exhausts are stainless steel.

[mercurygm88]

You can run open headers here and won't get bothered, I've had cops tell me they've got more important things to do than pull over loud cars. Funny thing is I've got a buddy with a 78 skylark with a built 350 in it he's been running open headers with homemade sidepipes on it for 10 years and never been stopped.

[Bjoern0115]

In Michigan, at least, since there are no inspections of any kind (you don't even need to prove the car you're registering actually exists) you can do pretty much what you want as long as you are not bothering anyone.

That being said, I ran my wagon with no exhaust behind the cats (previous owner did a pretty "special" hack job on it) for about 5 months, and never had anyone say a word. Granted, having heard both, the 302 is much more mellow without exhaust than the 4.6 is, but side-piping should eliminate a lot of the nuisance. Only time I hear of issues is when state inspection come up or if a neighbor gets upset about your 4am donuts on his lawn.

[mercurygm88]

In Michigan, at least, since there are no inspections of any kind (you don't even need to prove the car you're registering actually exists) you can do pretty much what you want as long as you are not bothering anyone.

That being said, I ran my wagon with no exhaust behind the cats (previous owner did a pretty "special" hack job on it) for about 5 months, and never had anyone say a word. Granted, having heard both, the 302 is much more mellow without exhaust than the 4.6 is, but side-piping should eliminate a lot of the nuisance. Only time I hear of issues is when state inspection come up or if a neighbor gets upset about your 4am donuts on his lawn.

No inspections or e check where im at either, I know certain places in ohio e check but I don't know if they do annual inspections like some states.

[01Townie]

i just ordered teh H pipe and the cherry bombs, went to a few local exhaust shops, everyone wanted to charge me $250 for just tailpipes! found one that will do it for $150, so not too bad considering the other people's prices

[mercurygm88]

$250 for just tail pipes is pretty high, I upgraded to dual exhaust last september I went to 2.5" duals from the cats back with glasspacks and no hpipe total cost was $350 and that was with aluminized pipe. If I'd have gone stainless the price was $700.

[01Townie]

i know, the places around here are nuts. im doin the stock 2" h pipe to 12" glasspacks, then 2.5" from the glasspacks back