Exhaust Noise Limits

[Jack]

Just picked this up from CCUK, one the members has done a little delving into the laws and regulations regarding car exhaust noise limits.

Taken from here (http://www.celica-club.co.uk/cgibin/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=38677) (although I think the forums are currently locked to non-reg'd users, so I'll repost the original message. Its quite long so I've had to break it into two posts!!)

In summary: There are noise limits for SVAs, type approval, bikes and track days; but no official noise limit for cars on the road.



This will make you sleep...... but:

What I am about to reveal is cheaper than taking painkillers!

There is complicated European law on noise limits, some of which the UK has not adopted. There is no formal UK noise limit for cars - we rely on a decision from a court as to what is excessive (see reg 97 below).

There are limits up to 75db for bikes, which can only be measured by approved devices (see the very complcated Reg 55 & EU directives)

This is wat the law says - but there are pages of it that I haven't reproduced here.

In simple terms, if a Cop thinks your car is too loud, he has to convince a court, preferably with a reading from a meter or other witnesses.

Firstly:

Regulation 97 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 provides for the avoidance of excessive noise from motor vehicles

No motor vehicle shall be used on a road in such manner as to cause any excessive noise which could have been avoided by the exercise of reasonable care on the part of the driver .

BUT

Regulation 55 provides for the control of noise made by certain vehicles with three or more wheels. It states:

55(1) This regulation applies to every wheeled motor vehicle having at least three wheels and first used on or after 1st October 1983 which is
(a) a vehicle, not within sub-paragraph (b) or (c), with or without bodywork;

(b) a vehicle not within sub-paragraph (c) which is:

(i) an engineering plant;
(ii) a locomotive other than an agricultural motor vehicle;
(iii) a motor tractor other than an industrial tractor or an agricultural motor vehicle;
(iv) a public works vehicle;
(v) a works truck; or
(vi) a refuse vehicle;

or
(c) a vehicle which:

(i) has a compression ignition engine;
(ii) is so constructed or adapted that the driving power of the engine is, or by appropriate use of the controls can be, transmitted to all wheels of the vehicle; and
(iii) falls within category I.1.1., I.1.2, or I.1.3 specified in Article 1 of Community Directive 77/212,

unless exempted by paragraphs (1A) and (2) below and an exception under regulation 59.

(1A) This regulation does not apply to a vehicle to which an item in regulation 55A applies.

(2) This regulation does not apply to:

(a) a motorcycle with a sidecar attached;
(b) an agricultural motor vehicle which is first used before 1st June 1986 or which is not driven at more than 20 mph;
(c) an industrial tractor;
(d) a road roller;
(e) a vehicle specially constructed, and not merely adapted, for the purpose of fighting fires or salvage from fires at or in the vicinity of airports, and having an engine power exceeding 220 kW;
(f) a vehicle which runs on rails; or
(g) a vehicle manufactured by Leyland Vehicles Ltd and known as the Atlantean Bus, if first used before 1st October 1984.


(3) Every vehicle to which this regulation applies shall be so constructed that it complies with the requirements set out in items 1, 2, 3 or 4. A vehicle complies with those requirements if

(a) its sound level does not exceed the relevant limit specified in that item when measured under the conditions and by the method specified using the apparatus prescribed in paragraph (6) below;
and
(b) in the case of a vehicle referred to in paragraph 1(a) (other than one having less than four wheels or a maximum speed not exceeding 25 km/h) or 1(c), the device designed to reduce the exhaust noise meets the requirements specified in that item,

unless provided for by paragraphs (4) and (5).

(4) Paragraph (3) applies to every vehicle to which this regulation applies which is first used on or after 1st April 1990, unless it is equipped with 5 or more forward gears and has a maximum power to maximum gross weight ratio not less than 75 kW per 1000 kg, and is of a type in respect of which a type approval certificate has been issued under the Type Approval (Great Britain) Regulations as if, for the reference to items 1,2, 3 or 4 above there were substituted a reference to item 4.


(5) Paragraph (4) does not apply to a vehicle in category 5.2.2.1.3 as defined in Annex I to Directive 84/424 and equipped with a compression ignition engine, a vehicle in category 5.2.2.1.4 as defined in that Annex, or a vehicle referred to in paragraph 1(b) unless it is first used on or after 1st April 1991.


(6) The apparatus prescribed for the purposes of paragraph 3(a) and regulation 56(2)(a) (noise limits - agricultural motor vehicle/industrial tractor) and Schedule 7A (motor cycle noise/silencers) is a sound level meter of the type described in Publication No. 179 of the International Electrotechnical Commission, in specification for Type 0 or Type 1 in Publication No. 651 (1979) 'Sound Level Meters' of the International Electrotechnical Commission, or a sound level meter complying with the specifications of the British Standard Number BS 5969:1981 which came into effect on 29th May 1981.

(6A) A vehicle shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of this regulation if it is so constructed that it complies with the requirements specified in column 4 of item 2 in the Table in regulation 55A as they apply to a vehicle first used on or after the date specified in column 3 of that item.


(7) Instead of complying with the above provisions of this regulation a vehicle may comply at its time of first use with Community Directive 77/212, 81/334, 84/372, 84/424, 92/97 or 96/20 or ECE Regulation 51.02.


And

Schedule 7A of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 provides the requirements regarding motor cycle noise and silencers referred to in regulations 57, 57A and 57B.

PART I
1(1) For the purposes of these Regulations a vehicle meets the requirements of an item shown below if its sound level does not exceed by more than 1dB(A) the relevant limit specified in that item when measured under specific conditions using the apparatus prescribed in regulation 55(6).


(2) In this Part of this Schedule, 'MOPED' has the meaning as given in paragraph 5 of Schedule 9.
Item 1.
A moped is limited to 73 dB(A). Vehicles other than mopeds have a limit determined in accordance with paragraph 2.1.1 of Annex I to Community Directive 78/1015 by reference to the cubic capacity of the vehicle.

Item 2.
A moped is limited to 73 dB(A). Vehicles other than mopeds have a first stage limit determined in accordance with paragraph 2.1.1 of Annex I to Community Directive 87/56 by reference to the cubic capacity of the vehicle.

Item 3.
A moped is limited to 74 dB(A). Vehicles other than mopeds have a limit specified in item 2 plus 1 dB(A).

[Jack]

Cont'd...


PART II

2. The requirements of this paragraph are that the silencer:

(a) is so constructed that:

(i) it meets the requirements of paragraphs 3 and 4 of British Standard BS AU 193:1983;
(ii) were it to be fitted to an unused vehicle of the same model as the vehicle in question, the unused vehicle would meet the requirements of paragraph 5.2 of that Standard; and

(b) is clearly and indelibly marked 'BS AU 193/T2'.


3. The requirements of this paragraph are that the silencer:

(a) is so constructed that:

(i) it meets the requirements of paragraphs 3 and 4 of British Standard BS AU 193a:1990;
(ii) were it to be fitted to an unused vehicle of the same model as the vehicle in question, the unused vehicle would meet the requirements of paragraph 5.2 of that Standard; and

(b) is clearly and indelibly marked 'BS AU 193A/1990T2'.


4. The requirements of this paragraph are that the silencer:

(a) is so constructed that:

(i) it meets the requirements of paragraphs 3 and 4 of British Standard BS AU 193a:1990;
(ii) were it to be fitted to an unused vehicle of the same model as the vehicle in question, the unused vehicle would meet the requirements of paragraph 5.3 of that Standard; and

(b) is clearly and indelibly marked 'BS AU 193a/1990T3'.


5. In this Part of this Schedule:

(a) 'BRITISH STANDARD BS AU 193:1983' means the British Standard Specification for replacement motor cycle and moped exhaust systems published by the British Standard Institution under reference number BS AU 193:1983;
(b) 'BRITISH STANDARD BS AU 193a:1990' means the British Standard Specification for replacement motor cycle and moped exhaust systems published by the British Standard Institution under reference number BS AU 193a:1990;


PART III

6. Paragraph (4) of regulation 57A shall not apply to a replacement silencer if the second requirement referred to in that regulation would be met were there substituted in Part II of this Schedule:

(a) for the reference to provisions in either of the British Standard Specifications references to equivalent provisions in a corresponding standard; and
(b) for the references to a mark, references to a mark made pursuant to that corresponding standard indicating that the silencer complies with those equivalent provisions.


7. In this Part of this Schedule,

'CORRESPONDING STANDARD', in relation to a British Standard Specification, means:

(a) a standard code of practice of a national standards body or equivalent body of any member State;
(b) any international standard recognised for use as a standard by any member State; or
(c) a technical specification or code of practice which whether mandatory or not, is recognised for use as a standard by a public authority of any member State,

where the standard, code of practice, international standard or technical specification provides, in relation to motor cycles, a level of noise limitation and safety equivalent to that provided by the British Standard Specification and contains a requirement as respect the marking of silencers equivalent to that provided by that instrument.


8 and 9. A reference in this part of this Schedule to a British Standard Specification is a reference to British Standard BS AU 193:1983 or British Standard BS AU 190a:1990 and 'either of the British Standard Specification' shall be construed accordingly. Both phrases have the same meanings as in Part II of this Schedule.

Well done if you understood it!

[tappingt]

thats alrite my nova runs on rails, well i think it does anyway. lol

[Stuart]

so in 10 words or less jack..... Or i ban you :P

[Philsutton]

There are noise limits for SVAs, type approval, bikes and track days; but no official noise limit for cars on the road.


yep thats about right, i had trouble with mine but they never gave me a limit to bring the noise down to. They its too lou but im not giving you a limit to bring it down.

To cut a long story short i rammed some of that mesh sponge stuff up the exhaust an had it stamped at an mot station. Waste of time cos it was just as loud after anyway.

[Jack]

so in 10 words or less jack..... Or i ban you :P
No car exhaust noise limits and stu is great lmao

good enough? lol

[Phil_G]

simple thing you need to point out to anyone who says there is is "so wheres the Db meter at the MOT station?"

That is this countries road worthiness test, and if a vehicle can get through that its surely legal. It can only fail if the tester feels the Noise Offencive

[Philsutton]

It can only fail if the tester feels the Noise Offencive

yep but if the mot guy doesnt have the same opinions as the police they can take away their licience, even though it is just based on an opinion and not a figure.