Need some help with noise laws

[jdheff1982]

Hello,

So this evening, I get home from work and my neighbor is up in my face about how "loud" and "fumey" my truck is. My truck does have true dual exhaust going to flowmaster mufflers and it does not smoke. It smells rich at time, but it does not smoke unless something is burning off the manifolds which rarely happens.

Basicaly, my Dad approached him about his music playing being too excessive. And the neighbor wanted to vent at me about that and complain about how much he hates my truck and how he hates the fumes coming from it. The neighbor was just grabbing at anything coming out of his butt to use to strengthen his argument.

The truck is my daily when I can't / don't want to drive my motorbike. Now that it is getting colder, I really don't care to have frost bite on my hands in the mornings when I go to college. And it is not like I sit out there for hours revving the motor needlessly. If I am working on it, yeah, I'll rev it if I need to. Other than that, I don't usually rev it beyond what it needs.

So, if this situation progresses to where the police get involved, my truck will not pass a decibel test. Nor will his music playing. What would I need to do to my truck to keep the noise level down and still keep the Horsepower and not get a potential $1000 ticket or jail time?

Thanks.

[flamingbig10]

his panties are in bunch because he was told to turn down his music, but if your truck is really that loud then I would quiet it down, what series flows do you have, what size pipe, and where does the exhaust exit

[jdheff1982]

Originally Posted by flamingbig10

his panties are in bunch because he was told to turn down his music, but if your truck is really that loud then I would quiet it down, what series flows do you have, what size pipe, and where does the exhaust exit

I am uncertain of the muffler series.

The truck has hooker headers w/ 3" collectors. So I am assuming the pipes are 3" as well. I have been trying to find time to fix the collector gasket on the driver side that is blown. I am uncertain as to how much that will affect the noise level.

So, if push comes to shove, what would I need to do to my exhaust to quiet it down w/o losing HP?

Thanks.

[baclay9]

Your going to probably have to go to like a magnaflow muffler or something like that.

[streetstar]

Originally Posted by jdheff1982

I am uncertain of the muffler series.

The truck has hooker headers w/ 3" collectors. So I am assuming the pipes are 3" as well. I have been trying to find time to fix the collector gasket on the driver side that is blown. I am uncertain as to how much that will affect the noise level.

So, if push comes to shove, what would I need to do to my exhaust to quiet it down w/o losing HP?

Thanks.

Fix your collector first, if its still too loud, get some better mufflers. You talk about killing performance, but then admit you have a rattly leak too, so fix whats wrong first


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[old Rusty C10]

if you have a broken collector gasket there prolly are some fumes and noise.. fix that..I bought a flowmaster i think its a turbo and its pretty nice... noise but not enough you cant hear yourself think.

[grs]

I built a 1956 BelAir. It had 350 HP. Two Magna Flows on it. It was not real loud until I punched it. Fix the leaks., and stop bunching it in your neighbor hood.

[jdheff1982]

The noise the neighbor is complaining about is during warm up. For now, I use my foot to get rpm up. It does have a manual choke, but it kills the motor or severely drops rpm even with hi idle adjusted.

This whole thing sucks. This is my first hot rod and I would really like to enjoy it as it is.

I have to soak the collector bolts before they will come off. Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to fix the gasket.
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[lilpoindexter]

Your neighbor is an ass. Nothing you will do will help.

[baclay9]

Originally Posted by lilpoindexter

Your neighbor is an ass. Nothing you will do will help.

Good call

[jdheff1982]

If I were to replace my mufflers sometime in the future, what should I be looking for in features to help keep noise down, but HP unchanged?

Thanks.

[willett]

i had a similar complaint once about my duel 3" big block, and one day when i came out to start my truck all of my lug nuts were lose.

be careful.

[jdheff1982]

Yeah, I worry about someone being stupid as well. On the plus side though, I am a federal gov't employee, so anything done is instantly a federal crime.

[mud slut 350]

your neighbors retarded one (late) night be working on your truck pull them mufflers off and fire that dawg up. rev the piss out of it! hahaha when he comes to beeyatch in the morning ask him how it sounded? when he starts goin off just say well your wife likes it

[mud slut 350]

and willett thats when ya go put that guys car on bricks will all 4 flat tires. dont cut them just let all the air out and leave them leaning on his front door so he cant open it. One of my neighbors had my k3500 towed cause it was in the road for a week which it was but its in a neighborhood not a subdevision with any rules it was just parked right in front of my house and she had it towed no warnign or anything. I just changed the oil in my bike and my wifes car and well had to get rid of it and she had a pretty nice lawn with some expensive bushes in it... now theyre gone hahahaha

[jdheff1982]

LOL, I don't want to be that drastic. Besides, he keeps his car garaged. I doubt I'll hear anymore about it unless he gets confronted about his music playing being too loud. I sure as hell dont want to get slapped with a $1000 ticket or go to jail over the noise pollution.

I'll figure something out. Might install a pair of high flow cats to help soften the noise.

[Pyrotechnic]

Originally Posted by willett

i had a similar complaint once about my duel 3" big block, and one day when i came out to start my truck all of my lug nuts were lose.

be careful.

Very true. Unless you keep your ride garaged all the time you gotta watch out.

For example I live in an apartment. I've been grinding, cutting, and making lots of noise out on my front porch during the day for months now. No complaints and I do it during the day when I figure no one is around or sleeping.

Well just right now as I'm building a luggage rack for my bike and I got the wire wheel going full bore, the guy below me come out all pissed off because his baby is sleeping. My first instinct was to say, "well it's 2PM, you can't afford a quiet house and I can't afford a garage so you will have to deal with my few minutes of grinding" but instead I just said "Sorry, I didn't know."

I backed down because my bike stays parked right outside their door chained to the stairs. Doesn't work out too good for me to piss them off. Even if this is my only day off for awhile to get this project done.

[tylervalo]

One of my subdivision neighbors (unknowingly) commented to my wife at the bank their was an "old lifted chevy" that was an eye sore. The only thing wrong with my truck is it's not painted, but no rust or multi color panels or anything. I asked her if she remembered who it was so I could run over his mailbox with my "eye sore".

[streetstar]

Originally Posted by jdheff1982

Yeah, I worry about someone being stupid as well. On the plus side though, I am a federal gov't employee, so anything done is instantly a federal crime.

No its not. (i hope your kidding, right?)

As far as putting 2 high flow Cats on it ---- wouldn't it be less expensive to just get some better mufflers? (It might not need them - it might be the leaky collector)
Flowmaster's do not have an infinite life span -- i have a pair of 40 series on my truck that are 5 years old that need to be replaced
They use terms like 40 series, super 40, 50 series - and on and on. Check out their website.

The 50 series mufflers have a mellower, deeper tone than the 40 series. Magnaflows and Borla have nicer stuff all the way around -- but Flowmaster has great bang for the buck

Your not going to lose power by going with a quiet, well engineered muffler --- any power difference between the louder stuff is minuscule and the timing lights at Wichita International won't know the difference

[Goldfinger]

I would check your local laws and at an audio shop have the decibels tested. If it's allowable you in the good. Then make an anonymous call about his music being to loud.

[luifer76]

wait i know what you can tell him tell him to go lol....... on a serious note it sounds like he's just pissed off about his loud music...

[cjlinkster]

Dealing with neighbors is just a fact of life! Try not to take it personally.

I have been dealing with some punks next door for the last 4 years. I keep hoping that they will move away. The guy is commuting over 1 and 1/2 hours each way to work, so I keep hoping that he will move closer to his work.

[Axle]

Been down that road more than once.
First off, find out what kansas has on the books about muffler and exhaust requirements.
If its simple like ours;
Proper muffler(s), no holes, no remote control cutouts, no holes, and exits beyond the passenger cabin you are good to go. No db limits on the books. Yet.

If you comply, its straight forward: 'Hey man, it doesn't bother the cops, and I've been followed a lot, and it is completely legal front to back'. Usually shuts up the smart ones if they are trying to get you technically.

Of course, theres the, how much misery do you want to give your neighbour? Warming up my truck is what made me (personally) get rid of the magnaflows on my truck after a week. Just too darn loud to be idled up in the driveway, just outside the neighbours windows, just outside my own house bedroom windows where people are still asleep when I'm heading off to work. . My final solution was to go back to standard turbo mufflers. Toned it down a lot for the cold morning warmups and everybody is happy, myself included. This is coming from a guy who loved tooling around with open headers in my car, and setting off car alarms with my trucks exhuast when I had turn downs pointed just right.

So, pick your battles carefully, and consider the circumstances when you are firing up the truck first thing. If its at o-dark-thirty, keeping the peace with neighbours is worth it in the long run with a goodwill gesture of quieter mufflers--it ain't gonna make that big a difference in performance. And theres the rest of the neighbours around you to, who may be tolerating it, but don't want to bring it up with you for whatever reasons.

Alex.
(I must be getting old...mufflers!? quiet!? appeasing neighbours!!??!!??)

quick googling;

8-1739 Mufflers and noise suppressing systems.

8-1739. Mufflers and noise suppressing systems. (a) Every vehicle shall be equipped, maintained and operated so as to prevent excessive or unusual noise. Every motor vehicle at all times shall be equipped with a muffler or other effective noise suppressing system in good working order and in constant operation, and no person shall use a muffler cut-out, bypass or similar device.

(b) The engine and power mechanism of every motor vehicle shall be so equipped and adjusted as to prevent the escape of excessive fumes or smoke.

And from
http://www.nonoise.org/lawlib/cities/wichita/index.htm
Local ordinance might get you even with legal components if it comes down to being a judgement call by code enforcement or the cops;

Section 7.41.010 Loud and unnecessary noise prohibited.
(5) Motor Vehicles. The use of any motor vehicle, motorcycle, bus or other vehicle so out of repair or in such a manner as to create loud or unnecessary grating, grinding, rattling, or other noise which shall annoy, distress, or disturb the quiet, comfort, or repose of any person of reasonable sensibilities within the vicinity.

[jdheff1982]

I got the gasket replaced. Truck is still loud, but not percussive like before. Another neighbor has shown their disgust by turning their stereo up really loud. I sure wish ppl would act more mature.
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[C-10 simplex]

1) One thing i've learned about dealing with neighbors is, DO NOT CONFRONT DIRECTLY. Instead contact authorities who will deal with the "offender" directly. And, in most cases they don't reveal the complaintant (or do they? We should check this out)

i just went thru this with someone in the neighborhood dealing with noise. i did not come off crappy---i shook his hand, introduced myself etc. and simply asked why he had to toot his horn everytime he passes by (he's friends with my other neighbor across the street who is also a car person more on this later). First off all it's damn annoying and secondly, sometimes i work different shifts and therefore sleep later into the day. It's disruptive.

i mean you are 50 yrs old and you have to honk a stupid electronic police siren for kicks? COME ON.

Well, now he's pizzed at me---i can just tell. i wish i hadn't approached him.


2) Will quieting down the exhaust really take away power? Or will it?

a)Is this a question of you just like the sound?
i would suggest exhaust cut-outs (time to learn to weld). When in sensitive situations you can run them closed and then when noise is not a problem let it rip.

b) To confuse the issue further, you may want to read this if you have time:
http://www.castheads.com/2into1_systems.php


c) Keep rpm down when in sensitive spots. For example if late night/early morning i idle in and out of the neighborhood. Sometimes, if i know i will have to leave early i will park facing the street(driveway slopes downwards) and just coast out into the street as far as possible before starting up.
i don't consider my truck to be loud but with the flowmaster 40's installed by the previous family, it's louder than stock.

3) It's sounds like the fellow is really pizzed and/or has mental problems. What i would suggest initially is to maybe offer him a drink/snack while offering to "fix" the noise problem. You know, be nice. If this doesn't work, then ok i understand---you'll do what you have to do.

4) As far as the federal employee thing, i think it's a good thing as well as a bad thing. Here's why: Why is your life/well-being nessesarily more important than mine? If someone tries something really serious against you then it's an automatic death penalty for them---they don't have to even succeed. But if they tried the same with me, they might very well get a lesser penalty. So this, to me, does not make sense; i mean attempted murder should have strict and severe penalties no-matter WHO it is perpetrated against---does that make sense?
But this is neither here nor there in regards to the original questions........