Hi, got an 27151 exhaust violation from CHP, and have a court date next week. I'm sure my exhaust is under the 95 decibel limit for CA (only has flowmaster catback with stock manifolds, y-pipe, cat). I've been in contact with SEMA on how to fight this, and it seems the only way to beat a cop's "professionally educated opinion" is to get a test done for exhaust noise, test SAE J1169. ANYONE KNOW WHERE I CAN GET THIS TEST DONE IN THE SANTA BARBARA, GOLETA AREA (zip 93105), or how I can find out. SEMA didn't have any concrete leads for me, and my local shops are clueless. Please help, court date next week and I don't like having to take this **** when I'm not even breaking the law!!

 

Is it a fix a ticket or just a court date for violation? If it's just a violation just go to court to contest the violation, cops are so busy that he won't even show.

 

The "correctable violation" box IS checked, but the court clerk insisted that the violation IS NOT correctable when talking to her. Don't know who one is right, and I'm getting pretty pissed off having to do so much work to fix a violation which I'm not guilty of AND is damn near impossible to come up with concrete "official" proof of. Instead the court will take the word of of a cop who doesn't know jack $hit about exhaust tech or noise levels.

 

slothgrant, I understand, seems some of the CHP Officers in our neck of the woods are A$$h0les... Which shops have ya checked at ?? I know of a couple shops in Goleta, ya could always look into if you have not checked out yet...

Well it sounds like the officer has a bad attitude, sounds just like one Chp officer, that pulls me over everytime he sees me, besides having tinted windows and Dynomouth Exhaust, luckily he has not heard my car screaming @ 3K + rpms, then I would probably get the same ticket you just recieved... I would check out with Economy Muffler, Goleta Muffler and or Discount Muffler, to see if they can help you out with the test, I do know both owners of Economy Muffler and Goleta Muffler (both owners are brothers)... They seem to know their laws about exhaust loudness... If worse comes down to worse, you might have to go with a different muffler, then all I can advise is check out the Dynomouth... If you want to hear it in person, PM me, and since you are not too far from where I live, you can hear, what the DM sounds like it person...

L@tez,

Charlie

 

Thanks for a lot for the info, I'll check out those shops you listed. I believe Economy muffler is the shop I used to put a custom 3" dual system on my old 383 stroker 71' Chevelle, they seemed like good guys. I'm heading to the CHP in Goleta tommorrow to get my other violations (GTS covers, broken brake lights, ect.) written off written off. Still hopeful I can get someone with some sense at the CHP to help me out in getting this stupid exhaust violation written off. But, might have to go to court, and some concrete proof would be nice to get a judge to clear this.
That would be cool to hear the Dynomouth in person someone, I'll drop you a line later and we can check out each other's cars. Heard good things about that exhaust, just watch out for the Law....

 

Hopefully you did get the ticket written off.. I swear some of the laws is B$... one question I have for you, did the chp officer that gave you a ticket back for Tinted Windows, feel the line at the top of the side windows ?? I saw the pics of your car, damn it looks sweet.. If you did get your exhaust violation written off, hopefully, you will be careful as well... I know that some of the Chp officers have nothing better to do then harass people because their car is either 1. Too loud in the opinions for exhaust. 2. Dark Side Windows. 3. aftermarket light covers. 4. They are just A$$H0les in general.. Be very careful because one of the CHP Officers, drives around in what I like to call, My Z's Evil Twin...

Charlie

 

To answer your question, no they didn't feel the top of the windows. But, I did have 5% limo tint, so it wasn't much of a debate as to the legality.
After some haggling with the officer's partner, who was more sensible about the whole matter, I managed to get the citing officer to go over the ticket with his sergeant. I believe he's doing the paperwork to make the window tint correctable and to take off the exhaust violation completely. Hope it works out that way, have to check back with them. I brought in some evidence from SEMA's website, and that helped my case. These officers were acting like it was no big deal: they give people tickets if their exhaust is any louder than stock, and them expect them to get their car tested to prove it's not illegal. The only problem is, as I explained, THERE'S NOWHERE TO TEST FOR THE 95-DECIBEL LIMIT!!! I called eveyone I could, including DMV, AAA auto club, exhuast, smog, and repair shops, and the CHP. None of them could do the test, knew of the test, or knew of anyone else who get. Even though there's a LAW that says California is required to provide testing stations for this violation, what do you know, there are none. Oh well, there's my rant on this subject. I just hope everything works out and I only have to pay $10 for the correctable violations.

 

slothgrant,

take a look at the pics of my car and tell me my windows are as dark as yours were/are... I do know my windows are pretty dark (Not sure which tint level they are) but some cops (local city police in Goleta and Chp Officers) pass me by with no problems..

All I have to say is sounds like the same CHP officer that gave you the ticket is a Dumbass plain and simple, hopefully, you do get off with just a $ 10 fix it ticket...

 

Your windows look almost as dark as mine were, probably the next shade lighter like 20%. I drove my car with 5% limo tint for over a year in this town, passing a kinds of cops, without a ticket until I ran into this CHP officer. I think this guy was just ticket-happy, that's the bottom line.

 

Sounds to me that you got the same guy that pulls me over all the time but for some reason, he has not given me a ticket Yet.. I use that as term since the one guy that does pull me over is gung ho on trying to find some way to either give me a ticket or trying to impound my car... Has the officer ever pulled you over and tried to give you a sobriety test and then try an incenuate that you are driving under the influence ?? The test I was given last time he pulled me over, was he was testing me to see if I was either drinking or smoking bud, he even tried to say that I was running drugs...

I have to agree with you that officer is just ticket-happy, plus since it was towards the end of the month, he is trying to get his quota filled as well...

Charlie

 

I got a similar or exact ticket in Beverly Hills, CA.
It was a "Fix-It" ticket.
I tried fighting it all the way.
I got the ticket by the local BH Cop, so I called the BH Court to get some more info on it on how to contest it and not fix my Z.
Since it was a local cop, the guy told me to goto the CHP and get the db checked. So I did. I was "within normal range" so I brought the paperwork to BHPD and they were causing so much headache about it. I got into a huge argument. It was to the point that I had a lawyer friend of mine call. That didn't help.
Looooong story short, found an OEM exhaust and switched it out, went to the BHPD, got it passed and switched it out again.
A real PITA!!!
My recommendation swap it out with an OEM muffler or cat back.
The CHP can be more of a PITA.
In my whole situation, what I don't understand is why the BHPD wouln't take the test result from the CHP.
Good Luck~~

 

Wow, I'm suprised that your local CHP was able to actually test your car. They said to me that it was "my responsibility" to get it tested. Suuurrre, it's not as if they should be required to PROVE anything before they can feel justified giving me a ticket. They'll make as many ignorant, subjective judgements as they please, and leave it up to us to provide proof. I thought our justice system was based on the principle "innocent until proven guilty", not the other way around. Guess the CHP decided to skip over that little detail...
Anyways, sounds like you had some "fun" dealing with this BS also. I don't know if I'd go as far as to swap out exhausts twice to clear up the violation though. I think I'd just pay the $65 fine.