mufflers? i may have posted this before
 

but currently my truck is running strait headers... but im to scared to drive it in fear of getting pulled over for not having some sort of exhust system to control the noise or what ever...

so im wondering if any one can help me figure out the law on this.... ive found the RCW on the whole muffler thing... but lets face it... the way they word stuff in there... i would think muder is perfectly LEGAL...

the truck is a 1963 f-100 with the 292... no pipes, no mufflers....


heres the RCW

copied from http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=46.37.390

RCW 46.37.390
Mufflers required — Smoke and air contaminant standards — Definitions — Penalty, exception.

(1) Every motor vehicle shall at all times be equipped with a muffler in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise, and no person shall use a muffler cut-out, bypass, or similar device upon a motor vehicle on a highway.

(2)(a) No motor vehicle first sold and registered as a new motor vehicle on or after January 1, 1971, shall discharge into the atmosphere at elevations of less than three thousand feet any air contaminant for a period of more than ten seconds which is:

(i) As dark as or darker than the shade designated as No. 1 on the Ringelmann chart, as published by the United States bureau of mines; or

(ii) Of such opacity as to obscure an observer's view to a degree equal to or greater than does smoke described in subsection (a)(i) above.

(b) No motor vehicle first sold and registered prior to January 1, 1971, shall discharge into the atmosphere at elevations of less than three thousand feet any air contaminant for a period of more than ten seconds which is:

(i) As dark as or darker than the shade designated as No. 2 on the Ringelmann chart, as published by the United States bureau of mines; or

(ii) Of such opacity as to obscure an observer's view to a degree equal to or greater than does smoke described in subsection (b)(i) above.

(c) For the purposes of this subsection the following definitions shall apply:

(i) "Opacity" means the degree to which an emission reduces the transmission of light and obscures the view of an object in the background;

(ii) "Ringelmann chart" means the Ringelmann smoke chart with instructions for use as published by the United States bureau of mines in May 1967 and as thereafter amended, information circular 7718.

(3) No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the engine of such vehicle above that emitted by the muffler originally installed on the vehicle, and it shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle not equipped as required by this subsection, or which has been amplified as prohibited by this subsection. A court may dismiss an infraction notice for a violation of this subsection if there is reasonable grounds to believe that the vehicle was not operated in violation of this subsection.

This subsection (3) does not apply to vehicles twenty-five or more years old or to passenger vehicles being operated off the highways in an organized racing or competitive event conducted by a recognized sanctioning body.


so what i understand is no moding the muffler in anyway shape or form in the first paragraph... but then its basically repeated in subsection 3... then theres the note that says it does not apply to vehicles 25 years or older?

HELP CAUSE THE THING IS LOADED WITH GARBAGE FOR THE DUMP RUN!!!

You need some sort of muffling device. Most cops are OK with glasspacks as long as you aren't showing off. I was reminded of this when driving my Galaxie- The horn didn't work, this guy was sitting at a green light, and I didn't realize that the car behind me was an unmarked cop. I popped it into neutral, wound it to redline a couple times, then got pulled over as soon as traffic moved. I got complimented on the strong sounding 351, but told it would be a good idea to not do that again.

alright thanks.... yea... i dont plan on showing off... i may be 18.... but my truck aint pretty enough to be showin off LOL... i just need it legal...

yeah i think the reason why i was so confuesed by it was the fact that i was talking with the tribal police for sauk suiattle... and couldnt get him to look up the RCW for me.... he just said "i think its the same as the car stereo laws... which state that it cant be over 90 dbs..."

yea... i think that thing at the moment just ideling is about 100 dbs LOL...[i dont really know cause i dont know crud about meashuring sound LOL]

but thanks again

lol i have 1968 f100, ive been running open headers for the longest time, ive never been pulled over for it.. i got pulled over once for speeding and they didnt say anything about it

hmm... i think maybe i shouldnt chance it... i dont feel like getting pulled over.... she will sit where she is until i get cash for mufflers and a few feet of pipe...

Granted, a lot of it depends on where you're running...out in rural areas, open pipes are easier to get away with. In a nice neighborhood in Bellevue, you're toast.

Since the RCW says a muffler is required, that's the bottom line...I'm sure they could apply a decibel meter as well for those running cherry bombs and such, and that could get a ticket for noise abatement statutes, instead of the muffler requirement, but it would be a ticket, nonetheless. All it takes is for the vehicle to be loud enough for a cop to hear that's having a bad day, is uptight, has sensitive ears, etc, etc, etc.

I think you're smart for covering your 6, and getting a couple mufflers and some pipe. No sense in having your garbage cost 5 times as much as it normally would.

My dad always liked the purple thrush mufflers but i have no idea if they make them anymore. Seems everyone has flowmaster's these days so do something different that's what i do. I dare to be different so i will continue to drive my gas guzzling american made truck and fill any gangbanger's car with black smoke from my exhaust. What would this world be like if we all drove chevy's like everyone else?? BORING. Ford owners are supposed to draw outside of the lines... it's expected of us LOL.

i ended up going with cherry bomb turbo mufflers... but dont like the sound... i think they are to small... so i will probablly buy some glass packs for it some day lol