I believe that the DOT regulations or something like that allowed a turbo only for sound muffling in trucks but that is nowhere near a pickup...

 

I think most of the things have been said here, but you are pretty dead to rights. Since you seem to feel very strongly about it,s o if you want to fight the good fight, I will tell you how.

Dont bother with the inspection, and when you are given a citation for not doing so, (you need to do this to give you standing to fight the law), then go to court and contest your citation based on the fact you have a muffler. Trust me, this law is WELL written so you better bring your A-game, matter fact, you probably want to hire a lawyer to be honest.

Caution: WHEN you lose this case, you will be responsible for paying for the inspection citation and court cost, and the lawyer if you hire one. (My guess? about $3000, probably $300 for the citation, maybe $200 in court cost, attny fees ($1000 or more) then you STILL would have to get a muffler.) You should weigh this against just putting on a muffler.
Now of course, you could possibly win, I do doubt it...but then you pay nothing, but the lawyer, if you hired one, and you would still be out of more money than the muffler would cost you now.

As for the law, my legal opinion. There is has been a lot of talk about the wording. The wording is good, they have you both ways. They want you to have a muffler receiving exhaust gas from the TURBINE. This statement tells you, the turbo is not a muffler by their definition. No need to keep it up here, or even arguing with the inspectors, a judge is the only one that can help you my man.

 

And hope the subject of the cat doesn't come up.

 

That too, because you are F'in with not only the state, but the Feds too!

 

I don't understand why the OP doesn't just put a muffler on the truck???

 

OK guys, no legal talk, you know the rules. To make it short, the muffler will be cheaper than the fight. Do we all understand?

 

I agree isnt the muffler ALOT cheaper than any other option

Have a muffler shop make it removable if you want

 

like said before slip it over your tailpipe get it tested then take the damn thing off if it means that much to you

 

put an MBRP muffler on there, its straight through! hell turn it around to so that it doesnt do anything. my truck sounds just the same as it did straight piped. i live in texas also just add the thing and go. plus it gives it a nice rumble vs the loud poping sound under WOT

 

tell you guys what, for now no muffler my decision. but i have a few days before my tag expires. if i do end up with a temp muffler, i let you guys know but for now im gona research this issue a little more cause i have alot a guys that are agreeing with me here at work and they are reading the same as i am.

Texas Transportation Code

Sec. 541.203. EQUIPMENT. In this subtitle:

(1) "Exhaust emission system" means a motor vehicle engine modification designed to control or reduce the emission of substances from a motor vehicle or motor vehicle engine, of a model year of 1968 or later, and installed on or incorporated in a motor vehicle or motor vehicle engine in compliance with requirements imposed by the Motor Vehicle Air Pollution Control Act (42 U.S.C. Section 1857 et seq.) or other applicable law.

(2) "Metal tire" includes a tire the surface of which in contact with the highway is wholly or partly made of metal or other hard, nonresilient material.

(3) "Muffler" means a device that reduces noise using:

(A) a mechanical design, including a series of chambers or baffle plates, to receive exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine; or

(B) turbine wheels to receive exhaust gas from a diesel engine.

 

idk if im reading this correctly or not but right after the section number it says EQUIPMENT so is that implying off road stuff or something used to contol emmissons?

 

From what Iv been told in the past is that if it rolled out of the manufacture plant with XXX part then you are required to have it.

To me it seems like a VERY BIG risk I mean if you dont register it and run with an expired Tag and get caught Not only will you get a Big ticket but they can also impound the vehicle

 

Sounds like you and your co-workers have it together, not sure what it is you want us to tell you here?

Blade has a point, definitely want to avoid the impound lot. What is the deal with the muffler, what are you trying to avoid? Judging by how you speak money does not seem to be an issue, so are you trying to avoid the sound change of adding a muffler? Or not being pushed into doing something you dont want to do by the Gov?

 

1) "receiving exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine and/or turbine wheels"

means.....just what it says.

2) You can't break the sentence into...."or turbine wheels for the purpose of receiving exhaust gas from a diesel engine, both of which are effective in reducing noise."

meaning the turbine wheels are effective in reducing noise. That's not the intent of the whole sentence.

It's clear to me, no muffler, no tag. Now I wonder what the Georgia law says because I wanted to take out my muffler also. So far Ga doesn't require inspections for diesels.

 

Although I am a Louisiana resident, I work in Texas. I am considering moving here and this issue is one of the thigs I checked into. Part of my job involves dealing with inspectors for VI-30 forms and TX DOT inspections.
I have asked two separate inspectors if my straight piped truck would pass their inspection. They both asked "Is it turbocharged?" Both inspectors claim that the presence of a turbo negates the need for a muffler.
About a week after I left the second inspector, a local police officer pulled me over and issued me a verbal warning for not having a muffler. He was polite about it, but his interpretation was different than the inspectors.
IMO, it comes down to the fact that there are more people out there who can say you are wrong (police) than there are who will say you are right (inspectors).
You know how you see the guys from time to time that claim taxes are unconstitutional and illegal and you dont have to pay them? Those guys give lots of interviews from behind bars.
A cheap muffler is far less expensive than an impound, towing, fines, and possibly all your stuff missing from your truck when you do get it out. Get a cheap one, put it on the tail of your exhaust, get your sticker, and then take it off later if you must.
All that being said, I am still running a straight pipe solely because my truck is a LA truck that is mostly legal for inspection purposes where I live in LA because my truck is exempt from emissions testing.