Interesting MOT fail point............

[QD MBE]

Over on the dark side.

http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=186060.0

Sign of things to come?

[RedRobin]

.
This line:

Exhaust noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar vehicle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition

is the line to worry about I think. However, is that a quote from the MOT station? I thought that they simply measured sound levels rather than spend time looking up comparisons and that not exceeding the decibel threshold was all that mattered. That line is open to so much interpretation and even debate.

As my friend Khare says, do MOT stations even have decibel readers? Or is this very new?

[Saint Steve]

.
This line:

Exhaust noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar vehicle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition

is the line to worry about I think. However, is that a quote from the MOT station? I thought that they simply measured sound levels rather than spend time looking up comparisons and that not exceeding the decibel threshold was all that mattered. That line is open to so much interpretation and even debate.

As my friend Khare says, do MOT stations even have decibel readers? Or is this very new?

My close friend runs an MOT centre, and doesnt have one robin.

[Hurdy]

If they don't have the equipment, how can they fail it? It is just "their opinion"

Next they will be saying that the lights emit too much light when compared with a car fitted with standard lightbulbs!

[ongoing]

i was failed on a magic tree hanging from the center mirror last year, 

[RedRobin]

i was failed on a magic tree hanging from the center mirror last year, 

....Yes but the reasoning behind that is that it partially obscures your view while driving. Easy to remove just for the MOT session.

[MAT ED30]

Its fine just turn the map off run in stock mode but make sure the cat is nice and warm for emissions test

[QD MBE]

MOT testing stations do not need to have noise meters.  This has been going on in the motorcycle world for ages. ( I have had to change the race pipes on my Ducati 748 SPS several times before)

Just an extract from the VOSA, I know it is applicable to M/c's, however I remember reading somewhere that this had also become applicable to cars,  I hope my memory is wrong, but it is time to get friendly with your local station.

The instructions will include an instruction to assess the exhaust noise with the engine
being revved, as currently it is assessed at idle, also to include a reference to a
standard silencer in the Reason for Rejection, as in the Motorcycle Manual. As
stated in the Method of Inspection wording, the test is subjective, and therefore relies
on the tester s judgement.  MOT testing stations are not required (or permitted) to
use noise meters assess the levels of exhaust noise.  However, as you intimate in
your e-mail, an MOT is issued to a vehicle and only confirms that it met the minimum
standard required at the time of test

[Jack Rabbit]

I have a mate who haz an r32 with a non res back box and decats who was pulled by the police and made to follow them to a vosa testing station where they then got him for noise pollution, a case of being to loud for a public highway

[RedRobin]

I have a mate who haz an r32 with a non res back box and decats who was pulled by the police and made to follow them to a vosa testing station where they then got him for noise pollution, a case of being to loud for a public highway

....Your use of the term "non res" suggests a Milltek. However, the non-res component is the centre section before it runs into the back box. All Milltek exhausts leaving their factory are legal.

De-catting a car in the UK registered after 1993 is illegal as it will fail an emissions check. So I think your mate didn't really have a leg to stand on.

[Janner_Sy]

having a catalytic converter on the downpipe would make it legal with respect to emissions, but if they deem the non resonated catback  is too loud then its too loud, irrelevant of what miltek say tbh.

[QD MBE]

Have Milltek do your MOT's.

[ongoing]

i was failed on a magic tree hanging from the center mirror last year, 

....Yes but the reasoning behind that is that it partially obscures your view while driving. Easy to remove just for the MOT session.

which i did after it failed 

[TrickGTI]

It's down to testers opinion. As a tester myself iv being told that anything louder than stock is a fail but it's pretty obvious that a boy racer with a cannon sticking out the rear is not standard noise but unless it's stupid loud then it shouldn't fail.

[ongoing]

i had a 70mm full system on my type r and it was well over the decibel limit on full song