Tony,
In general if you sell an exhaust system, it has to meet the Vehicle Code
requirements. Those are in part 27150. You can read them at
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/vc/tocd12c5a2.htm Some of the interesting
parts: An installer is required to install a system meeting the law for the
purchaser if the system they installed didn't. So they're in hock to the
buyer!
>From 27150.2 (b):
b) A certificate of compliance for a vehicular exhaust system shall be issued
pursuant to subdivision (a) if the vehicle complies with Sections 27150 and
27151. Exhaust systems installed on motor vehicles, other than motorcycles,
with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of less than 6,000 pounds
comply with Sections 27150 and 27151 if they emit no more than 95 dbA when
tested in accordance with Society of Automotive Engineers Standard J1169 May
1998.
Other sections just seem to state that an "adequate" muffler is required. And
that you cannot request a test unless you have been cited!
In general, this fairly recent law is seen by enthusiast groups (including
industry group SEMA) as an improvement beyond the somewhat arbitrary previous
methods of enforcement. Some summaries that you can find by websearching on
J1169 will describe the general method, such as shown at
http://www.austinburg.com/exhaust_noise_testing.htm. But if you REALLY want
to read the standard, you can buy it at Global Engineering Documents for $72,
try http://global.ihs.com/.
PaulT (I do some engineering when I'm not racing)
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