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Great! Thanks for the info! I was never going to change stock gtr r33 turbos for stock r34 gtr turbos. Just if I had to I'd replace my Garretts with my friends r34 gtr turbos he had lying around, yes as u said it would be a very silly idea! :P

  • 2 weeks later...
can you pass an EPA test with a VAREX adjustable exhaust fitted?

It's adjustable.

Therefore, no. Illegal.

All exhaust pieces must be welded in place.

It's a bullshit law considering Audi's, Lambo's, Porka's etc etc all come with valve controlled exhausts...

But that is the wonder of laws from 1992 that have not seen a decent update. If someone had the money/time to go through court and win (using other cars as an example, i cannot see how it would not pass), then everyone would be allowed to do so :)

It's not really a bullshit law considering Europe's finest come with valve controlled exhausts. Their exhausts are ECU controlled and conform to the European exhaust emissions regulations (sound and particulate/gas emissions)

The Varex system is cabin controlled, so all the young punks who want to make noise can and will.

It's adjustable.

Therefore, no. Illegal.

All exhaust pieces must be welded in place.

It's a bullshit law considering Audi's, Lambo's, Porka's etc etc all come with valve controlled exhausts...

But that is the wonder of laws from 1992 that have not seen a decent update. If someone had the money/time to go through court and win (using other cars as an example, i cannot see how it would not pass), then everyone would be allowed to do so :thumbsup:

I'm 30. A young punk is one of those 18 year olds that has just got their license and can pick up those tidy 16 year olds that you see walking on the side of the road that you don't know how old they are, but probably know you are too old to <ahem>. we'll leave it at that. :thumbsup:

A mate (yes another old fart about my age ;)) has a Varex on his 1600, and reckons it works pretty well. When it's turned to quiet he gets around 85 or 86db, but the car is gutless, supposedly due to the small restriction the gasses have to pass through. I'd rather have an exhaust that is legal, you don't have to switch on/off and still gives good power and sound. But that's just me.

My 1600 was 99db at the first engineers test. I couldn't stand the pain in my ears. (no sound deadener, no rear seat, no carpet)

For the engineers I had to get it below 96db (pre ADR rules or what ever the hell it was). It's now currently sitting on a legal 93db with the same horsepower as previously tested. I would like it quieter though. Yeah, i guess i'm getting old :D

It's not really a bullshit law considering Europe's finest come with valve controlled exhausts. Their exhausts are ECU controlled and conform to the European exhaust emissions regulations (sound and particulate/gas emissions)

The Varex system is cabin controlled, so all the young punks who want to make noise can and will.

Porka's, Audi's etc are manually adjustable in cabin by a button on the dash - so yes, they are bullshit laws alright :D

They are ECU controlled to open @ a certain point as well (aka the Ferrari style), but fact is plenty of Euro cars you can bypass by a simple button on the dash which makes them absolutely no different to a Varex.

It's just that these "buttons" are on 150k+ cars vs 20k imports.

Same as Ferrari's coming out lower than 100mm ride height, yet everyone else is subject to that law.

but if u take it in quiet and leave it as such during the inspection how will they know its adjustable?

By looking?

All that ole Lou Raffa has to do @ the EPA station is stick his beaver under the car and have a look. They have mirrors mounted on sticks as well etc.

I've seen it all before when the "hunt" was on for my external wastegate :thumbsup:

Of course it was found!

If there is a will to find something, no matter how well it is hidden, it will be found - i've even had them open my ECU cover to make sure im not running a daughterboard lol

Oh Lou and i get on quite well, even though a test usually takes 20-30mins, im usually there having in depth discussions with him for over an hour.

If you are willing to listen, he is very willing to hand out his thoughts/advice within the confines of his job etc etc. With the amount of choko idiots he gets through there i think it's probably a refreshing change to have someone actually ask technical questions and situations as opposed to the typical "omg this f'ing epa stuff is bullshit bro"...

Ash, i've been in some of Europes finest (a couple of recent Ferraris and late porsches and a couple of Audi's) and none of them had buttons on the dash. Care to elaborate on which models?

Porka's, Audi's etc are manually adjustable in cabin by a button on the dash - so yes, they are bullshit laws alright :)

They are ECU controlled to open @ a certain point as well (aka the Ferrari style), but fact is plenty of Euro cars you can bypass by a simple button on the dash which makes them absolutely no different to a Varex.

It's just that these "buttons" are on 150k+ cars vs 20k imports.

Same as Ferrari's coming out lower than 100mm ride height, yet everyone else is subject to that law.

By looking?

All that ole Lou Raffa has to do @ the EPA station is stick his beaver under the car and have a look. They have mirrors mounted on sticks as well etc.

I've seen it all before when the "hunt" was on for my external wastegate :cool:

They are "ECU" controlled, in that you put it into sport mode (or whatever), but it is still operated by a person.

No different to hooking a Varex upto a RPM feed, which would not be legal... its all fked in Victoria IMO. just gotta work within the ridiculousness

ECU adjusted... let me reword that :cool:

It's still ultimately controlled by a person, which then goes to an electrical controller.

Both methods still make the car illegally loud.

That's where the issue is... customer installed or factory, should have no relevance IMO.

Same as factory less-than-100mm or aftermarket.

One rule for factory, one rule for aftermarket. ADR's are clear, there should be a instance where it's OK if the rules clearly dictate otherwise.

Who said i was being victimised?

I've learnt a lot in my trips down there... and as such i basically will forever pass should i be picked up.

Should i be from now on... Freedom of Information, find the officer who did it, off to court we go!

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