Hey people!

I have a HUGE QUESTION AND FAVOR to ask of some of the members of the Focus Community.

I am currently trying to fight a Ticket, and a "revised" law in the State of Maine for exhaust noise, with the help of several other people in my state.

The New state law isn't set and stone and is based off of the OFFICERS OPINION of the vehicle and the exhaust noise, which means that 1 officer who like loud exhausts won't have an issue with it and doesn't feel it is in violation of the law, where others feel the exact opposite.

We are trying to get the law changed to give us a set DB range to have the modified exhaust in, if one at all.


Now where you guys come in.

If possible, could members with the Saleen and Roush Focus's or any other special edition that came w/ something other then the OEM one's that the production cars came with;

Post Video's or Sound Clips of their Exhausts: STOCK preferably, but Aftermarket works too.

ANYONE AND EVERYONE w/ a modified exhaust please post!

Thank You.
Aaron P.

Better yet, borrow/rent/buy (if you don't already have one) a dB meter. Measure off 1 meter from the tip of your exhaust and take dB(A) readings there while a friend/loved one/family member revs your engine; bonus if you take both on-axis and 90˚ off-axis readings like a real sound pro.

Report back with your brand of meter, your make of exhaust and its configuration (hi-flow/stock/no cat; resonator(s) if any, tube diameter, etc.), and the idle dB(A) and peak dB(A) on- and off-axis. Real numbers might be more useful than video clips in court or with legislators.

I can tell you my stock SVT is pretty darn loud in my opinion, and very loud when I dig into the high RPMs.

i took it to a shop yesterday,

my car at:
8ft back| 1 foot towards pass.(at the pass. tail light)| at 3500rpm
was at 93.5 bd

good luck on your fight... the law in WI is "ANYTHING that isnt stock" is illegal... meaning when our exhausts rust out and we HAVE to replace them to keep from having obnoxiously loud exhausts we are able to be ticketed. It is 100% up to the officer, which can be pretty biased. States should have set Db levels and it shouldnt be open to debate.

When I lived in KS it used the DB level, Idaho is anything modified though which sucks so any I4 gets nailed prettymuch, the straight piped trucks never get any trouble with theirs though.
Good luck

I almost positive in all stats there is a notice requirement to general loudness law or something like that (with out holding a permit) that would be disturbing the price I'm most positive if you take that noise requirement you can bring a case and point and something to go by to fight the ticket

because CA has its by officers discretion (load of bull @&/#) but the law stats the reference to gentle loudness law and with that in mind you can use those # to tell the court that you notice levels effect with in pricefull limits

Good luck fighting your law. I don't own one of the above (my car is all stock) but I have noticed that most laws requiring officer's discretion need to use something as a benchmark to base their opinions on.

For example: A local police department here in Minnesota requires the Officer investigating a loud party complaint to start walking on the sidewalk and be able to hear noise from at least one house away before they have probable cause to go and knock on the door of the offending house.

I agree with Db meters, but a possible alternative is if the officer can hear the exhaust from so many car lengths away then there is probable cause to warrant a stop.

Good luck! As a student of criminal justice I follow these things closely.

Report back with your brand of meter, your make of exhaust and its configuration (hi-flow/stock/no cat; resonator(s) if any, tube diameter, etc.), and the idle dB(A) and peak dB(A) on- and off-axis. Real numbers might be more useful than video clips in court or with legislators.

I am not sure you would want to tell a court of law that you removed your catalytic converters...

I have a F2 header Fswerks stealth exhaust no cat 3500 RPMs mine reads 95db. If I do a quick snap of the throttle from 3500 RPMs to 6k its 125db. At driving speeds its ranges from 2500 to 3000 RPMs its avg db is 89db to 92db. I do have a db meter. You must read exhaust from 1 meter right behind exhaust pipe and hold the meter at 45 degree angle pointed at the tip.

I'm not telling the court anything about the size/specs of my exhaust. I jsut want Other Focus's to compare it too.

I know that the Saleen and Roush focus's tend to have larger exhausts then the production models. So depending on the sound quality I would have a decent case to present the judge....

SO PLEASE HELP ME OUT!! lol

That's right; you don't tell a court the configuration of your exhaust, just its measured sound output. Any competent judge or prosecutor should ask for comparison to the stock numbers. Then you tell them those measured values. You're not likely to be asked to describe your exhaust system configuration.

However, you do tell FF enthusiasts about the configuration you measured (in dB(A) at one meter, on- and off-axis) if you want to make a serious contribution to the discussion of this issue. Just sayin'.

95db is not excessive at all imo


granted my quad is like 140db

However, you do tell FF enthusiasts about the configuration you measured (in dB(A) at one meter, on- and off-axis) if you want to make a serious contribution to the discussion of this issue. Just sayin'.

I have a Trubendz 3" Exhaust w/ F2 4-1 Header w/ Magnaflow High Flo Cat, and Resonator.

It was a 93.5db at 1 meter back and 1 foot to the right/rear of the car. I am not sure the meter used, i took it to a shop to be measured.

I hope that helps.