|
Followed a small MG sports car looking thing ("R" reg.) this evening. Two exhaust tailpipes, only one showing signs of emitting anything. Was the other a dummy, or had the driver got something stuck up it?
|
|
I'd go with it being a dummy. Think one or other of the Mazda 6s from a few years back had the same sort of arrangement. Looks a bit naff on a cold morning!
|
|
|
Well one of the two has to stay sober . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I'll get me coat again
|
|
|
|
I've noticed that when I've been following on my bike. Does rather spoil the effect!
|
Both exhausts are real, however, to comply with some ghastly European regulation related to exhaust noise MG Rover were forced to fit a valve that only opens above a certain number of engine revs.
My TF only opens the second exhaust above about 3K rpm, there is a simple mod to remove this valve which leaves both exhausts open all of the time, this gives the car a slightly more pleasant rasp.
Blue
|
That'll be the drive-by noise limits intended to reduce nuisance from noise but worded so that a speed/revs sensitive valve can be fitted, thus defeating the purpose of the legislation.
One (or more) of Aston Martin models has such a valve which has to be over-ridden when being tested at Gaydon to keep the sound level down due to restrictions in their planning consent.
|
"Aston Martin"
The valve was mentioned in [another paper's] review of their latest roadster. It sounded rather a good idea - nice and quiet for pottering around built-up areas, but lovely V8 sound and fury for a blast in the country! Has the EU done something sensible by mistake..?
|
Years ago I had a 998 Cooper (much modded, it was good for the ton) which had a proprietary rear can with two exit pipes which was really loud, but quieter with one stopped up. I had a wood bung for going to work for a while, but it proved to be hard to get out when going to the country so I discontinued the practice. I had a very good scheme including flap valves and Bowden cables for the Abarth exhausts on the XK150, but like so many schemes.......
More recently I saw much the same thing on a Lamborghini!
|
but lovely V8 sound and fury for a blast in the country! Has the EU done something sensible by mistake?
Yes I like this idea of quiet/ loud exhausts too (dont have a car that is worth listening to at the moment though).
But apparently 'they' are looking to put the kibosh on this by making the type approval noise test more realistic.
And its not just the EU that are doing the meddling but its the United Nations who have come up with a new test procedure! Why on Earth have the UN got a Working Party on Noise for cars?
The EU will be testing cars to the existing regs until 2010, but they will then have sufficient data to test cars to the new regs, so its not clear yet how much quieter cars will have to be to get type approval. I suppose there will still be the option of louder aftermarket exhausts, I dont know if they will be tightening up the regs on those?
|
"how much quieter cars will have to be"
As ever, government interference where it isn't needed. I stand with my son by the road while he waits for the school bus in the mornings, and road noise is far more prevalent than engine/exhaust noise. We get the odd chav with a 4" drainpipe, but that never extends to the manifold, so it's not offensive. It really isn't an issue.
|
|
The noisiest things are those annoying little mopeds, and trucks and buses, not cars.
|
A new red Ferrari, a mid engined V8 I think, crossed my path, and Portobello Road, at idle the other day. The exhaust at that speed was making a sound like an idling two-stroke moped thing, only fuller and much steadier, pop-pop-pop-pop-pop, as if one was hearing each cylinder separately. It accelerated away very gently, with that noise smoothing into a quiet hum.
A few seconds later, as it went out of sight up a less congested street, it suddenly shouted:
WHAAAANG! WHAAAAANG!
Italian motors. Don'tcha just love'em?
Edited by Lud on 30/10/2007 at 14:56
|
Italian motors. Don'tcha just love'em?
Mmmm, flat-plane crankshafts...
|
|
:no_upscale():format(webp)/https://cdn.uk.prod.group-mobility-trader.com/images/cas/061211e4a5d5a75e8c7223314afbbef0/9d161c89e15a38aafaf520d26f99c642.jpg)
:no_upscale():format(webp)/https://cdn.uk.prod.group-mobility-trader.com/images/cas/8d018e7d2e3d29315323d6c9e4add2cc/e04952250cde07a1929403646ab923d0.jpg)
:no_upscale():format(webp)/https://cdn.uk.prod.group-mobility-trader.com/images/cas/baaf021d9b06780f177426bf31a80b17/663d3c90e6b3c3ad895cb53457ae6965.jpg)
:no_upscale():format(webp)/https://cdn.uk.prod.group-mobility-trader.com/images/cas/5b2e2d22069b33aba7cc729ca8569a0a/bb8899f729c9eba577f504bd59797ea7.jpg)
