Connecticut: Registration, Inspection & Emissions

[Cashburn]

Originally Posted by cobracobra

I am scheduled for Fri. the 21st @ 8am. I'll let you know how I make out...

-Mike

Mike,
A customer of ours has a car there the same day. I think it maybe at 10am though. Hope you have quiet pipes

[cobracobra]

For 1 day I wish I had quiet pipes. Borrowing a set of trapps and heat shield for the exhaust that my friend just went through a couple of weeks ago and had no problems. He's got a 427 SO as do I but mine is stroked. I'll update everyone on here. Tell your friend if he wants to meet me there @ 7:45am (I know loooonnnnggg day) he can and at least see me go through the fire first.

-Mike

[Don]

Mike, " if " the side pipes are questioned, would you let us know whether the Inspectors use a dB meter or their judgement/discretion in determining what level of sound is too loud.

Somewhere ( ? ) , I had seen the term reasonable w/o a technical spec. Also, if the dB is measured, the distance from the side pipes and whether at idle or a requested RPM. Due to the judgement factor, I would like to think there has to be a published standard. If the test arrangement is still the same as in 2000, the exhaust sound will be louder within the enclosed inpection lane.

Guess on my part, the open pipe or unrestricted muffler on Harley's would also be considered loud but have never heard of a Harley failing inspection for the exhaust dB

[cobracobra]

Well my experience so far was when I went with the other Unique owner about 1 month ago they failed him for sound. Granted it was loud but a DB meter was not present. A week later he went down again, this time he had the traps put on and felt that it was "night and day". A different inspector showed up and said "failed". showed him on the DB meter of I beleive it was 83 DB (if im not mistaken it's 80 DBa max). So convinced was he that he went out and purchased a high end DB meter and he came up w/ 68DBa. Come to find out the meter has 2 settings and the 2nd setting came in at 83 which I beleive is not to be used in testing vehicles. So he printed the results out and brought them w/ him, but this time another inspector was present and once started didnt even bother pulling out his meter because he new the sound was considerbly lower, hence "passed". And as for bikes goes, I questioned the inspector on this and he stated " once inspected the owners most likely will but on there straight pipes", also I beleive the DBa for bikes are 90. Not sure about distance measured to the pipes but I will base line mine before and after outside and print out the results. Thanks god I bought a trailer, sure takes a lot of pressure off of me in case I fail. THINK POSITIVE i keep reminding myself......

-Mike

[Don]

It took me three trips to pass inspection. The 1st fail was for paperwork when I did not have the separate Bills of Sale for the drivetrain, 2nd fail was for a single nut/bolt that was loose in the suspension. I was not allowed to correct in the parking lot but had to reschedule another inspection date/time.

The third time during the inspection on the lift. I had a bolt which was fully tightened , but the number of threads of the bolt exposed past the nut when tight was insufficient. The Inspector mentioned that this was reason for a fail, but ........a pass was given. I truly believe the pass goes back to Jay's point on maintaining a positive attitude and rapport with the Inspector.

Other than the Inspector on the first trip mentioning the side pipes were loud, the other two Inspectors did not comment on the side pipes.

[stush]

Don,

Thanks for that excellent summary of the process. I bought John Macmahon's FIA Contemporary and will try the process shortly. Hopefully things will go smoothly but based on everyones experience should be interesting.

Stu

[Don]

Regarding the Bill of Sales for the engine, transmission and rear end. I did not have any serial numbers, but after having failed this portion once, I took great care to have the documents properly prepared.

The documents were typed with the buyers and sellers name, address and phone numbers. Included was a description of the part w/ some details rather than just stating as an example, transmission. Having failed this portion once, I wanted the documents to be as complete as possible and appear professional, as opposed to a handwritten scrap of paper.

The documents were Notarized for the seller's signature. When presenting the documents, there were no questions by either the Inspectors or Anti-Theft Unit.