What's legal ?

[BlackClubbie]

Hey Guys,

A Simple question. What mods are legal, and what mods are illegal ?
Is there a power limit for registered cars ?
Sometimes you see cops looking under the hood of skylines and other WRX... what are they looking for ?

See i come from a country where having a big exhaust is illegal, and i see all these people tuning, extracting, blowing .... and i am wondering ....

Thanks a bunch !

[XA coupe]

it's been a while since I had to worry about the laws, but you used to need an engineers certificate if you had more that a 10% increase over stock power.
Cops are usually looking for pod filters that aren't enclosed and blowoff valves that vent straight to the atmosphere. The EPA are your worst enemy, the police can make you fix things but the EPA can really make life hard. I know of a guy that must have gone 2 years trying to get an EPA notice off a late 70s/ early 80s falcon.
The best thing about the V8s is that you can do a lot to them and externally they can remain the same. It gets tough when you add blowers and such but other than the bolts ons, cams and heads for instance are undetectable when the car is stopped.
Exhausts usually only get illegal when they hang too low or are too loud.

[MountainRunner]

You can get a copy of the Light Vehicle Modification Guide from the transport department. There is nothing in there about 10% over stock power. The best thing you can do is call up a Certification Engineer before you do any mods and have a chat. They (at least the one I call) give you good information and help plan for anything that needs compliance. Be wary of all the rumours about what is and isn't legal. The first time I called the guy I had a big list of questions based on "What I had Heard" and most of it was wrong.

[IIV8II]

Just about any mod is 'illegal' including exhausts as spec changes to suspension, engine etc etc interferes with the spec of the car as it was designed/presented to pass ADRs. But we all do it anyway...

[BlackClubbie]

Thanks Guys.

Ok.
So i suppose that instead of a getting a legal SS and illegally modify it, you can get a legal stock clubbie :-)

Now, what is the resposability of an exhaust shop if i go there with my car, get them to change the exhaust ( which then makes it an illegal mod ) , and they let me go home with the car that has been illegally modified ?

[VKCommo]

With the turbo vehicles that the cops are usually looking at, they are normally looking for a blow off valve.

[XA coupe]

You can get a copy of the Light Vehicle Modification Guide from the transport department. There is nothing in there about 10% over stock power. The best thing you can do is call up a Certification Engineer before you do any mods and have a chat. They (at least the one I call) give you good information and help plan for anything that needs compliance. Be wary of all the rumours about what is and isn't legal. The first time I called the guy I had a big list of questions based on "What I had Heard" and most of it was wrong.
Maybe in QLD.. I am from Vic.. and it was quite a while ago I had to worry about it.

I believe even Edit is not ADR compliant .. but good luck on trying to spot it from the outside :cool:

[HRT 8]

To be blantantly honest, the legal/illegal thing is pretty black and white if you want to be really serious. As IIV8II has said anything modified which no longer comlies with the vehicles original ADR's is illegal.

Cops looking under bonetts etc. What are they looking for.
Anything from oil leaks, missing polution components, aftermarket items and even stereo wiring. As others have mentioned, blowoff vlaves and adjustable boost switches are montys to get you in trouble. A newie which is very common amoungst car owners who go for larger aftermarket mag wheels is the tyre load ratings. The tyre placard in either your door jamb or glovebox will secify the minumium load rating for the tyres fitted to the car. If the tyres don't meet that requirement then its unroadworthy.
Quite common with ricers who go their big 18 and 19 inch wheels and rubber bands for tyres.

Where does it all stop??? :D

[MountainRunner]

You make it sound like you cannot touch your ride. This is wrong. You can modify the engine as long as you don't increase the polution. So Edit is only illegal if it increases the pollution. This is the turbo thing with blow off valves. The valve is not illegal if it is plumb back, but the ones that vent to atmosphere are because the air into the engine is metered and if you then vent it the computer still thinks that air is coming in, does the air fuel ratio calculation and puts too much fuel into the engine. Thus increasing pollution.

Like I said above, call a Certification Engineer and find out the truth and avoid all this speculation. There are heaps of things you can do to your car without even needing certification and a heap more you can do with it.

Just plan your mods and work with the certification engineer.

[IIV8II]

You're kinda right MountainRunner... but kinda wrong. Regarding your point about emissions, you have to PROVE your car doesn't increase/change emissions. And until you do so, with tests or etc, your car is technically illegal. Yes, changes made with LS1 Edit are illegal under state and federal environment and motor traffic legislation as they are not a manufacturer-equivalent spec

Yes, check with a certification engineer (www.streetmachine.com.au - click on 'find engineer', after reading your state-issued Code of Practice for some background info

[chops]

This is the turbo thing with blow off valves. The valve is not illegal if it is plumb back

Plenty of plumb back BOVs will also fail noise requirements.

Also, as previously stated, the onus is on the driver to prove it complies, rather than the "powers that be" to prove it does not.

[MountainRunner]

The BOV was only an example, it depends on what state you live in as well. Up here in QLD the rules are heaps more relaxed.

Anyway, there is an entire section in the small vehicle modification manual on items that are DYI comply-able as well.

[chops]

Yeah, the post was for info, rather than attack purposes. Sorry if it sounded otherwise.

You're right about QLD laws though, they seem to be the easiest state to get things engineered.

[Fixel]

Mods and edit are unlawful unless your mod shop has gone to trouble of gaining ADR compliance? :confused:

[hogs]

Evening Folks,

I find this whole argument about what is legal and not frustrating to say the least.
You get pinged for having a chipped windscreen, and then get in a Taxi with a bloody great communication device smack infront of the drivers field of vision.
How in the hell do most of the Harley's pass the decibel test??????

ETC, ETC, ETC!!!!!!!!!!!

Smile, be polite and hope that the person is a reasonable camper. Chances are however, that maybe you got attention in the first place for some reason.
But if you are a P Plater that may not be the case. A fair deal is all we ask for I think.

Cheers,

Hogs, :)

"GO HARD OR GO HOME"! :burnout:

[MountainRunner]

Yes I agree. Polite and helpfull will get you further than having an attitude. Just remember you are in a lose-lose situation so the only defence you have is your manners.

[VKCommo]

The official response for taxi's is that if their computer was moved elsewhere, they would have to take their eyes away from the road to access it, and that would be more dangerous then having it where it is... (I dont agree with it but thats what they say.)

[markone2]

In Queensland a RWC ( Safety Certificate ) can be legally issued for an edited car / also for a head/cam combo LSI…
The above RWC cannot be written for a modified LS1 Commodore with a Turbo or blower attached without the required Queensland Transport approved modification plate …….just my own bit of trivia to add to the thread...having issued the odd one or two ;)

[sloone]

How in the hell do most of the Harley's pass the decibel test??????
Hogs, :)

"GO HARD OR GO HOME"! :burnout:
They don't until you put the standard exhaust back on for the test. However it is something like a $10,000 fine if you get caught changing back to the loud one again. In reality if you can hear it over your phone conversation it is too loud.

[VX2VESS]

not much these days