How to Calculate the Sounds of Mufflers
It is necessary for you to know how loud your mufflers are in order to ensure that you stay within the noise limit. Depending on the location you are in, you can be ticketed and fined for having mufflers that exceed the local limits. Calculate the sound of your muffler to be on the safe side.
Things You Will Need:
- Decibel meter
- Assistant
- Put your car, truck or sports utility vehicle on a level ground and in the park position. When choosing a location to park your vehicle, make sure that there are no buildings nearby. Ideally, the space between other objects should be a minimum of 25 feet. By ensuring the space is far enough away, this ensures that there is no echo to interfere with your calculations.
- Crank the engine on your vehicle and allow it to stay running while you prepare for the sound calculations.
- Position the meter so that it is 20 inches away from the actual vehicle. It should be in front of the muffler land positioned at a 45-degree angle. Confirm that the settings are setup to measure noise that is audible by the human ear. If this is not set up appropriately, the figures you get with the calculations will not be accurate.
- Direct your assistant to press the gas from inside the vehicle while the vehicle is still placed in the park position. Make sure that it is pressed hard enough so that your vehicle reaches the one-half of the maximum rotation per minimum level.
- Document the figure on the meter and this is the final calculation. You may need to adjust the muffler to meet your local noise regulations.