Noise levels enforced at Silverstone.

Frank Catt · 02-15-08, 01:58 PM

RMA are reporting new and very stringent checking of noise levels at Silverstone, with a "one check and your out " policy of enforcing a 105db maximum, even road legal cars are failing and being sent home. Equally even tighter levels are in place at Bedford Autodrome, making it all but impossible for a lot of bigger engined cars there, and now both Spa and Nurburgring are also enforcing limits of 105db. So get your noise meters out and start checking before paying out good money and being told you cannot play.

Keith Hardy · 02-15-08, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wealdenengineer

RMA are reporting new and very stringent checking of noise levels at Silverstone, with a "one check and your out " policy of enforcing a 105db maximum, even road legal cars are failing and being sent home. Equally even tighter levels are in place at Bedford Autodrome, making it all but impossible for a lot of bigger engined cars there, and now both Spa and Nurburgring are also enforcing limits of 105db. So get your noise meters out and start checking before paying out good money and being told you cannot play.

It's a sad moment. Does that mean we'll never hear another BRM V16 at Silverstone ever again?

Tony Hunt · 02-16-08, 04:21 AM

Imagine the scene...............
Some little jobsworth pulls a Ferrari into the noise testing bay at the British GP.
'Sorry, Mr Hakkinnen, you are over 105dB; it says quite clearly in the Silverstone Mission Statement and Operator's Health & Safety Manual that your car must meet Section 3 Para 17(d). One strike and you're out.'
Talk about double standards!
Tony

120dB, because I like the sound.

Frank Catt · 02-16-08, 05:08 AM

According to RMA, these rules have been in place for some time but under pressure from local authority are now being enforced for track and test days

Mark Charlton · 02-16-08, 10:24 AM

It's a disease that is spreading. Below are my local tracks new regulations.
I haven't had my car tested yet but I'm almost certain I'll fail. And that is AFTER removing the straight-through pipes and installing twin Borla mufflers.

Screening Test - After a brief visual muffler check, a stationary test is undertaken. Sound levels will be measured 15 feet in front and behind the vehicle while the engine is revved at the maximum allowable rpm or the red line of the tachometer. The average should be no more than 100 dbA with no single reading over 104 dbA.

Pass-by Test - With the vehicle under full acceleration on the track, a reading will be taken from 50 feet. The maximum level allowed is 92 dbA. This level and standard is the most commonly used in North America and Europe and is where the entire industry is headed. Tests are valid for 9 months unless modifications to vehicle are made.

Cars and motorcycles that do not meet the noise criteria in the pass-by test will be black flagged and not be allowed to run until modifications have been made and a re-test performed to ensure compliance with the guidelines. It is the driver's responsibility to ensure their vehicle meets the noise restrictions that CMP has in place.

It's an f'n RACE car not a limo...

Keith Hardy · 02-16-08, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Charlton

It's a disease that is spreading. It's an f'n RACE car not a limo...

Oh Brave New World!

You arrive so insiduously and beguiling yet strident in your demands.....

Chris Simpson · 02-17-08, 01:37 PM

Does this mean the end of Formula 1 testing at Silverstone and indeed the whole of the UK?

Straight 8 Racing · 02-17-08, 05:02 PM

You blokes are living in cloud cuckoo land, we have to comply with 95db here in Australia, two of the circuits that I race my Cobra at have a well worn path between my garage and the stewards office !

As I pass the noise meter I have to back right off, still you can usefully check instruments / pick your nose etc etc during that quite moment.

On a more serious note the hassles with the noise meter are the reason for the rather oversized silencers fitted to my car, we have had the engine on a bench Dyno and the results (noise) are good, hard to tell untill it is the car again but the intake noise is almost more that the exhaust

Iain

Jac Mac · 02-18-08, 03:57 AM

105db, they dont know how lucky they are, 95db in NZ, can be done, am down to 87db with my own DIY mufflers--(and we dont have to lift off), but apparently they are far too heavy for Kiwozzies

Paul Thompson 'Hooligan' · 02-18-08, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jac mac

can be done, am down to 87db with my own DIY mufflers--(and we dont have to lift off), but apparently they are far too heavy for Kiwozzies

Now that's impressive!!

- what spec motor are they on Jac? and have they affected power delivery much? -

Care to 'spill the beans'? - or are they the family jewels...

Exhaust silencers are something I've only limited experience with and I'm all ears for learning new tricks or another angle...

Jac Mac · 02-19-08, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by p thompson

Now that's impressive!!

- what spec motor are they on Jac? and have they affected power delivery much? -

Care to 'spill the beans'? - or are they the family jewels...

Exhaust silencers are something I've only limited experience with and I'm all ears for learning new tricks or another angle...

Phil,
I have used the basic design/principle on several different motors-all of them what could be called 'full race' and in various branch's of motorsport- stock cars-circuit-jet boats etc. All have to comply with the 95db @ 50ft or thereabouts ( it takes a brave/stupid man to stand within 50ft of a jetsprint boat @ full noise with a noise meter

) While similar in concept to the Flowmaster design, the last portion of the 'tuned length' of the tailpipe is inside the muffler box [ In the case of the GT40 & Stockcars, most of that length. ] Have to do one of my sketchs to explain it properly, Might get Lynn Miner to post it in the 'How To' section, got some other stuff to do there as well.

The example quoted was on the TVR and achieved after 'one of Ians' walks to the stewards office after being checked @ 97db with the muffler only in a practice session- with time short I opted to make three minor changes in the tailpipe to end up with 87db, and thats the way its stayed for three seasons since. Did that last 10db kill any power? maybe, but as we are still winning races and maintaining/improving lap times its debatable.

Russ Noble has built one for his car so it will be interesting to see how it 'quiet' it is once running on his car.'Ass-uming he has followed the instructions!!! ' BTW, thanks Russ-keys arrived in town this afternoon- now I can start earning a living again!

Jac Mac

Russ Noble · 02-19-08, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jac mac

While similar in concept to the Flowmaster design, the last portion of the 'tuned length' of the tailpipe is inside the muffler box [ In the case of the GT40 & Stockcars, most of that length. ] Have to do one of my sketchs to explain it properly,

Jac Mac

Jac Mac,

I'll post a photo of mine before the top is welded on if you like. Just a wee bit more to do on it yet. Then you can tell everybody what I've done wrong.

The TVR sounds grouse, a GT40 with crossovers should sound even better

Paul Thompson 'Hooligan' · 02-19-08, 06:13 AM

Jac / Russ / Lynn - Cheers!!

I look forward to reading about your solution... obviously works well as you're still winning and improving - cool!

Keith Hardy · 02-19-08, 10:39 AM

Coming in to this thread at 90 degrees here, what really ticks me off is that they are restricting race cars like it's going out of fashion but still allow private planes unsilenced operation. I'm not saying that they should silence planes in the same way but that they should be a little bit more consistent. Live & let live. My mother's house is on the Goodwood flight path and we get an enormous number of planes flying over low and slow doing circuits and bumps, aerobatics including Pitts Specials at full bore and the whole range of Pratt & Whitney rpms. I find it quite astonishing that they have curtailed the noise limits of Goodwood's minimal motor sport activity and yet allow apparently unrestricted private flight noise. We don't complain about the planes because Goodwood was there long before mother's house was. Why don't the Nimby's that have been so active in shutting the circuit up complain about the flying? Or haven't they thought of that yet?

I don't get it...

Gary Kadrmas · 02-19-08, 02:08 PM

We have the same problem with noise restrictions on race cars at Portland International Raceway VS: Portland International Airport.

The airport was there before the racetrack. The race track was there before many of the houses in the immediate area. The home owners complain about the race car noise, but not much said for the airplanes????

The race cars are restricted for noise, but the damn planes can take off and land and make all kinds of racket and nobody does anything about it???? Just seems to be way off balanced on applying the noise restrictions to noise makers.

I don't think the baseball bat priciple would do any good to change things, but it would sure help with the immediate satisfaction of getting even!

Jac Mac · 02-19-08, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith1

Coming in to this thread at 90 degrees here, what really ticks me off is that they are restricting race cars like it's going out of fashion but still allow private planes unsilenced operation. I'm not saying that they should silence planes in the same way but that they should be a little bit more consistent. Live & let live. My mother's house is on the Goodwood flight path and we get an enormous number of planes flying over low and slow doing circuits and bumps, aerobatics including Pitts Specials at full bore and the whole range of Pratt & Whitney rpms. I find it quite astonishing that they have curtailed the noise limits of Goodwood's minimal motor sport activity and yet allow apparently unrestricted private flight noise. We don't complain about the planes because Goodwood was there long before mother's house was. Why don't the Nimby's that have been so active in shutting the circuit up complain about the flying? Or haven't they thought of that yet?

I don't get it...

Just as a point of interest, my neighbour built a Murphy Rebel Kitplane with Lyc 0-320 to which we fitted one of these mufflers, currently have removed it due to a problem with mounting & absorbing the movement of the Lyc on its mounts, but while fitted it was ''very'' quiet in operation. In fact its 'low' noise level is almost an issue during ground movements, people are not aware of its presence and wont move out of harms way.
Wont be long before someone gets run over by a race car because they did not hear it coming!

Jac Mac

Ron Earp · 02-19-08, 02:33 PM

Do you fellows afix adjustable outlets to your pipes? It works wonders for the crowd I race with. Just a simple 90 degree mandrel bent elbow that can be pointed away from the sound control station. For instance, at the track I raced this past weekend sound control was on the left about 1/2 way down the straight. People turn their outlets to the right side of the track and it does work, knocking 3-10 dB off readings without a lot of work and comfortably getting past sound.