SP Exhaust system
Discussion
OK those of you with the SP Exhaust system, have you had it noise tested?
I turned up to a trackday today with my sparkly new full sp system and got told it was too noisy at 109db at 4.5K revs. I was expecting around the 100db but the new system is worse than my old sports exhaust and cats system. Of course my trackday silencers don't fit the 3" tailpipes so I couldn't participate and lost my money.
Worse is I sold my old exhaust system last week to help out another owner so can't even go back.
Anyone else had their's noise tested, is this normal?
I turned up to a trackday today with my sparkly new full sp system and got told it was too noisy at 109db at 4.5K revs. I was expecting around the 100db but the new system is worse than my old sports exhaust and cats system. Of course my trackday silencers don't fit the 3" tailpipes so I couldn't participate and lost my money.
Worse is I sold my old exhaust system last week to help out another owner so can't even go back.
Anyone else had their's noise tested, is this normal?
Bad news Dave - I can imagine you must be really 
I must admit mine isn't as quiet as I had been led to expect. It is advertised and sold as a quiet exhaust that will meet most Circuits Trackday noise requirements, and for what it costs it should meet those expectations, so I reckon you'll be having an intersting conversation with them on Monday morning - I'd be interested to see how you get on, because I want to go on a Trackday soon!
ETA - Mine has got a bit quieter as it has aged.
I must admit mine isn't as quiet as I had been led to expect. It is advertised and sold as a quiet exhaust that will meet most Circuits Trackday noise requirements, and for what it costs it should meet those expectations, so I reckon you'll be having an intersting conversation with them on Monday morning - I'd be interested to see how you get on, because I want to go on a Trackday soon! ETA - Mine has got a bit quieter as it has aged.
Edited by JensenA on Saturday 3rd May 20:49
Edited by JensenA on Sunday 4th May 00:31
Byker28i said:
OK those of you with the SP Exhaust system, have you had it noise tested?
I turned up to a trackday today with my sparkly new full sp system and got told it was too noisy at 109db at 4.5K revs. I was expecting around the 100db but the new system is worse than my old sports exhaust and cats system. Of course my trackday silencers don't fit the 3" tailpipes so I couldn't participate and lost my money.
Worse is I sold my old exhaust system last week to help out another owner so can't even go back.
Anyone else had their's noise tested, is this normal?
So have you reatined your cats with the SP system, must be louder without?I turned up to a trackday today with my sparkly new full sp system and got told it was too noisy at 109db at 4.5K revs. I was expecting around the 100db but the new system is worse than my old sports exhaust and cats system. Of course my trackday silencers don't fit the 3" tailpipes so I couldn't participate and lost my money.
Worse is I sold my old exhaust system last week to help out another owner so can't even go back.
Anyone else had their's noise tested, is this normal?
Also I would be a bit more economical with the revs when they noise test, sometimes works if the marshals are in a good mood.
No Cats, it's got the full SP system with linked decat pipes. One of the reasons for going with the 'quiet' SP system was I didn't want the gearbox and cabin being heated with the cats.
As for economical with the revs, the marshalls have one watching the rev counter, one measuring. They asked for 4500 revs. First time I took it very slowly to 4500, holding it a 4 but the wanted more, second time I tried taking it quick to 4K they just crept to 4.5K, both times measured 109db
Neither time did I get a backfire and I didn't take ease off until I saw the marshall take the meter away. Not sure what else I could have tried, especially as it was a 100db day.
As for economical with the revs, the marshalls have one watching the rev counter, one measuring. They asked for 4500 revs. First time I took it very slowly to 4500, holding it a 4 but the wanted more, second time I tried taking it quick to 4K they just crept to 4.5K, both times measured 109db
Neither time did I get a backfire and I didn't take ease off until I saw the marshall take the meter away. Not sure what else I could have tried, especially as it was a 100db day.Byker28i said:
OK those of you with the SP Exhaust system, have you had it noise tested?
I turned up to a trackday today with my sparkly new full sp system and got told it was too noisy at 109db at 4.5K revs. I was expecting around the 100db but the new system is worse than my old sports exhaust and cats system. Of course my trackday silencers don't fit the 3" tailpipes so I couldn't participate and lost my money.
Worse is I sold my old exhaust system last week to help out another owner so can't even go back.
Anyone else had their's noise tested, is this normal?
How much was it?I turned up to a trackday today with my sparkly new full sp system and got told it was too noisy at 109db at 4.5K revs. I was expecting around the 100db but the new system is worse than my old sports exhaust and cats system. Of course my trackday silencers don't fit the 3" tailpipes so I couldn't participate and lost my money.
Worse is I sold my old exhaust system last week to help out another owner so can't even go back.
Anyone else had their's noise tested, is this normal?
I'll do a swap if you eventually want to swap back.
I've got trackcar linked decats to a normal back box.
Let us know how you get on.
MB
Byker28i said:
No Cats, it's got the full SP system with linked decat pipes. One of the reasons for going with the 'quiet' SP system was I didn't want the gearbox and cabin being heated with the cats.
As for economical with the revs, the marshalls have one watching the rev counter, one measuring. They asked for 4500 revs. First time I took it very slowly to 4500, holding it a 4 but the wanted more, second time I tried taking it quick to 4K they just crept to 4.5K, both times measured 109db Neither time did I get a backfire and I didn't take ease off until I saw the marshall take the meter away. Not sure what else I could have tried, especially as it was a 100db day.
Im interested in your experiences as I have been thinking about splashing out on an SP system for the same reasons as you, seems to me the only things the cats do is cook the gearbox, promoting more problems than need be and start fires wherever you park! As for economical with the revs, the marshalls have one watching the rev counter, one measuring. They asked for 4500 revs. First time I took it very slowly to 4500, holding it a 4 but the wanted more, second time I tried taking it quick to 4K they just crept to 4.5K, both times measured 109db
Neither time did I get a backfire and I didn't take ease off until I saw the marshall take the meter away. Not sure what else I could have tried, especially as it was a 100db day.As its not a small outlay I can understand you being a slightly miffed with the results!
As for the scrutineering, I think I was just lucky the first time at Brands with 104db, next time it failed, think it was 104.5 or something but they let me on track with a warning, I think you can get some inserts like bike baffles which might help.
Edited by Erich Stahler on Sunday 4th May 12:20
Mine was indeed loud when first measured, 110db fresh from fit (measured at SP immediately after). I was quite surprised/worried as well but it did quieten significantly down with some miles on as Fubes said, however if you already have 500 miles on there then I would think that would have been enough - I did a Brands session with less miles than that on since fit and it had already come down to 102. I however went backbox only and kept my straight through decats rather than their linked so reckoned that my 4db over claim was down to that (linked being supposedly the quieter of the 2 decat options) - given yours is the full SP I am quite surprised as should be less than mine, maybe one of the joints isn't sealing and its blowing somewhere before the backbox, worth getting checked. I also got measured at a 104db recently at Goodwood (was in the area and just popped in for a free test as they had a track day on), but that was at about 5200rpm and had a bit of crackling going on to boot. As it stands I wouldn't go for anything but 105 days (unless they were seriously cheap days and worth a punt).
Those Db inserts look very interesting indeed and relatively cheap to try (although the 2" ones being a fiver each and the 3" being £18 each does rankle slightly
, anyone tried them, do they just push in the end ?? - Other thing I had been thinking of and was suggested by HarryW was getting a cherry bomb style silencer made up to replace the decat, so bit of extra silencing further up the pipe, but without resorting to going back to nasty old cats.
Those Db inserts look very interesting indeed and relatively cheap to try (although the 2" ones being a fiver each and the 3" being £18 each does rankle slightly
, anyone tried them, do they just push in the end ?? - Other thing I had been thinking of and was suggested by HarryW was getting a cherry bomb style silencer made up to replace the decat, so bit of extra silencing further up the pipe, but without resorting to going back to nasty old cats. TC - How's your back box hanging? Did you have to raise the rear of your car? I touched a speedhump the other day and then grounded on the run to Chatsworth in a dip in the road. It turns out I only had 90mm clearance from the back box with my missus & ten year old in the back. Now I'm 150mm from garage floor to outrigger at the rear, but 115mm from the bottom of the exhaust to floor. This is with the tailpipes almost touching the bodywork.
Erich Stahler said:
Im interested in your experiences as I have been thinking about splashing out on an SP system for the same reasons as you, seems to me the only things the cats do is cook the gearbox, promoting more problems than need be and start fires wherever you park!
As its not a small outlay I can understand you being a slightly miffed with the results!
As for the scrutineering, I think I was just lucky the first time at Brands with 104db, next time it failed, think it was 104.5 or something but they let me on track with a warning, I think you can get some inserts like bike baffles which might help.
Thanks - it might still end up that way, but it's a claimed 98db system at 4k revs. As its not a small outlay I can understand you being a slightly miffed with the results!
As for the scrutineering, I think I was just lucky the first time at Brands with 104db, next time it failed, think it was 104.5 or something but they let me on track with a warning, I think you can get some inserts like bike baffles which might help.
Edited by Byker28i on Thursday 8th May 18:39
I will say mine is rather loud at the moment, I have a 2.5" system with 3" from the rear axle bends it has cherry bomb decats, and small baffles at the tail and it measured recently at 119dB at Goodwood 
.
I know Tim also has intermediate section long cheery bombs too, but haven't tried them. I'm considering getting a bespoke 3" in/out rear box of similar dimensions to the original to try and quieten it down tbh.
. I know Tim also has intermediate section long cheery bombs too, but haven't tried them. I'm considering getting a bespoke 3" in/out rear box of similar dimensions to the original to try and quieten it down tbh.
Well, SP say they've fitted about 25 systems. I know at least 4 people on here have them so was going for a straw poll. Obviously theres nothing I can do until I get it back to SP for testing and we discover if it's too loud or over zealous testing. If it's over zealous testing then I can't do anything about that as trackday companies quite rightly will react to what they perceive as noisy cars.
But as more trackday companies and more circuits are forced to accept lower noise levels it's starting to become an issue. How much longer before everywhere goes below 100db?
But as more trackday companies and more circuits are forced to accept lower noise levels it's starting to become an issue. How much longer before everywhere goes below 100db?
Ireland said:
Byker,
Why not ask Boss about this?
He has the SP on his cars and he's a regular on-track.
Phil is a director in SP.Why not ask Boss about this?
He has the SP on his cars and he's a regular on-track.
I have heard his car and it certainly sounded a lot quieter than my old cerbs sports exh. It was also a better 'tune' (ie quality rather than pure harsh noise). It certainly sounded like it would make it under trackday limits. I am sure Phil can confirm how well they generally perform re dbs.
Byker28i said:
TC - How's your back box hanging?
Ooer missuss! Have no real height problems with mine, certainly not over speed bumps of which I have loads near me, but have grounded under compression a couple of times (that was proper pressing on stuff though). That is also only since I had Ohlins fitted and asked for the car to be set quite low at the back, on my old original springs/shocks I don't think I grounded the exhaust at all.
As everyone seems to be talking about exhausts here, I'll mention that I'm on the look out for a pair of rear standard sections for a 4.5 (my rear silencers are pretty battered, and I've had enough of repeatedly welding them!).
So if anyone's upgraded to a sports or SP system and fancies clearing out some garage space, then drop me a PM.
So if anyone's upgraded to a sports or SP system and fancies clearing out some garage space, then drop me a PM.
Byker28i said:
OK those of you with the SP Exhaust system, have you had it noise tested?
I turned up to a trackday today with my sparkly new full sp system and got told it was too noisy at 109db at 4.5K revs. I was expecting around the 100db but the new system is worse than my old sports exhaust and cats system. Of course my trackday silencers don't fit the 3" tailpipes so I couldn't participate and lost my money.
Worse is I sold my old exhaust system last week to help out another owner so can't even go back.
Anyone else had their's noise tested, is this normal?
What a pain, I feel for you, we almost had the same problem – splashed out on an SP back box as they said it would pass 98dB then weren’t too chuffed to find it only just scraped through Oulton Parks 105dB test. (Although I think it was only at 3800rpm)I turned up to a trackday today with my sparkly new full sp system and got told it was too noisy at 109db at 4.5K revs. I was expecting around the 100db but the new system is worse than my old sports exhaust and cats system. Of course my trackday silencers don't fit the 3" tailpipes so I couldn't participate and lost my money.
Worse is I sold my old exhaust system last week to help out another owner so can't even go back.
Anyone else had their's noise tested, is this normal?
It runs TC linked de-cats & had only done about 350 miles since fitting before the noise test. SP said they couldn’t guaranty what noise levels we got unless we used their full system as they use larger pipes. Fine, but that doesn’t help you too much…
Oulton Park said they would have to do drive by tests as we were so close, so we started out keeping the revs down, but by the end of the day we were on the change light all the time & they didn’t say a thing. I think it got a bit quieter as the day went on, it will be interesting to see what it gets next time.
Indecently I’ve just fitted the CATs back on for the MOT, it’s their first time with the SP back box & it sounds so boring, the cams make more noise than the exhaust at idle & that gorgeous multi tonal note at 3.5k has total gone. Although I’m sure it would pass most noise tests with the CATs on I can’t wait to get them off again now!
Gassing Station | Cerbera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff