620R and noise tests

[GreigM]

I'm very much tempted by a 620R but as this would be a track day toy for me it absolutely has to pass a 105db noise check without question.

Does anyone have any more info/experience of the noise it generates, or have any info/opinion from Caterham as to whether they will be doing anything to ensure the car is quiet enough? The reports I read on PH seem to suggest it was even getting black flagged during customer demo days, but I appreciate these were early demo cars.

[Mitch911]

Judging by the demo run I saw over the Brands GP race weekend, they will need to do something to hit 105db. It sounded incredible but really, seriously loud

[GreigM]

Mitch911 said:

Judging by the demo run I saw over the Brands GP race weekend, they will need to do something to hit 105db. It sounded incredible but really, seriously loud

This is my concern - all reports so far suggest there is a significant noise issue - however they must be doing something to get it through the IVA which if I recall correctly is a limit around 99dbA.

[framerateuk]

I'm always a bit surprised when a new "track" car is released and is so loud it's likely to be disallowed on most tracks.

Surly they should aim for 95db to get it under the regs of most tracks?

[sfaulds]

Why not speak to Caterham about it? They are working on making it significantly quieter.

[GreigM]

sfaulds said:

Why not speak to Caterham about it? They are working on making it significantly quieter.

They'd need to return calls.

[footsoldier]

It was kicked out of the track test on one of the magazine's (Autocar?) Track COTY this year because of the noise, so they couldn't drive it to rate it.

In the story it said that there was a track day silencer but they hadn't brought it, as they didn't realise it was a noise-limited test.

[downsman]

When Evo tested it, I think I remember a comment about it setting off the noise meters at Bedford while they were running it at Blyton

[mad4amanda]

At the Caterham cars demo day at Brands Hatch all passed the static test ok. The problem was drive by where IIRC they were all over by 3Db and there was nothing they could do on the day to reduce this so they ended the day early.
I would want to be very sure they had done something about the total noise not just exhaust on static test before parting with cash for track day use.

[curley]

As Stuart has said speak to Caterham , i have a 620R on order and the order was placed on the basis that they sort the noise out .

Graham McDonald dropped me a line to say that they know its an issue and are working on it .


When you look at the silencer on the demo car (s ) you could have guessed it would not be quiet enough , my R400K has a bigger exhaust .

I haven't had an update in the last couple of weeks but i do know that the "new product" engineering team were working on it .

Have faith !

[downsman]

curley said:

I haven't had an update in the last couple of weeks but i do know that the "new product" engineering team were working on it .

Have faith !

Let's hope they do a better job than on the BMW diff bracket.

[FunkySon]

downsman said:

curley said:

I haven't had an update in the last couple of weeks but i do know that the "new product" engineering team were working on it .

Have faith !

Let's hope they do a better job than on the BMW diff bracket.

Past performance would certainly suggest that they've got no chance.

For the R500 that I had they promised a track day airbox to reduce induction noise but it was over a year after production of the model began that I actually managed to get hold of one. With the airbox it was still marginal on the noise tests and it came with the added extra of less power.

[thequietone]

GreigM said:

Mitch911 said:

Judging by the demo run I saw over the Brands GP race weekend, they will need to do something to hit 105db. It sounded incredible but really, seriously loud

This is my concern - all reports so far suggest there is a significant noise issue - however they must be doing something to get it through the IVA which if I recall correctly is a limit around 99dbA.

Demo cars blew 101db static and as suggested above were only a few above the drive-by limit at the Brands demo day. I've been told 95db drive-by is the target which will be fine for me. Lets face it, most powerfull Caterhams need to be on noisy days anyway, even my old R300 could trip the meters if the can needed repacking.

[mad4amanda]

thequietone said:

GreigM said:

Mitch911 said:

Judging by the demo run I saw over the Brands GP race weekend, they will need to do something to hit 105db. It sounded incredible but really, seriously loud

This is my concern - all reports so far suggest there is a significant noise issue - however they must be doing something to get it through the IVA which if I recall correctly is a limit around 99dbA.

Demo cars blew 101db static and as suggested above were only a few above the drive-by limit at the Brands demo day. I've been told 95db drive-by is the target which will be fine for me. Lets face it, most powerfull Caterhams need to be on noisy days anyway, even my old R300 could trip the meters if the can needed repacking.

that is incorrect 92 Db drive by is the limit on a 105 day

[thequietone]

mad4amanda said:

that is incorrect 92 Db drive by is the limit on a 105 day

Why is that incorrect? I stated that 95db would be fine for me, not fine for the circuit. The 620R was 96db through the drive-by at Brands but I don't really drive Brands.

Silverstone is 102db Drive by. Donny is 98db drive by. Spa is 103db drive by and the 'Ring is 130db static.

[GreigM]

Oulton Park also has a 92db drive by limit at 20m which would be the deal-breaker for me with this car and I think has to be the target. 95db on the drive by is way too loud.

[thequietone]

Most UK circuits (and all the MSV ones) are 92db now. It would be great to run at Oulton and Cadwell (my fav UK circuits) again as I've not had a car quiet enough for a few years now. Don't really think the noise will be an issue though. The guys at either BTB or Raceco will be able to produce a looong silencer for the 620R that will make it quiet enough for the quieter days - problem solved!!

[mad4amanda]

But the exhaust is not the main problem, its the whine and the induction noise that are the main issue. For ease of use bearing in mind the increased pressure circuits are under re noise I would be targeting 92Db or lower on drive by, or you would risk a day interrupted by black flags and ultimately exclusion from the day.
But hey its your choice .

[GreigM]

mad4amanda said:

But the exhaust is not the main problem, its the whine and the induction noise that are the main issue. For ease of use bearing in mind the increased pressure circuits are under re noise I would be targeting 92Db or lower on drive by, or you would risk a day interrupted by black flags and ultimately exclusion from the day.
But hey its your choice .

Indeed, this is by all accounts a track car - it needs to be capable of running at the majority of UK circuits "out of the box" or its whole existence is somewhat pointless. For the price being asked, this shouldn't be in doubt.

[OlberJ]

Does this mean the Megabusa is going Greig?