Triad Exhaust - Looking for first hand experience

kellzey · 04-30-2003, 10:16 AM

Anyone running a Triad exhaust on their 911? Looking for some first hand real-world experience of people running Triad exhausts on their cars.

Photos, impressions, experiences, comments, suggestions are all appreciated.

Thanks!

Superman · 04-30-2003, 12:57 PM

Here in the PNW PCA region, plenty of folks are using Triad exhausts. I'll be going to Dave's tonight to install the 2-in 2-out. Right now I have the stock one on, but until recently, I had a 2-in 1-out siameezed Triad thing that sounded very good, but I've been aching for the 2-in 2-out, which is the flagship Triad exhaust. Hopefully, I'll be qualified to give a first hand impression as soon as tomorrow.

rsr808 · rsr808's Garage

Do you have a web address with product information for Triad exhausts?

Superman · 04-30-2003, 01:51 PM

Well, I want to be careful here since Dave (Triad) is a personal friend and Pelican does not carry Triad products but I think this is in bounds: The web site is:

http://www.triadwestperformance.com/Products.htm

and includes a dyno test, FWIW.

tobluforu · tobluforu's Garage

http://www.triadwestperformance.com/Products.htm

APKhaos · 04-30-2003, 03:10 PM

FWIW, The Triad is a winner on the early cars it was designed for - long hoods.

A good authority [PCA Chief Scrutineer type - been preparing 911 race cars for 20 years] says they are not great on later, higher displacement engines. No personal experience, just passing on a data point.

Doug Zielke · 04-30-2003, 06:47 PM

I rode in a 3.0 equipped with a Triad 2/2.
Untolerable (for my ears) resonance in the cockpit.

Superman · 05-01-2003, 06:48 AM

I'd have to disagree with the belief that these exhausts are not as effective for larger displacement engines. In fact, the large displacement engines I've seen them on sound wonderful. I also believe these exhausts are very free-flowing. At least, their performance at the high end seems ideal. Also, the initial collector provides the low end torque Warren was talking about recently.

I can see what Doug has told me about resonance. There is resonance below 3000 rpm, particularly at non-highway speeds. They sound like buttkickers during city street driving. But at highway speeds, and any engine speed above 3000 rpm, I can barely hear anything. Which is interesting because at the track these exhausts have really excellent accoustics at higher engine speeds. Really cool. The best. The resonance does not bother me, but I can see what Doug was talking about. The Triad exhaust also looks very cool IMO. We turned the right side exit down, so that I could have a 2-out exhaust without cutting or bending the valence.

So, my first impression is certainly positive but again, Dave is a personal friend so you've got to wonder if I am biased.

APKhaos · 05-01-2003, 07:24 AM

Hey Super:
The issue was not sound, it was backpressure. Enough, in fact to cook a few 3.0 + displacement engines before they figured out that exhaust restriction was causing dangerously high head temps. The flow volume was too high for the Triad to handle.

Again, just a data point from a very well qualified source - no personal experience.

Kemo · 05-01-2003, 10:58 AM

I have a triad west 2 in 2 out with early HE's on my SC and it sounds good to me, the resonance comes into play between 2k and 3k. I like it and would recommend it. I cant see this muffler being restrictive at all. I can easily cover one of the outlets and rev the engine up with out any problems at all.

Superman · 05-01-2003, 12:33 PM

Respectfully, I'm with Kemo on this. I don't think the Triad exhuast produces much restriction at all. Perhaps there is some confusion over just what final exhaust system we're talking about. The dyno test mentioned on the website was done on a pretty high-volume engine.

Kemo · 05-19-2003, 09:50 AM

kellzey,

I know this is a bit late...but i just "got a holt" of some pics of my car without the rear bumpers on which really illustrates the design of the Triad muffler. My car is currently getting prepped for a new paint job.

Randy W · Randy W's Garage

Tony K, my experience does not match your reputable source's regarding Triad/displacement incompatibility or too much backpressure from the Triad causing overheating problems. I have run a 2 in 2 out Triad on both a 2.7RS MFI engine and a 3.2 Motec/Varioram engine for extended periods of time. On the 2.7RSMFI, the stock Bischoff/Leistritz muffler actually performed better than the Triad on the dyno. On a carb'd 2.4/2.7 the Triad may work better, but I have no first hand knowledge of this. My 3.2L engine needs a more free flowing muffler to perform well and the Triad essentially matched the performance of a Flowmaster on the Dyno, without being as loud. Both were better performing than a 2 in 1 out stock muffler on the 3.2. I have experienced no overheating problems related to the Triad muffler on either engine at the track. As Superman has already said, there is a resonance at about 2K rpm with the Triad, but at 3200 it is essentially absent for freeway driving. IMO it is a very good sounding free flowing muffler that, depending on your application, can make substantial gains in mid range torque, without being obnoxiously loud.

Jeff · 05-21-2003, 02:34 PM

Super,

Can you post a picture of the back of your car with the Triad installed? I want to see how the bent passenger outlet looks. I'm a little leary of cutting my rear valance.

Thanks

Superman · 05-21-2003, 03:04 PM

Jeff, I don't have a digicam but I'll provide a picture nonetheless...just might take a couple of days. For now, look at the picture posted by Kemo and imagine. The right side tailpipe on my unit is made from an extra-wide, mandrel-bent tube, one end of which is cut at a severe angle. This allows the exhaust flow to move straight down at the end of the fat part of that final muffler. From the rear of my car, you can barely see about 1.5 inches of this wide pipe poking down at the corner of the rear valence, about 2" from the inside corner of the valence. So, yes it is visible but it would not be obvious if you did not know it was there.

Steve W · Steve W's Garage

I ran a Triad dual out just like in Kemo's pic on my 3.2 with SSIs, and while it is quiet as stock above 4000 rpm, the drone from 1500 to 3000 was just a little too much for me. On the track it's not an issue, just driving around town. Not that the exhaust is loud, as I don't believe loud exhausts are annoying as much as one note high pressure drones. The drone level basically is in line with the increase of load placed on the throttle. I ran six different exhausts with my SSIs, and personally I find the Dansk sport to probably be the best and least annoying of the sport mufflers (the dual out seems to have a nice roar and better flow above 4500), stock Bischoff for quiet and the best tone, and Montys as a third runner up. Monty's while not excessively loud, have some drone from 1500 to 2800, and may not flow as well up top.

Jandrews · 05-21-2003, 06:29 PM

Randy,

What exactly is a "stock Bischoff/Leistritz" muffler, and where can I get one?

I have a 2.7RS MFI motor and am looking for a new muffler. I am currently running the 2 in 1 out Ansa muffler. I think it has a loose baffle because it sounds like crap. I want to change to a 2 in 2 out muffler that sounds great, but I don't know what to get given the MFI.

Would you recommend the Triad?

Thanks,

JA

Randy W · Randy W's Garage

I and many, many others have found that MFI engines run best with the stock 2 in 1 out banana muffler. The original stock muffler that came with these cars was made by Bischoff or Leistritz , unfortunately NLA. The Dansk replacement appears to work just as well. The only two in two out muffler that people say works with MFI engines is the factory sport muffler, but I'm not sure it runs as smoothly and it's loud. Montys do not work with MFI. The Triad will work, but you will spend alot of time tuning and will be giving away HP and tourqe to the stock muffler. I know it sounds suspect, but trust me - MFI needs the muffler it was designed with to run its smoothest and strongest.

dd74 · 10:07 PM

I've purchased and will hopefully receive tomorrow, a Triad muffler similar to Superman's. When it arrives, I'll post a photo of the muffler if I can ever get all the digicam parts our wiley graphic artist has "lost" for us.

In the meantime, chew on this: the Triad, according to stats on their website, makes 12 more horsepower than the stock B/L muffler. I don't know if it's true, and the motor the Triad was adapted to during the test was quite modified. Nonetheless, it was an eyebrow-raising amount that is worth noticing.

There are other key elements to the muffler that made it look attractive:

1) The Triad is a design I've seen for the last two years, and makes a whole lot of sense as being "low restriction."

2) According to Triad's site, the Flowmasters make (EDIT) - 10hp less than the Triad - (END EDIT), while being louder and heavier.

3) Being the Triad is a dual-out design, the buyer is given the option of having a "Sportman's" style to it (I think that's what Dave at Triad called it), where the right-side pipe is angled down, not out. This design, according to Dave, was created so that the exhaust appears stock. This was done for guys who also do not want to cut their valence.

4) The "street" Triad is rated at 88dbs at full throttle, and is street legal for noise in all 50 states.

5) Dave is a very decent guy (thus far), and for the price of the muffler, it seems hard to pass up. I mean it is, after all, hand made.

Hopefully I'll get this thing on soon after I receive it. I hate computers and they hate me, but maybe the one I'm typing on now will allow me to create some sort of sound file.

We'll see...

Jandrews · 05-23-2003, 07:58 AM

Thanks Randy... I thought you might say that. I think I have finally heard this enough times to be convinced. I will stick with the two in one out.

One final question of clarification. Would my "Ansa" muffler be considered a "stock banana muffler"? What exactly is a "stock" muffler for the 2.7 RS MFI's, and who makes and sells them?

Thanks again.

JA