Shark Werks 3.9 liter engine conversion for the 997 GT3 -First impressions
Mar 31, 2011 | 01:04 PM
#52
TEAMSPEED.COM
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 737
This thing is awesome, well done Sharkwerks.
Apr 2, 2011 | 06:13 PM
#55
FIGJAM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,463
curious if you have considered running E85 (with the requisite fueling obviously)? as you noticed such a difference by using 100 octane, E85 could regularly get you similar performance. its plentiful in texas, don't know about your area.
Aug 11, 2011 | 01:43 AM
#57
Thread Starter
| Teamspeed Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 84
Well another milestone has been reached in the adventure of my Sharkwerks 3.9 conversion. I have just recently returned from a 600 mile trip up through northern California and on to the Oregon coast. I have now broken through the 16,000 mile burier and on my way to 17,000 miles.
I have two new additions to the car since my last update; the first one being a new set of Brembo big yellows, something I now wish I had done miles ago. These things are absolutely fantastic! The stock rotors had come to the end of their usefulness and it was time to do something so a trip back to Sharkwerks and a few dollars later I am very happy. Just a few miles after the big brake kit I mounted a set of the new Michelin Super Sports, after talking with Damon at Tire Rack, and made the decision to try a set after being assured that if I didn’t like them before 30 days were up I could return them for a full refund. My initial thought was I would probably be sending them back if they were anything like the PS2’s I had tried awhile back and only had on the car for less then 2000 miles. I had read all the press releases from Michelin and some reviews from some folks who had attended the testing put on in Dubai but was very skeptical about them being comparable to the MPSC’s at almost $500 less and such a high wear rating. Again, I was pleasantly surprised. These are a great tire and an even better value. As many of you know I have been averaging only 2700 miles out of a set of the cups on the rears since having the 3.9 conversion and that is street or road miles only! (I don’t have streets where I live) Don’t misunderstand, they don’t have the same grip as the MPSC’s but are far ahead of the PS2’s and very close to the MPSC’s performance wise. They don’t hunt for grip as with the PS2’s and I have yet to find any disadvantage as far as my style of driving. They appear to be somewhat more forgiving then the cups and the turn-in is still crisp and very precise. I did jump up a size on the fronts to 245’s, run the same PSI as the cups and so far I am very excited about them. Also I now have almost 3200 miles on them and they have well over half their original tread depth, so I would classify them as a bargain and recommend them to anyone looking to replace their cups for road use. I don’t believe I will be going back to the cups.
The motor is running as strong as ever, burns no oil and I have only had to change the plugs and lots of rear tires, oh and brakes. The car is just incredible and still puts a smile on my face every time I turn the key and strap myself in! I love this car!! The next update will be at 20K! Keep in mind that I didn’t do the conversion until 37K so the car has over 53K on right now. Next up is a new Guards LSD, next week!
I have two new additions to the car since my last update; the first one being a new set of Brembo big yellows, something I now wish I had done miles ago. These things are absolutely fantastic! The stock rotors had come to the end of their usefulness and it was time to do something so a trip back to Sharkwerks and a few dollars later I am very happy. Just a few miles after the big brake kit I mounted a set of the new Michelin Super Sports, after talking with Damon at Tire Rack, and made the decision to try a set after being assured that if I didn’t like them before 30 days were up I could return them for a full refund. My initial thought was I would probably be sending them back if they were anything like the PS2’s I had tried awhile back and only had on the car for less then 2000 miles. I had read all the press releases from Michelin and some reviews from some folks who had attended the testing put on in Dubai but was very skeptical about them being comparable to the MPSC’s at almost $500 less and such a high wear rating. Again, I was pleasantly surprised. These are a great tire and an even better value. As many of you know I have been averaging only 2700 miles out of a set of the cups on the rears since having the 3.9 conversion and that is street or road miles only! (I don’t have streets where I live) Don’t misunderstand, they don’t have the same grip as the MPSC’s but are far ahead of the PS2’s and very close to the MPSC’s performance wise. They don’t hunt for grip as with the PS2’s and I have yet to find any disadvantage as far as my style of driving. They appear to be somewhat more forgiving then the cups and the turn-in is still crisp and very precise. I did jump up a size on the fronts to 245’s, run the same PSI as the cups and so far I am very excited about them. Also I now have almost 3200 miles on them and they have well over half their original tread depth, so I would classify them as a bargain and recommend them to anyone looking to replace their cups for road use. I don’t believe I will be going back to the cups.
The motor is running as strong as ever, burns no oil and I have only had to change the plugs and lots of rear tires, oh and brakes. The car is just incredible and still puts a smile on my face every time I turn the key and strap myself in! I love this car!! The next update will be at 20K! Keep in mind that I didn’t do the conversion until 37K so the car has over 53K on right now. Next up is a new Guards LSD, next week!
Aug 11, 2011 | 12:48 PM
#58
Former Sponsor
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,405
From: Northern California
Well another milestone has been reached in the adventure of my Sharkwerks 3.9 conversion. I have just recently returned from a 600 mile trip up through northern California and on to the Oregon coast. I have now broken through the 16,000 mile burier and on my way to 17,000 miles.
I have two new additions to the car since my last update; the first one being a new set of Brembo big yellows, something I now wish I had done miles ago. These things are absolutely fantastic! The stock rotors had come to the end of their usefulness and it was time to do something so a trip back to Sharkwerks and a few dollars later I am very happy. Just a few miles after the big brake kit I mounted a set of the new Michelin Super Sports, after talking with Damon at Tire Rack, and made the decision to try a set after being assured that if I didn’t like them before 30 days were up I could return them for a full refund. My initial thought was I would probably be sending them back if they were anything like the PS2’s I had tried awhile back and only had on the car for less then 2000 miles. I had read all the press releases from Michelin and some reviews from some folks who had attended the testing put on in Dubai but was very skeptical about them being comparable to the MPSC’s at almost $500 less and such a high wear rating. Again, I was pleasantly surprised. These are a great tire and an even better value. As many of you know I have been averaging only 2700 miles out of a set of the cups on the rears since having the 3.9 conversion and that is street or road miles only! (I don’t have streets where I live) Don’t misunderstand, they don’t have the same grip as the MPSC’s but are far ahead of the PS2’s and very close to the MPSC’s performance wise. They don’t hunt for grip as with the PS2’s and I have yet to find any disadvantage as far as my style of driving. They appear to be somewhat more forgiving then the cups and the turn-in is still crisp and very precise. I did jump up a size on the fronts to 245’s, run the same PSI as the cups and so far I am very excited about them. Also I now have almost 3200 miles on them and they have well over half their original tread depth, so I would classify them as a bargain and recommend them to anyone looking to replace their cups for road use. I don’t believe I will be going back to the cups.
The motor is running as strong as ever, burns no oil and I have only had to change the plugs and lots of rear tires, oh and brakes. The car is just incredible and still puts a smile on my face every time I turn the key and strap myself in! I love this car!! The next update will be at 20K! Keep in mind that I didn’t do the conversion until 37K so the car has over 53K on right now. Next up is a new Guards LSD, next week!
I have two new additions to the car since my last update; the first one being a new set of Brembo big yellows, something I now wish I had done miles ago. These things are absolutely fantastic! The stock rotors had come to the end of their usefulness and it was time to do something so a trip back to Sharkwerks and a few dollars later I am very happy. Just a few miles after the big brake kit I mounted a set of the new Michelin Super Sports, after talking with Damon at Tire Rack, and made the decision to try a set after being assured that if I didn’t like them before 30 days were up I could return them for a full refund. My initial thought was I would probably be sending them back if they were anything like the PS2’s I had tried awhile back and only had on the car for less then 2000 miles. I had read all the press releases from Michelin and some reviews from some folks who had attended the testing put on in Dubai but was very skeptical about them being comparable to the MPSC’s at almost $500 less and such a high wear rating. Again, I was pleasantly surprised. These are a great tire and an even better value. As many of you know I have been averaging only 2700 miles out of a set of the cups on the rears since having the 3.9 conversion and that is street or road miles only! (I don’t have streets where I live) Don’t misunderstand, they don’t have the same grip as the MPSC’s but are far ahead of the PS2’s and very close to the MPSC’s performance wise. They don’t hunt for grip as with the PS2’s and I have yet to find any disadvantage as far as my style of driving. They appear to be somewhat more forgiving then the cups and the turn-in is still crisp and very precise. I did jump up a size on the fronts to 245’s, run the same PSI as the cups and so far I am very excited about them. Also I now have almost 3200 miles on them and they have well over half their original tread depth, so I would classify them as a bargain and recommend them to anyone looking to replace their cups for road use. I don’t believe I will be going back to the cups.
The motor is running as strong as ever, burns no oil and I have only had to change the plugs and lots of rear tires, oh and brakes. The car is just incredible and still puts a smile on my face every time I turn the key and strap myself in! I love this car!! The next update will be at 20K! Keep in mind that I didn’t do the conversion until 37K so the car has over 53K on right now. Next up is a new Guards LSD, next week!
The black 2010 that was here needed new tires as they were corded so based on what you're saying he should have just as much fun on them as the PSC's
Keep on smiling and see you soon for the LSD:P
Aug 11, 2011 | 06:36 PM
#60
Teamspeed Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 40
From: Denver, CO
The SW3.9 would make way less HP with E85 compared to 100 octane race gas (even if there was an optional ECU map tuned to give optimum air/fuel mixture with E85).
It's possible to make big power with E85 on turbo motors, since you can turn the boost higher without detonation, but it sucks with normally aspirated motors (unless the motor is built with such high compression that it would never run on pump gas).
Last edited by grant; Aug 11, 2011 at 06:46 PM.