997 GT3 too noisy for Donnington ?
Discussion
I attended the PCGB trackday at Donnington, last Wedenesday. Took my GT3 Mk1. We had a great day, good weather etc, plenty of track time. It was my first time round there. Awesome track for a Porsche! (despite having to grab a very big armful of opposite lock, coming out of the old hairpin!)
As expected, there were 4 new 997 GT3's on track that day. Two "standard" cars, one black and one dark silver, and two RS's. One black and one orange. They were the first of the new GT3's I'd seen up close, and they were stunning.
Unfortunately for the owners, every single one of them tripped the drive-by noise meters at 99.5db, when the limit is 98db. Apparently there are two static noise meters at Donnington, and two that are moved around the circuit. (There was a sole Carrera GT that did the same.)
I got chatting to two of the owners, and they were most p***ed off that they were unable to exploit their cars to their full potential. Apparently , turning off the sport button made no difference to the noise level. All they could do was use a lot less revs.
Now I'm sure this topic has been covered before, on these pages, but I've not been on for a while. I would like to try and find out if you could get the car to be quieter, so that you are not so restricted on your choice of UK circuits.
One of the RS owners thought that it may be due to the twin exhausts exiting at the centre of the car, rather than one to each side.
The 997 GT3 is a stunning car. Porsche got it just right and IMHO it look best in white. I would have to think carefully though, about buying a standard car, that I couldn't get through noise testing at many of the UK circuits.
As expected, there were 4 new 997 GT3's on track that day. Two "standard" cars, one black and one dark silver, and two RS's. One black and one orange. They were the first of the new GT3's I'd seen up close, and they were stunning.
Unfortunately for the owners, every single one of them tripped the drive-by noise meters at 99.5db, when the limit is 98db. Apparently there are two static noise meters at Donnington, and two that are moved around the circuit. (There was a sole Carrera GT that did the same.)
I got chatting to two of the owners, and they were most p***ed off that they were unable to exploit their cars to their full potential. Apparently , turning off the sport button made no difference to the noise level. All they could do was use a lot less revs.
Now I'm sure this topic has been covered before, on these pages, but I've not been on for a while. I would like to try and find out if you could get the car to be quieter, so that you are not so restricted on your choice of UK circuits.
One of the RS owners thought that it may be due to the twin exhausts exiting at the centre of the car, rather than one to each side.
The 997 GT3 is a stunning car. Porsche got it just right and IMHO it look best in white. I would have to think carefully though, about buying a standard car, that I couldn't get through noise testing at many of the UK circuits.
Yep, i was there today with 2 other GT3's and we all got flagged early on......
this was in non sport mode too...
The thing i have found, is that having sport 'off' only makes the car quieter under
4k revs, as after then, the exhaust valve opens anyway, and then you are giving out same
noise levels as when sport is 'on'
The only possible way around it i can see, is to see if this valve could be switched to be permanently
shut when in non sport mode....
I shall be putting in a call to Porsche technical on Monday to discuss this matter
and see if there are any options............
G.
G.
this was in non sport mode too...
The thing i have found, is that having sport 'off' only makes the car quieter under
4k revs, as after then, the exhaust valve opens anyway, and then you are giving out same
noise levels as when sport is 'on'
The only possible way around it i can see, is to see if this valve could be switched to be permanently
shut when in non sport mode....
I shall be putting in a call to Porsche technical on Monday to discuss this matter
and see if there are any options............
G.
G.
The noise issue is all a bit "nanny state", considering East Midlands airport sends up a Boeing over the circuit every 10 minutes. However, it's the same at Goodwood, which is my nearest circuit.
It's a shame that that Porsche didn't do aything about it. They must have known about the noise, and how most of these cars were going to be driven and where (circuits at some stage!). I imagine they must have a lot of irate customers, who have spent a large chunk of money on a beautiful car they will have to drive at seven tenths on certain circuits. The GT3 owners I spoke to were less than happy.
I guess the answer is to stick to the circuits where you can make as much beautiful noise as you like.......
It's a shame that that Porsche didn't do aything about it. They must have known about the noise, and how most of these cars were going to be driven and where (circuits at some stage!). I imagine they must have a lot of irate customers, who have spent a large chunk of money on a beautiful car they will have to drive at seven tenths on certain circuits. The GT3 owners I spoke to were less than happy.
I guess the answer is to stick to the circuits where you can make as much beautiful noise as you like.......
glenn mcmenamin said:
Yep, i was there today with 2 other GT3's and we all got flagged early on......
this was in non sport mode too...
The thing i have found, is that having sport 'off' only makes the car quieter under
4k revs, as after then, the exhaust valve opens anyway, and then you are giving out same
noise levels as when sport is 'on'
The only possible way around it i can see, is to see if this valve could be switched to be permanently
shut when in non sport mode....
I shall be putting in a call to Porsche technical on Monday to discuss this matter
and see if there are any options............
G.
G.
this was in non sport mode too...
The thing i have found, is that having sport 'off' only makes the car quieter under
4k revs, as after then, the exhaust valve opens anyway, and then you are giving out same
noise levels as when sport is 'on'
The only possible way around it i can see, is to see if this valve could be switched to be permanently
shut when in non sport mode....
I shall be putting in a call to Porsche technical on Monday to discuss this matter
and see if there are any options............
G.
G.
Might be worth raising it with Wayne Darley at PCGB? He did try and sort the 996 alloys with Germany although sadly he failed.
oppolock said:
The noise issue is all a bit "nanny state", considering East Midlands airport sends up a Boeing over the circuit every 10 minutes. However, it's the same at Goodwood, which is my nearest circuit.
It's a shame that that Porsche didn't do aything about it. They must have known about the noise, and how most of these cars were going to be driven and where (circuits at some stage!). I imagine they must have a lot of irate customers, who have spent a large chunk of money on a beautiful car they will have to drive at seven tenths on certain circuits. The GT3 owners I spoke to were less than happy.
I guess the answer is to stick to the circuits where you can make as much beautiful noise as you like.......
It's a shame that that Porsche didn't do aything about it. They must have known about the noise, and how most of these cars were going to be driven and where (circuits at some stage!). I imagine they must have a lot of irate customers, who have spent a large chunk of money on a beautiful car they will have to drive at seven tenths on certain circuits. The GT3 owners I spoke to were less than happy.
I guess the answer is to stick to the circuits where you can make as much beautiful noise as you like.......
to be honest, i'm not that pi$$ed about it, my last GT3 was modded, and i had an exhaust just as noisey, so
no stranger to the odd black flag or so....
The frustrating thing here is, that i feel it's a big oportunity missed, i really love the sound
of the new GT3, and wouldn't change it, but with this sport button, there was a chance of best of both worlds, by
just switching between quiet and loud, which would have been soo perfect...
Having said this, i still don't let it detract for the ownership of the car, as i am in total love with it, and
enjoy driving it soooo much, there are still enough other tracks to get your kicks from..
G.
Edited by glenn mcmenamin on Friday 6th April 20:53
DanH said:
glenn mcmenamin said:
Yep, i was there today with 2 other GT3's and we all got flagged early on......
this was in non sport mode too...
The thing i have found, is that having sport 'off' only makes the car quieter under
4k revs, as after then, the exhaust valve opens anyway, and then you are giving out same
noise levels as when sport is 'on'
The only possible way around it i can see, is to see if this valve could be switched to be permanently
shut when in non sport mode....
I shall be putting in a call to Porsche technical on Monday to discuss this matter
and see if there are any options............
G.
G.
this was in non sport mode too...
The thing i have found, is that having sport 'off' only makes the car quieter under
4k revs, as after then, the exhaust valve opens anyway, and then you are giving out same
noise levels as when sport is 'on'
The only possible way around it i can see, is to see if this valve could be switched to be permanently
shut when in non sport mode....
I shall be putting in a call to Porsche technical on Monday to discuss this matter
and see if there are any options............
G.
G.
Might be worth raising it with Wayne Darley at PCGB? He did try and sort the 996 alloys with Germany although sadly he failed.
Maybe, but i think you may have also answered your own question there though......
If i wasn't such a lazy git, i'd start a petition... but as said, don't want this to overshadow the ownership of the car....
Edited by glenn mcmenamin on Friday 6th April 20:53
Having attended the launch of the GT3 at Reading with Titanic, they proudly announced the louder system to howls of dismay from the drooling audience....
It seemed they were totally unaware of the UK circuit noise issues and with so many punters after a more sporty sound they must have thought they were doing us a favour.
What it needs is for some clever zorst specialist to come up with a trick attenuator that can be slipped on easily without reducing power output for use on quiet circuits....
It seemed they were totally unaware of the UK circuit noise issues and with so many punters after a more sporty sound they must have thought they were doing us a favour.
What it needs is for some clever zorst specialist to come up with a trick attenuator that can be slipped on easily without reducing power output for use on quiet circuits....
There must be someone, somewhere who can find a solution to this. I will be buying a 997 GT3 when I can afford to. It is without doubt, the nicest looking car Porsche have made for some years, and I'm sure it will drive better than my current GT3. I just hope that by the time I do, some clever 'exhausty' bloke, will have found a solution to the noise issue. As soon as he does, I'm sure there will bo a long line of customers................
In the mean time, the standard GT3 Mk1 I currently have will be enjoyed to the full, wherever I decide to take it, safe in the knowledge that when I get to the circuit I will not have black flag wave at me for being too noisy!!
In the mean time, the standard GT3 Mk1 I currently have will be enjoyed to the full, wherever I decide to take it, safe in the knowledge that when I get to the circuit I will not have black flag wave at me for being too noisy!!
Just a thought and I can't promise that it will work but....
If you look under the exhaust boxes right at the back of the car you will see two matching black rubber tubes. These are the tubes that force open the exhaust flaps. You can safely disconnect them by simply pulling one end away from the push on connection. I think this will stop the flaps opening and you can push them back on when you leave the track.
By the same token you can make your GT3 noisy all the time by sealing one end of each tube with a suitable self tapping screw or similar high tech device !
D.
If you look under the exhaust boxes right at the back of the car you will see two matching black rubber tubes. These are the tubes that force open the exhaust flaps. You can safely disconnect them by simply pulling one end away from the push on connection. I think this will stop the flaps opening and you can push them back on when you leave the track.
By the same token you can make your GT3 noisy all the time by sealing one end of each tube with a suitable self tapping screw or similar high tech device !
D.
I was at dony on weds with the cgt,first session max 5,500 revs,100.1 drive by,black flag.
How ever they did let me back on,most of the day changing at 4,000 rpm.They were very helpfull in the control trower,even let me drive around just to get some drive by noise levels.
May be the club should book some noiser days also,as the track seemed quite empty with out the gt3 boys on track.
Entertaining part was giving the car some revs when the planes were coming over,a shame we cant enjoy the cars on the road and now track so much.
I am suprised porsche are building the cars with such a noise level,as most german circuits are stricter than uk,So it cant be news to them!
How ever they did let me back on,most of the day changing at 4,000 rpm.They were very helpfull in the control trower,even let me drive around just to get some drive by noise levels.
May be the club should book some noiser days also,as the track seemed quite empty with out the gt3 boys on track.
Entertaining part was giving the car some revs when the planes were coming over,a shame we cant enjoy the cars on the road and now track so much.
I am suprised porsche are building the cars with such a noise level,as most german circuits are stricter than uk,So it cant be news to them!
Shame about being slightly restricted on track but am I right in thinking that Wednesday was a "quiet" day at Donnington? Perhaps you'd be okay on a noisy day?
Have to say how great the new GT3s sounded on circuit....
My favourite car of the day was the white GT3. Looks so pure....
Ajit.
Have to say how great the new GT3s sounded on circuit....
My favourite car of the day was the white GT3. Looks so pure....
Ajit.
Gassing Station | Porsche General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff