# The steptronic fool gets sharked!



## alee (Dec 19, 2001)

Red light. I look over to the right, and spot an E46 M3 cabrio. The M3 driver turns and gives a slight nod in my direction. I smile and nod back. I hear 2 sharp raspy revs from the M3, and I knew he was ready to show some muscle. I smile, drop my car into neutral and give him 2 revs of my own. 3... 2... 1... the light turns green. M1 mode engaged, I floor the car and engage kickdown. The M3 grabs first hard, and takes off.

Dead even to first gear. The M3 power shifts to 2nd, and my steptronic slurs beautifully into 2nd. I'm gaining. 2 car lengths and pulling. Here comes 3rd gear... 5-6 car lengths... and I'm laughing like a hyena. 330Ci steptronic owns E46 M3. But this was no ordinary 330Ci... it was a sharked 330Ci.

If you're expecting this type of performance, you're raving mad, and you deserve to be disappointed by the Shark Injector. 

My sharking experience went as expected -- which means something went wrong. In my case, the battery charger I bought didn't work. :madrazz: So I had to make an unscheduled trip to Sears to pick up a 10A manual battery charger. The new charger worked like a charm.

Of the 32 easy to follow steps to sharking your car, there are really only 5 important steps... most of the rest of the instructions just detail what you're see the injector doing. It was really simple to do.

Initial driving impressions:
As others have said, the change is subtle. Don't expect much. What you should experience is the car seems a little easier to drive -- like your timing is just right getting on the gas, etc. I think the more responsive tuning of the car's electronic throttle is apparent here. While I can't say I've ever been bothered or noticed any of the car's throttle lag, I did notice that the car is more responsive after the sharking, and maybe I had trained myself to deal with lag. The car moves quickly and immediately. For this I'm happy. While I had no complaints before, I feel the car is reacting differently and I'm a bit happier. Over time though, I think I will be accustomed to this "new" feature of my car, and it won't matter as much as it does today.

Now for the bad part (Steptronic owners):
The shark does not tune the steptronic software. That means no raised redline. While your car's hard redline may be 7000 rpm, the steptronic software is still programmed to shift at 6500. You will not get the extra 500 rpm. I ran to the redline a dozen times today, and I could not get beyond 6500 rpm. Very disappointing. :madrazz: I am calling Turner on Monday to discuss this.

The bad part is pretty bad IMHO, esp. since it is the only improvement that you will always notice. So steptronic owners, consider yourself warned. I don't expect Turner or Conforti to do anything about it, but I am going to complain -- it is an advertised improvement, and I am not getting that improvement.

Oh, and that M3 race did sort of happen.  Except I took off in 1st, he held dead even in 1st, picked 2nd gear and had at least 4 lengths on me. By 3rd, I was the one owned.


----------



## AB (Jan 11, 2002)

Until I got past the second paragraph, as highly impossible as the story was, I was owned.


----------



## alee (Dec 19, 2001)

rumatt said:


> Thanks for the review Al. Bummer about the rev limiter.


I guess I was expecting too much there... I assumed that the steptronic "looks" at the pre-programmed redline and uses that as the hard shift point. However, it appears the transmission has its own software profile which ignores the hard redline.

I know the Dinan steptronic software will let you bounce off the limiter, and I think that's what I would need to get my ego and 500 rpm back. Not for what Dinan charges though.

For Steptronic folks, I'd say it's the Shark is worth about $175. Not $349. Unless Turner or someone else points out that I did something wrong in my sharking.


----------



## Alex Baumann (Dec 19, 2001)

Congratulations Al


----------



## Dr. Phil (Dec 19, 2001)

On a positive note, I did not read of an unscheduled trip to the ER at least


----------



## Cliff (Apr 19, 2002)

I bet Sears is wondering about the sudden spike in charger sales. The increased rev limit is fun - I got another taste of it today while on the way to work. 3rd gear, somewhere North of 100mph... :eeps: 

You're right, $350 is too much for tranny software :thumbdwn:


----------



## alee (Dec 19, 2001)

Cliff3 said:


> The increased rev limit is fun - I got another taste of it today while on the way to work.


:flipoff:

Time for me to call Turner and b!tch. :madrazz:


----------



## AF (Dec 21, 2001)

That sounds pretty cool, I didn't know the shark is available ... do you have a link to the website and what exactly are you supposed to gain from it.


BTW I was loving the whole M3 kill until you confessed the truth :nono:

I hope this race story doesn't get out or it could be another anti-street racing thread


----------



## alee (Dec 19, 2001)

AF330i said:


> That sounds pretty cool, I didn't know the shark is available ... do you have a link to the website and what exactly are you supposed to gain from it.


Here's some info: http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=INJ3-OBD_E46_325_330

The gains are very small. You get a remapped throttle curve, about 2hp gain, and a +500 rpm on the redline. 


> I hope this race story doesn't get out or it could be another anti-street racing thread


----------



## AF (Dec 21, 2001)

alee said:


> Here's some info: http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=INJ3-OBD_E46_325_330
> 
> The gains are very small. You get a remapped throttle curve, about 2hp gain, and a +500 rpm on the redline.


Wow for $350. for 2 hp is barely a gain . . . I think that sounds like way too much money for so little :thumbdwn:


----------



## ObD (Dec 29, 2001)

Thanks for the review. $350 dollars saved and deposited into the ///M fund. :angel:


----------



## TurnerMS (Sep 9, 2003)

alee said:


> :flipoff:
> 
> Time for me to call Turner and b!tch. :madrazz:


800 280-6966
We are here until 6PM EST.

Doug
Turner Motorsport

PS: I just replied to your email.


----------



## alee (Dec 19, 2001)

rumatt said:


> I think the key is the throttle mapping. This could easily be worth $350 depending on how much it improves the throttle feel.


This is hard to quantify... I think this depends on how adaptive the driver is as well. If you wake up every morning and feel like your throttle response is horrible, I think the upgrade could make a pretty big difference to you.

If you, as a driver, are adaptive and adjust your driving habits to compensate for your car's idiosyncrasies (such as throttle delay), the change in pace will be nice but I think that once the "new" wears off, it won't make much of a difference later on.

The steptronic has other factors working against it, so I can't tell you how significant of an improvement the throttle remapping is vs. a manual transmission car. I do think whatever was done is pretty nice, but in a month, I'd be hard pressed identify the specific improvement in the response.


----------



## AF (Dec 21, 2001)

rumatt said:


> I think the key is the throttle mapping. This could easily be worth $350 depending on how much it improves the throttle feel.


Al says the throttle response is a little better but keep in mind he has a MY2001 and in 2002 they made the throttle response better so you might not find that much improvement.

If the throttle response bothers you, I noticed my ECIS intake improves throttle response.

Come on out to Long Island and take my car for a spin and see if you like the difference . . . for $350 I think I'd go with the intake over the Shark . . .


----------



## ItchyNScratchy (Jul 9, 2003)

Great review alee,

That just cofirms that if u want any meaningful performance
gain for the e46, u'll need to go with Forced induction.
That $350 is going towards the AA charger fund  

I was not aware that the shark advertised steptronic adjustments to the software.
The only software i was aware of that claimed to improve shifting responses for the step is the dinan (correct me if i am wrong).
:dunno:


----------



## alee (Dec 19, 2001)

ItchyNScratchy said:


> I was not aware that the shark advertised steptronic adjustments to the software.


They don't... but they do talk about a 500rpm gain, which is not realized with the steptronic.


----------



## JPinTO (Dec 20, 2001)

Very funny story. :rofl: 

C'mon, are you really surprised? The shark pretty much sucks... I posted a year ago about that. 

There is a way to get 8000rpm out of an E46!


----------



## alee (Dec 19, 2001)

JPinTO said:


> There is a way to get 8000rpm out of an E46!


Don't you influence me. :madrazz: Haven't seen you around in a while.


----------



## JPinTO (Dec 20, 2001)

alee said:


> Don't you influence me. :madrazz: Haven't seen you around in a while.


Hehehe... I've been gone so long that I thought there was something VERY screwed up with your car when you mentioned the 6500 rpm limit.

I've been stupid busy this year and my M3 has been the best car I've ever had--- so no need to A) biatch about anything B) look for anything better.

Your story caught my eye, because I wouldn't be surprised that a 330CI beat a M3Cab. I drove a M3cab before a coupe and was underwhelmed at it's performance. I almost wrote off the M3 completely, but then a M3Coupe came along. Totally different animal, IMO.

- JP


----------



## cenotaph (Dec 19, 2001)

JPinTO said:


> C'mon, are you really surprised? The shark pretty much sucks... I posted a year ago about that.


 
I'm getting tired of all the "OMG teh shrk suxors cause it doesn't g3t +100 hp!!!!!11111oneoneone" posts.

If you were seriously expecting to get significant gains out of _any_ software for the E46, I've got a bridge and some ocean front property in Utah to sell you. Cheap. Cash only, and you better hurry because I've got people lined up to buy.

Also, saying it sucks just because it doesn't make a lot of power is idiotic. Sometimes I wonder why some of you didn't buy/stay with a pony car/turboed r1ce burner. I get the feeling that you would've been much happier there.

/rant

NB: JP, this is not necessarily directed at you. Your post was mearly the one that made me snap.


----------



## JPinTO (Dec 20, 2001)

cenotaph said:


> NB: JP, this is not necessarily directed at you. Your post was mearly the one that made me snap.


 Thanks--- this thread is full of chuckles today.

Yes, "sucks" is a strong word... but in the end, what else are you buying it for?? You feel the difference at first, and a week later, it's like it isn't there. Kind of like the $350 that isn't there also.

Then again, I'm kinda wondering why I can't feel the S54 motor in my E46 any longer either.


----------



## Cliff (Apr 19, 2002)

JPinTO said:


> Yes, "sucks" is a strong word... but in the end, what else are you buying it for?? You feel the difference at first, and a week later, it's like it isn't there. Kind of like the $350 that isn't there also.


Not horsepower - you'd have to be an idiot to misread the dyno chart that Turner has posted on their site.


----------



## LarryN (Dec 24, 2001)

Al, thanks for the mini review. If I had a step, I wouldn't go for it...

I was over at SpaceMonkey's house on Saturday, and took his 330 out (sharked and gruppeM'ed) straight from driving my car to his house (330 as well) I noticed a definite improvement in his car. Of course the intake makes some difference, but I've driven his car with "just" the intake on it. There is a smotther transition between gears, and it _does_ seem easier shifting. There is also just a wee tad more there in the lower power band.

However, the most noticable difference, and the reason I'm going to get one is the due to the rev limiter increase. Not only does it sound reeeeaaaaal cool at 7k, the extreme benefit of being at a more powerful (torque-wise) rpm in 2nd gear would be a great benefit for autox, imo. Also, for those who do autox... How many times have you thought, "damn... wonder if I should have downshifted back in that last section" as you are bogged down in 2nd coming out of a particularly tight turnaround? You probably made the correct decision not shifting since you'd only be in 1st for a couple of seconds, at best. Now, I could hold 1st until I was screaming at 7k before popping it back to 2nd. Oh, one more thing... I will be unlikely to hit a rev limiter at ~71mph's unless I bought R's.

Oh, one more thing. If Alexi's parents ever invite you over their house for a party, take them up on it. Incredible food... :thumbup: I want the recipe for that greek "stew". Simply amazing. I think I might have been the first to leave at 2am. Didn't even realize it was late (plus the Pats solidfied the lead as an added bonus).


----------



## alee (Dec 19, 2001)

LarryN said:


> Al, thanks for the mini review. If I had a step, I wouldn't go for it...


Yeah, I'm inclined to agree here. It is frustrating to discover I only got 2/3 of the benefits of the shark. However, even though I could unshark my car and send it back to Turner, I think I'm going to keep it. The Dinan software is always a possibility. I just can't say I'm happy that the one feature I wanted the most is not available to me because it wasn't made clear that this feature is excluded from steptronic vehicles.


> However, the most noticable difference, and the reason I'm going to get one is the due to the rev limiter increase. Not only does it sound reeeeaaaaal cool at 7k


Grrrrrrrr... :madrazz:


----------



## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

rumatt said:


> But Al. You could probably test out the new rev limter in 5th gear, when there are no more gears left, right? This would allow you to confirm the removal of the speed limiter at the same time.


Now where in NY could he find a stretch of road (without potholes) to test that out on? :dunno:


----------



## cenotaph (Dec 19, 2001)

LarryN said:


> Al, thanks for the mini review. If I had a step, I wouldn't go for it...
> 
> I was over at SpaceMonkey's house on Saturday, and took his 330 out (sharked and gruppeM'ed) straight from driving my car to his house (330 as well) I noticed a definite improvement in his car.


  
There was a get together?  

So Larry, when you gonna put me on the list? :stickpoke I'm feeling left out over here. :bawling:


----------



## LarryN (Dec 24, 2001)

cenotaph said:


> There was a get together?
> 
> So Larry, when you gonna put me on the list? :stickpoke I'm feeling left out over here. :bawling:


Nooo. Not a get together. I just went over to watch the game, which coinicided with a christmas party that was happening at the house. 

I'm definitely doing something at my place, but I'll wait for Frenchboy to come back from Frankreich, which I think is 1/2/2004. Also, I'm 99% done on my new room, with just the finishing of the stairs to go. :thumbup: I'll probably finish up with things this weekend, and we are good to go! Probably 1/10 will be a good time. I'll firm things up this week. I want this to be a party and not a tech session again... Bring your S.O.'s, not SO-3's..


----------



## jason330i (Jan 29, 2002)

on a related note, i am quite pleased with my technik stage 1 which includes the gruppeM intake + software.

i definitely notice an improvement of power and throttle response. and i have a step + heavy acs wheels.

thus, my point is you may feel more of a benefit if you add an intake with the shark.

:thumbup:


----------



## Mdk330i (Feb 24, 2002)

alee said:


> Yeah, I'm inclined to agree here. It is frustrating to discover I only got 2/3 of the benefits of the shark. However, even though I could unshark my car and send it back to Turner, I think I'm going to keep it. The Dinan software is always a possibility. I just can't say I'm happy that the one feature I wanted the most is not available to me because it wasn't made clear that this feature is excluded from steptronic vehicles.
> 
> Grrrrrrrr... :madrazz:


What about adding the Dinan Auto Tranny Software? I know it would be expensive but that would get you the increase rpm's.


----------



## Alex Baumann (Dec 19, 2001)

alee said:


> Grrrrrrrr... :madrazz:


:bustingup :bustingup :eeps:

Al, what was the redline on your car again ? :angel:


----------



## Dr. Phil (Dec 19, 2001)

Alex Baumann said:


> :bustingup :bustingup :eeps:
> 
> Al, what was the redline on your car again ? :angel:


 

:lmao:


----------



## Alex Baumann (Dec 19, 2001)

Dr. Phil said:


> :lmao:


I know, I know.....


----------



## alee (Dec 19, 2001)

Mdk330i said:


> What about adding the Dinan Auto Tranny Software? I know it would be expensive but that would get you the increase rpm's.


Always an option, but I still feel that what the Shark Injector is supposed to deliver was misrepresented. The problem isn't spending the money for the Dinan software as much as why TMS hasn't adjusted their language in their ads to stop misleading people.



> TMS OBD-II Performance Engine Software also provides an increase in the factory rev-limit


Also the dyno charts also show another 500 rpm available.

Granted they are stating "engine software", and not "transmission software"; however, I do feel it is a bit misleading. Unless I'm wrong, I would assume that anyone reading the text of the ads would assume that they will get the +500 rpms, steptronic or not.

This is not to diminish the other improvements of the Shark Injector. I just feel that as a steptronic E46 owner, I didn't get $349 worth. And spending another $350 or so for Dinan software defeats the whole point of a nice little package that I can install and uninstall by myself.


----------



## bmw325 (Dec 19, 2001)

Personally, I think you guys are nuts to rev your engines to 7k-- I would never have the guts to do that--particularly on a car that I plan to keep for a while. While the Shark does seem over-priced just to get less throttle lag-- that aspect of my car does kind of bug me-- so I might still consider getting the shark.


----------

