M96 3.8L Motors
 

Anyone know if there's a group that has done much re-working of those motors? I know Flat 6 Innovations has had great success taking the 3.2 motor up to 3.6, but I haven't really heard of anyone starting with one of the 2005-later 3.8 Carrera S motors as a starting point. I am wondering if the 3.8's are already pretty much maxed out right out of the gate?

The 3.8 is actually an M97, not an M96. LN could certainly sleeve it if you wanted Nickies, run JE pistons, R&R or Pauter rods, LN upgraded IMS assembly, oil system mods, etc.

I don't know for sure, but there MAY be room to punch out the bore a hair more than the 99mm it already is.

My motor started life as a 3.6 (96mm bore with 82.8mm crank) and was sleeved with Nickies out to 99mm (so the 3.6 became a 3.8), and uses the 997 3.8 head gasket.

Not sure if the M97 really is any better or if it's just a function of the small sample size, but you don't seem to hear about 3.8s blowing up....