My Car........

BMW 2002 Turbo

When it was found in Italy in 2005.

Date of Birth: 10th August 1974
CC: 1990
Chassis No: 4290386 (No.0386 of 1672)
Horsepower: 170 bhp
0-60mph: 6.9 secs
Top Speed: 131 mph
5-Speed Dog-Leg Gearbox
Limited Slip Differential
Value: £15,000 Approx.
Imported in June 2005 with a mere 68,687 km (42,800 miles) & Two previous owners.

 

Europe’s first turbocharged production road car.
External styling was very “boy-racer” Motorsport stripes were added down each flank, with a boot spoiler to aid high-speed stability, wide arches to house 185 x13 wheels, and aggressive front spoiler and no front bumper. Press models had “2002” and “turbo” added to the front spoiler in reverse script, so any car in front of the Turbo would know exactly what had just suddenly appeared behind him. The Press had a field day with BMW’s irresponsibleness, so it was decided to drop the reverse lettering on all production models. The car often described as ‘Jekyll and Hyde’, “a punch in the kidney’s” said some motoring journalists when the turbocharger suddenly cut-in at just above 4000 Rpm. Famous for it’s turbo-lag, “floor the accelerator and nothing, then suddenly a whoosh of power and off you’d shoot, like a bullet from a gun”. Understandably many ended up embedded in trees, making numbers today even more scarce. One thing can be sure the BMW 2002 Turbo is the ultimate 2002 and the lucky few owners that own one today are exclusive members of a very unique club.

“The Italian Job”
The advantages of buying in Italy (to name one of many warmer European countries) is most of the older cars are indeed rust-free. I found it by “drilling-down” through Internet search engines, as there aren’t many around or for sale these days in the usual places. Owners tend to keep them and the prices are increasing due to their rarity. Don’t worry I’m not going to start an independent Turbo Register, or abandon 02s, I am just full-filing my dream.

After lengthy conversations with the seller and even getting my Italian friend to translate for me to clarify a few miss-understandings (thank you Stefano – again), I decided to fly out to Italy for a few days to check it out. You can book very cheap flights online through Ryan Air or Easy Jet these days, so with everything booked I flew out. I was met at the Airport and taken straight to see the car. After a thorough inspection (I made myself a vehicle Inspection sheet and took it with me – just as well, as it’s easy to get carried away and forget things to check) but this worked. When I finally got to test-drive it, I kept putting it in second gear, as to my surprise it’s got a 5-Speed Dog-Leg gearbox, very rare and the best one to have for a Turbo (so I am told), I kept quiet about that, and the deal was done over dinner later that evening. It’s also got very rare Gotti magnesium alloy wheels. I then spent the afternoon on the beach sipping a beer dreaming about my new 02 and what I needed to do the minute I get it home. There is no rust, strangely though the spare wheel well has be repaired using Fibreglass - must have filled with water at some stage?? But I rang Fay at Jaymic who said, " boot floors aren't that expensive or hard to replace", so too be honest this was fairly trivial. The car's never been under-sealed or Waxoyled etc - It will have to be when I get it home. One of the former owners obviously mounted front Driving lights on the front panel and drilled four holes in it. The front spoiler was broken as well, so when I replace the front spoiler I'll get the holes filled too, and the usual vinyl on the drivers seat is split (but not the end of the World) and it needs a major service and brake overhaul. By the time you read this, these items will all be sorted.

Somewhere in Somerset still Registered on Italian No. Plate.

Engine Bay from O/S

Engine Bay from N/S

Rear View taken in Watchet Somerset.

Tunnel shot at Brands Hatch in early 2006, now with awful UK Registration.

In Good Company in Oberammegau June 2006 for the 40 Year celebrations.

Somewhere in the Austrian Alps during a Tour of the Bavaria 40 Year meet - see Bavaria Report for more.

Taken at the Classic Car Evening Ace Cafe North London in 2005.

Turbo Woe's Part One Dec 2007 (As featured in Total BMW Dec 07);

Be under no illusion, running a 2002 Turbo can be very dramatic. With my previous 02, my Tii Lux it took me over ten years to get it where it was - "on the button". It also took a lot of money, but the car was "sorted" reliable and a delight to drive. So why did I ever connivance myself to do it all again with an even harder choice of 02? I shall properly never know, maybe a form of 02-Madness which is incurable.

I think the main problems with my latest 02 is that is was un-used. Cars are meant to be driven and used to keep them reliable and working correctly. As soon as you start parking any car up for long periods of time - when you return to it, the problems start.

I sourced this rare 02 originally from Italy, I knew what I was getting into (ha, ha) and had a check-list with me to make sure I was getting value for money. When the car was finally trailered to my front door I started sorting it out, and boy was my work cut out. Only half the electrics worked, the cooling system was suspect and all the serviceable parts needed replacing, the brakes were effectively useless, and that was just the mechanics. Because I made myself a list whilst waiting for the car to be brought over I starting buying the essential parts waiting eagerly to sort out my new Turbo. New water pump, radiator, thermostat, hoses, full service, all fluids, brakes, and electrics were sorted. Eventually the car passed it's first UK Mot and was Registered, not forgetting to change headlamp lenses as well. But it wasn't soon after I suspected the head gasket was gone which lead to over heating when in traffic, it couldn't be anything else as that was all replaced.

So this was repaired, turned out it had a crack in it near the valves on No.2 cylinder, it was welded up and skimmed by BJ Ashpoles in Bishops Stortford, and cut along story short seemed to work for a good year.

During this time other suspension parts had been replaced and the paintwork was clayed and polished to bring the bodywork back to life. On the Bavaria Tour 2006 to celebrate the 40 years of the 02, not only did my fuel tank develop leeks, but the alternator gave up the ghost (not much you can do about that), so we ended up returning home on the back of a low loader.

After a brief interlude with the car, things seemed to go ok for a while. Then one day giving it a nice run it developed a miss-fire, obviously we tried all the usual tests, but after a compression test we had no, I mean nothing from No.2 cylinder. Upon inspection it turned out that No.2 exhaust valve had broken-up and the head had now cracked around the valves on No.3 cylinder this time. Arghhh.

Cylinder heads are "NLA" and no one seemed to have one available. After talking to John Hudson (visiting each Summer from N.Z.) he suggested an M10 E30 318i head would do the job with little modification and that the E30 head is better quality metal anyway. Obviously these are fairly easily sourced and priced, so once again the new head was dispatched to BJ's for converting. They checked the hemispherical chambers for volume and believe it or not it's the same as the Turbo, next they had to drill and tap the bigger exhaust studs from 8mm to 10mm, and finally switch over all the valve & cam gear. Of course new exhaust valves had to be sourced and the only place that had them was BMW. These set me back £500 for four valves (sodium filled for heat dissipation), they must be the dearest valves in the World, but on initial inspection they looked different to the old valves (now I'm thinking maybe my car had a Tii head fitted and not the correct Turbo head - there's just no way of knowing what happened to it in Italy before I got it).

Of course new gaskets, filters, fluids etc again had to be fitted, fresh anti-freeze installed, timing checked, and the head torqued down (3 times in all) to make sure everything was bullet-proof.

A few months later after only local trips I was off to the Dutch 02 weekend in Lelystad The Netherlands, on the second day as we're heading for the evening event the front off-side wheel vibrates violently and smoke pouring out of the wheel, you guessed it - the front brake caliper had ceased. Limping off the main road, once again my personal road-angel came to the rescue in the form of Kiwi John, to the amusement of the convoy of UK 02er's John set about freeing up the ceased calliper and about an hour later I was able to continue the trip for a few miles to our evening destination.

Ceased Off-side Brake Calliper.

Typical scene - 02's in a Layby. Others on-looking, even the badge has given up the ghost.

Next morning John dismantled the calliper, and freed up the pistons using wet-and-dry sand paper, then bleeding the brakes, John also pointed out that the Turbocharger was worn-out and metal fillings would continue to go into the engine if I continued to drive it. I was able to think I could make it home this time under my own steam. Several miles later smoke pouring out of the engine, again another road-side repair this time rocker cover gasket (although it's still leaking and undergoing further investigations today). So we decided to limp it home, and we made it without anymore issues. So now the cars off the road "again" this time the brake Calipers have been sent away for rebuild (www.pastparts.co.uk) and the Turbocharger's under investigation by SCM in Huddersfield.

Next Report: What we did with the Turbocharger as BMW want £3400 for a replacement, "yea right", I can buy a whole 02 for that, without all this hassle.

Original KKK on the Left, with new KKK K27 on the right (minus new exhuast studs). Notice the improved vanes on new model. Mounting holes for bracket to engine are also in the wrong place & the bracket will need altering.

You'll notice the longer output neck, the inlet pipe will need cutting down a few inches. In this picture the unit just needs rotating 180-degrees.

More Soon.....