engine and drivetrain Total Newbie Here!

[evanb]

I just brought home my new 2002! Its been a dream for awhile, and I was finally in a position to get one, so i found a good condition 73 2002 and got it! Im pumped!

 

But, this is my first classic car, and i have no idea where to begin. Where do you vets start with a restore? 

 

I was thinking:

suspension

engine

transmission

interior

exterior

 

This will be a long haul restore, as im not rolling in cash. How does this plan sound?

 

Can anyone break down the steps for me? for the suspension i was thinking replace bushings all around, replace any really beat up parts, get some coilovers? does that sound good?

 

Im lost, excited, and terrified! Any help would be much appreciated. I look forward to getting out there for some weekend meetups soon (California bay area)!

 

Oh, one last question:

 

what are your must have resources? books, websites, informative threads on forums, anything to help get me started!

 

Thanks again!

[jrhone]

Nice car! From the looks of it it's in pretty good shape.

Start at safety issues. So if its a bad running or leaky/smokey engine start there. How are the brakes? Belts and hoses? How is the transmission? clutch? diff? Electrical? Then go for performance mods. Suspension but jumping right to coilovers? How low do you want it? Mine is on springs/shocks and it's pretty low. Not many people want it that low. Coilovers may be overkill. So do research on how low you want it. What kind of roads you drive on and the ride you want. Then get the suspension that does it all. Coilovers may be? But Ireland or H&R may be as well. Engine. Again same thing. How much power do you want and how mych arw you willing to pay? with increased HP there are usually tradeoffs. Nothing is a perfect setup. Your car came with 100hp. Not great by todays standards. With engine work and $$ you can get to 150 and still have a pretty reliable street car. Beyond that you really need to do more work with the M10 engine. You can do an S14 M3 engine swap. Almost bolts in. Is about te same suze and weight and gives 200-260 HP depending on which year and model engine you got. Pretty good power for a car this light. Expect to pay 5k for a good engine. Rebuilds can be 10k and the install another 2-3 grand. Minimum. Not cheap but you will get a pretty modern fuel injected engine with racing DNA. This swap also usually holds its value when done right. There is also the M20 from the e30 325 which is a a small six. More work has to be done on this as some structural stuff may need to be modified. This is good for 180+ but is fairly inexpensive as these motors are plentiful. There is also the later M42/M44 engines which are 1.8s from the 318i or the 1.9 from the z3. 140 hp stock. Modern fuel injection make it easy to maintain and have good driveability. Engines are fairly inexpensive and easy to get. So the first thing is decide what u want from it and get the parts that will get that. Maybe that's a start. Good luck and have fun!!!

[Koblenz]

Welcome to the clan and to the addiction. You will find a lot of great info here.  In researching and prepping for my build I used the site search. I gave me insight before I broke something.  There are many great vendors here.

 

I suggest make your wish list, sell one kidney and work for tips at a nice hotel.  That being said, I stopped lookng at what I spend because this car is better than a mistress.  More expense, but better. 

 

Post often.

[thehackmechanic]

Evan:

 

Welcome.

 

From the one pic, your car looks quite pretty. Congrats.

 

What to do first?

 

Nothing on your list. Stop. Take a deep breath. Nothing will kill your enjoyment of an enthusiast car more than immediately taking it apart, reducing it to a pile of undriveable nuts and bolts and wiring.

 

DRIVE the car. Psychically inhabit the car. As you are doing that, make notes on what it needs to get to where you want it to be. For many folks, the first set of hurdles are the clunks and rattles any old car has. And this is typically more than just "bushings." But you can make great strides at de-rattle a car without going through a full-blown restoration. 

 

This site is the best all-around resource out there, but you need to commit many evenings to judicious use of the search function.

 

A jrhone said, safety first. Then reliability. If you don't know the car's history, I'd change every fluid -- oil, brake, trani and differential. Then I'd check every hose (coolant and fuel) and fan belt. This will go a long way toward allowing you to drive the car without silly preventable things stranding you. (Not to plug my book, but there's a chapter on this in my book.)

 

I'd strongly recommend you not jump straight to obsessing about things like coilovers. You appear to have a pretty, shiny, running 2002. Enjoy it. Smile at it. DRIVE IT. Don't go whole hog into suspension mods before driving a similarly-equipped car. I set up a 2002 as a track rat 25 years ago and eventually sold it because I'd turned it into something I didn't really enjoy. Take it slow.

 

--Rob

[crosson9]

Congrats and nice car!! I bought my first 02 six years ago and it is an endless spend money and fix joy of a car to drive. Check out the braking system, that was my first major project. Forty year old calipers need to be addressed if they haven't been taken care of before you bought it. Good luck the car is so much fun to drive and people love seeing it when you have it out. I have yet to get use to strangers pulling in the gas station just to look at the car and chat about it, or getting hollered at, at stop lights.  -T.J.

[TobyB]

drive it first.  Then fix what's driving you nuts.  Then drive it some more.

 

t

[peterschop]

Where to begin depends on the car. Drive the car and see what it needs. Safety comes first. Make sure it stops and the suspension is safe. One of the things I usually replace right away are the tires and battery. They both have a limited life span. Nothing worse than being out in public and the car won't start because of a dead battery. 

 

Drive the car for awhile and you will find it's problems. Make sure the car is in good tune and as said before, all the fluids, have been changed and the belts and hoses are good condition. Once you have a reliable car, then you may or not want to move to upgrades.

 

 

[Palindrome]

+1 on hackmechanic's comment. 

 

I'm assuming this is a running/driving car that has been in at least occasional use recently. Your first goal is to get what you have into tip-top shape as a daily driver.  This is what a 40-year old car would be like if a consciencious owner had it professionally maintained without fail.  Do not do any modifications at this stage.

 

In order:

 

1:  ADDRESS BASIC SAFETY

-- Check and top off all fluids (brakes, radiator, engine oil, steering box, transmission, differential) and set the tire pressure.  Replace the tires if necessary. Check that all lights and horn are operational. Get a fire extinguisher and a set of basic tools to carry in the car (lots of threads here about tools).

 

2.A:  ORGANIZE YOUR WORK SPACE

-- Garage, driveway, parking space in the street, wherever.  Know how you will store and access your tools and parts, keep them secure, and make your working environment as safe and pleasant as possible.  Acquire basic shop tools you don't already have (floor jack, jack stands, small air compressor, lighting, torque wrench, etc.)  A lousy work environment will curb your enthusiasm very quickly and you need to prepare for the long haul.

 

2.B:  GATHER DATA

-- If the car has been in at least occasional use, drive the car for a week or two; leave a notepad in the car and make notes of anything you think of that merits review.  Apart from how it drives, think about things like wind noise or water entering the cabin (could be bad window seals), if the gauges work properly or do funny things, you may have to scout around for bad grounds and so on.  Are the visor clips there? Do the rear windows stay open? Do the doors close precisely or wobble a bit? Is there any play or thunking in the steering?  During this period clean and wax the car thoroughly.  From your pic this is a pretty car, so dress her up and take her out!  The best way to clean the engine bay is with Simple Green and lots of red rags. 

-- Find out if the car leaks anything from anywhere.  Check your garage floor or carry a flashlight to look under the car whenever you park it. 

-- Find the rust.  Pull up the carpets in the front (especially by the pedals), pull out the rear seat, and look at the rocker panels with a cynical heart.  Check the base of the rear pillars and under the rear window for paint bubbling.  Check the trailing edge of the front fenders.  Inspect the underside of the doors.  There will be some rust, find it and make notes.  The location and amount will influence decisions about body work and paint.

-- Check for smoke from the exhaust, note color, when it happens (cold start up, overrun, etc.)

-- Make a to do list.

 

3:  PERFORM PERIODIC MAINTENANCE

-- Change all fluids, cooling/heating system hoses, brake lines, etc.

-- Lubricate all lube points, including door checks, hood and trunk hinges, sunroof cables, etc. 

-- Adjust valves and do a complete tune up. While adjusting valves, ID the cam to see if it is stock or something more agressive.

-- Run a compression test to determine the state of your engine.

-- Replace steering and suspension bushings (subframe bushings too if necessary).

-- Check wheel bearings and repack if necessary.

-- Replace clutch if necessary.

-- Replace brake components as necessary.

 

Your car now runs as well as it can and you are probably at least 500 miles and several weeks in.  You've also started to spend money and haven't even modified anything yet! 

 

4:  DO YOUR HOMEWORK (This is ongoing and never ends.)

-- Drive the car as much and as often as you can in varying conditions (curvy mountain roads, interstate freeways, traffic jams, really hot days, really cold days, etc.

-- Read this forum and read the FAQ part of this web site. Take pictures of stuff you wonder about and post questions on the forums. We like challenging problems, but we love pretty pictures too. Your car is a stunning 20-footer, but show us the rest too!

-- See if your car has the original engine (number matches VIN). 

-- Talk to as many owners as you can (here and in person), and see as many '02s as you can.  Figure out which mods you like, what they cost, and level of difficulty.  The wisdom on this forum runs deep, but the wisdom of an experienced owner personally showing you something learned the hard way is gold. Drive as many other '02s as you can!  Some owners are funny about this, but usually back down if you let them drive yours first.  Some mods really change the dynamics of a car and the best way to understand them is to actually drive it.  An experienced '02 owner can tell you a lot about your car after driving it for a few minutes. 

-- Decide if you are going original, modified, or somewhere in-between.  This decision should be heavily influenced by the originality and condition of your car.  These cars are old enough that well preserved originals are worth more than modified cars. 

-- Make a to do list.

 

Drive the car as much as possible.  Plan your TO DO list and potential mods according to however you prioritize (cost, difficulty, looks, acceleration, handling, etc.)

 

My opinion is that if your car has matching numbers and is highly original and in good condition you should not modify it other than maybe a 5-speed swap.  With the right resources anyone can build a modified '02; they don't make originals any more.

[M3M3]

 

^{buy mccartney's book "2002 restoration guide".  read it cover to cover twice.}

^{dissappear into a dark room for hours searching and reading this site.}

^{then do the all the safety items.}

^{drive it and note what needs to be fixed.}

^{drive it more while you decide what to do next...}

 

^-or-

^{do what i did.  drive it 100 yards after buying.  hit brakes.  have engine mount break sending rad fan into new radiator.  demonstrate extreme scope creep fixing the mount by spending next 4 years replacing everything bolted to the unibody thereby turning the car into a track beast that from 50ft kinda looks like a normal 2002.....}  

 

^{recommend option one...}  

Edited June 20, 2013 by mlytle

[mikesmith]

Evan - I'm local and in pretty much the same boat as you; car is new to me, lots of things "worth fixing", not entirely certain where to start, so thanks for asking the question... (I have some experience as a sidekick doing this sort of thing with MGs many years ago, but it's nothing like being responsible for making the decisions.)

 

I have been making a (large) spreadsheet full of things that occur to me, and adding sources, part numbers, pricing etc. as I go. I find that "keyboard restoration" is helping me work out how complex and expensive each sub-project is, as well as helping organise them in a fashion that exposes, if not limits, scope creep. (I know this is at least 50% delusion, but it's a start.)

 

Thanks also to the folks that posted encouragement here; I have a ton of questions and things to take pictures of now. 8)

 

 = Mike

[Jim_75Sahara]

All great advice.  ---- Also make some '02 friends: some one that can help you with a project, some one that you can bounce ideas off of, some one that you can begin '02-networking with, some one who will understand what you're going through.  Definitely remember to keep it fun; don't stress too much.  Go to '02 events/gtg's --- meet the people who post on the FAQ.

[evanb]

WOW. I've been a part of car communities before, and i have to say, i was expecting something much different than the responses here (looking at you vwvortex). Thank you so much for all the responses, and not just responses, but extremely thoughtful thorough responses. Im very grateful!

 

And youre all right! I think just driving it for a bit, getting to know it, is exactly what i should do. That was a great insight. I also think that coilovers, though fancy, are probably not the way to go for me. I really just want something that is reliable, comfortable, and looks pretty. Really pretty (thats why i got a 2002!).

 

Seriously, everyone, this was a great intro, and your responses relieved alot of stress i had joining a "new club". I look forward to becoming a part of the community!

 

Mike - Id love to take a look at what your coming up with for your new 2002. and since your in the bay area, we should meet up eventually. I dont know what the local events are, but if the response here is any indication, gtgs will be tons of fun.

[thehackmechanic]

VWVortex?! Those guys suck. We're cool.

 

:^)

Edited June 19, 2013 by thehackmechanic

[Anschauer]

Ha! Looks like 2002 #1 my Agave '72 I had '72-'73 and all I need more for a flashback is the ex wife getting in.

 

Seriously, all good advice above and numero uno is safety both passive (what the car has mechanically and structurally) but more importantly active safety - which is you - the driver.

 

Don't know how old you are but let me impart my 2 centavos - 

 

- Agave is one of the colors least visible. Drive with your eyes open and your lights on.

 

- The car has no airbags - assuming the nylon Klippan seat belts that came with the car are still OK it's all you have. Pull the carpets and have a look at the mountings and the bolts. Any doubt - replace them. Make no mistake, this is a tough little box and reasonably safe (I should know after getting t-boned by a full size 1971 Ford LTD right smack on the drivers side B pillar) but you cannot text, phone, or have any distractions because your eyeballs and reactions have to use the car's best feature which is agility and quick reaction.

 

- Speaking of visibility did you notice those cute round tailights surrounded by those pretty chrome rings? Yes, but there are members here who will testify as can I that they are the '02's weakness. They can be seen at night, but they are so low and so weak that getting rear ended is an all too common result - there's plenty of advice here if you look it up and should be your concern before coilovers or mods. In the daytime your brake light is not enough to stimulate the rods and cones of the texting/telephoning person in the 3 ton SUV coming up on you at the stop sign.  Keep an eye on your rear and leave an out ahead of yourself always - same goes for the interstate -  dont count on people seeing you.

 

- A nightime encounter with a deer could be unpleasant or worse so recommend the Cibie 500 yellow fogs - very good in the rain but they also light up Bambi like nothing else and they are period correct in a way.

 

So good luck and wish you plenty of 'freude am fahren' 

[projekt71]

Looks good Evan. Where in the Bay Area are you located? I'm in the Pleasant Hill/Walnut Creek area. I'm always down to meet up, chat and go for a spirited drive. Check out the events sub forum for the East Bay Area drive on the 29th.

Here's a short list of what's been done to my 02 in just 2 months of owning it.

New control arms

Strut mounts

Ball joints

Idler arm bushing

Left and right tie rods

Center tie rod

Sway bar end bushings, end links and spacers.

Oil pressure switch

Trailing arm bushings

Rear subframe mount

Clutch master cylinder

Steel braided brake lines

Valve adjustment, changed jetting and set timing.

320i rear drums

Koni yellow front and rear

H&R sport springs

Strut braces front/rear and Suspension Techniques sway bars on the way.

Big brakes and go fast parts are on my wish list.

If you want to know how a newly refreshed suspension feels like you are more than welcome to ride along. I'm usually free after 1230 Monday through Friday.

If you need a local shop. I highly recommend Casey Motorsports in Petaluma. Sean and Tom are stand up guys and can answer any of your questions regarding your newly acquired BMW 2002.