MattL

I checked the cap orientation and order, so that's not the issue. I'll be out of town for a couple weeks, but when I return I'll check spark and go from there. I'll also try that reverse pressure test on the radiator. Thanks very much, everyone. Matt

1 xl and 1 medium. A worthy advertisement for my belly billboard... and my wife's.

Thanks for the continued suggestions, all. I'll let you know how subsequent diagnoses turn out. If the head does need to come off, etc., I guess at least that's an opportunity to check other internal things and maybe think about putting in a hotter cam...maybe. Matt

Thanks for the ideas, info and suggestions, guys: very much appreciated. I haven't pulled the head yet, but after I check for spark on 1 and 3, I guess that'll be my next step. Smart point about the possibility of it only leaking when warm: I hadn't even thought of that. I am brand new at this - this is my first project car and the first car that's "simple" enough to really work on myself. So, if anyone can point me towards resources/sites/writeups that may help me tackle the head removal/inspection/etc process, I'd be much obliged. I know I'll need to find a machine shop for the milling, but I want to do as much of everything else myself as I can. Thanks again, Matt

I'm posting this as a follow-up question to my original q posted under" New owner in Philly area." I bought a 74 2002 about a month ago with apparent head or head gasket issues, as evidenced by the milkshake oil in the engine. The car had been sitting for a long time, so I had hoped it was just condensation due to that. I've now done a radiator pressure test, as somebody (Moosehead?) suggested, as well as a compression test on all cylinders. Both were done before I drained the oil. The radiator pressure test (up to about 12 psi) revealed a slow leak at one of the hoses at the thermostat (the one closest to the engine). I couldn't get that hose tight enough to stop leaking, but I also didn't see the pressure go down at all, nor find any clear evidence of new coolant in the oil. I then did a compression test on all cylinders (cold/dry only). 1 to 4 read 140-140-140-145. Those look low to me (maybe just because it was a cold/dry test?), but the good thing is that the numbers are so consistent across the board. I was encouraged by this, and hoped that it was evidence that maybe the milkiness was just condensation from a lengthy period of idleness. I then started the engine and noticed how rough it was running (shaking all over the place, really - don't know why I didn't notice it before). I pulled the ignition wires one-by-one and learned that cylinders 1 and 3 are not firing. I also noticed a rhythmic "pfft" sound that I assume was air escaping from the misfiring cylinders. All the plugs look the same (very black, but no visible damage, and I regapped them all), and the misfiring cylinders' wires don't show any clear signs of damage. I then drained the oil (very milky) and left the plug out for a week to let it drain completely until I could come back and continue my fact-finding mission. I opened the garage this morning and could clearly see a pool of green under the collection pan I had placed under the engine: too much and not in the right place to have come from the thermostat leak. I then did another radiator pressure test, with the same results as before. I left the drain plug out, in case there was any chance of coolant leaking out there. Nope. Only at the thermostat. So, the facts are as follows: 1. There IS coolant in the oil, not just water. 2. Cylinders 1 and 3 are not firing. 3. Compression is consistent across all cylinders. 4. There is the sound of bursts of escaping air when the engine is running, but I can't find the source. 5. Radiator pressure tests didn't reveal any clear leaks into the engine (although I guess the leak at the thermostat could have prevented that). 6. There is no smoke when running, and no sweet smell to the exhaust. These things don't seem to add up to me. Any thoughts or ideas would be much appreciated. Matt in NJ

I've now done a radiator pressure test, as suggested, as well as a compression test on all cylinders. Both were done before I drained the oil. The radiator pressure test (up to about 12 psi) revealed a slow leak at one of the hoses at the thermostat (the one closest to the engine). I couldn't get that hose tight enough to stop leaking, but I also didn't see the pressure go down at all, nor find any clear evidence of new coolant in the oil. I then did a compression test on all cylinders (cold/dry only). 1 to 4 read 140-140-140-145. Those look low to me (maybe just because it was a cold/dry test?), but the good thing is that the numbers are so consistent across the board. I was encouraged by this, and hoped that it was evidence that maybe the milkiness was just condensation from a lengthy period of idleness. I then started the engine and noticed how rough it was running (shaking all over the place, really - don't know why I didn't notice it before). I pulled the ignition wires one-by-one and learned that cylinders 1 and 3 are not firing. I also noticed a rhythmic "pfft" sound that I assume was air escaping from the misfiring cylinders. All the plugs look the same (very black, but no visible damage, and I regapped them all), and the misfiring cylinders' wires don't show any clear signs of damage. I then drained the oil (very milky) and left the plug out for a week to let it drain completely until I could come back and continue my fact-finding mission. I opened the garage this morning and could clearly see a pool of green under the collection pan I had placed under the engine: too much and not in the right place to have come from the thermostat leak. I then did another radiator pressure test, with the same results as before. I left the drain plug out, in case there was any chance of coolant leaking out there. Nope. Only at the thermostat. So, the facts are as follows: 1. There IS coolant in the oil, not just water. 2. Cylinders 1 and 3 are not firing. 3. Compression seems to be consistent across all cylinders. 4. There is the sound of bursts of escaping air when the engine is running. 5. Radiator pressure tests didn't reveal any clear leaks into the engine (although the leak at the thermostat could have prevented that). These things don't seem to add up to me. Any thoughts or ideas would be much appreciated. Matt in NJ

Gap, huh? Has there been a spike in forum searches related to spark plug gapping lately? Maybe that did it.

Thanks, Psymon. We'll see how much of a good buy it was once I do the radiator pressure and compression tests. ) I appreciate the positive feedback, though! Not sure about the turn signals - how can you tell the difference? I do like the lack of reflectors, though: nice, clean look. And assuming I get the thing up and running, those tugboat bumpers will need to come off. Matt

Hi Vic, I took a look at that car myself, but you bought it before I could make an offer. It's a good-looking car, and holy cow that exhaust sounds good. Are you planning on keeping the KFisch in there? Matt

Not many pictures yet, but here's one. $1200.

VAC Motorsports is a reputable BMW performance shop in South Philly. I haven't done business with them, but they sure seem like they know what they're doing. They quoted me $150 for a PPI on a 2002tii I was looking at a couple weeks ago. (The car ended up being purchased by someone else before I had the chance to take it to them.) I met one of the customer service guys, and he owns two 2002s himself, so I'm sure there's plenty of know-how in the shop. I just bought a true project car myself, but I'm a true noob too.

Thanks again for the replies. It looks like Harbor Freight has a pressure tester on sale, so I'll probably order that and get started with the pumping (and finger crossing).

Thanks for your quick reply! I stood by the tailpipe when the seller started the car up, and no, the exhaust didn't smell sweet or out of the ordinary to me. Granted, I've never smelled the "sweet" exhaust I would be sniffing for. There was also no smoke - black or white - from the exhaust. According to the seller, the car has been sitting since October. I had it flatbedded home, so I also haven't done anything except start it up for about a minute or so. Thanks for the suggestions. Is pressure-testing the cooling system something that would need to be done by a pro, or is it a DIY-friendly undertaking? With the pedal assembly essentially seized, getting the car to even a nearby shop would involve a tow, Thanks again, Matt

Hello All. I've been lurking on the forum for a while now, and this site/forum/community of knowledgeable people is a big reason I've been interested in buying a 2002. I picked one up yesterday, so I figured it's about time I actually joined the forum. And I'm jumping in today with a request for opinions/advice from you who know more than I do. I bought a 1974 2002 non-tii, and am looking forward to starting work on what is sure to be a long project. The car's got no shortage of problems, but since I don't need it to be a daily driver, I don't want to use a cherry car to "learn on", and the price was right, I pulled the trigger. The good: Solid shock towers and inner rocker panels (as far as I can tell by knocking through the outer rockers and poking at the inners) Solid sills Solid and straight panels (except for some bubbling) Apparently solid frame rails No obvious evidence of accident damage (although, admittedly, the paint job could hide some of that) Starts up without hesitation No weird/white/black/sweet smoke All in one piece The bad: Cheap paint job (navy blue over Amazon Green) Rotted outer rockers and spare tire well Rotted lower front panel/lip Likely head/gasket problem (see below) Corroded clutch and brake pedal springs (both pedals stay down after being depressed) The floor panels are apparently on their way out: solid from inside, but crumbly from below. My first item on the to-do list WAS going to be rebuilding the pedal assembly and bleeding the clutch and brake lines. This morning, though, I noticed that the oil is milky. (I know; stupid of me not to check this BEFORE buying the car, but the seller said he had the engine rebuilt <1000 miles ago and gave me the shop's number to call for records. He also asked me to keep him updated as the project progresses.) I took off the oil filler cap, and it's definitely got a milkshakey look to it. Same story when looking inside. The coolant, though, is bright green, with no sign of oil as far as I can see. According to the seller, the car has not been driven since October, only receiving periodic starts. My question is this: Is there any possibility that this isn't a cracked head or blown head gasket? For example, could the car's sitting for months result in the oil discoloration? Any suggestions for next steps? Thanks in advance, Matt