Carburator CSL in two engine-versions?

[CSL 1973]

Carburetor CSL in two engine-versions?

Looking into the two versions of the BMW 3.0 CSL sales leaflet from spring and September 1972, one gets confused. In the early leaflet version, it says carburetor engine 2985ccm 180 HP. But in the later CSL leaflet from September 1972 (where both the carburetor and injection models are for sale in parallel), it says carburetor engine 3003 ccm 180 HP.

Reading these original BMW CSL sales leaflets, the carburetor CSL was sold both with 2985 and 3003 engine - is that really truth or a "charming" printing error? I thought the Carburetor version was only produced with an 2985ccm engine.

To add to the confusion, I have spent some time checking a lot of the RHD CSL cars in the DVLA register. Half of them are registered with 2985 ccm engine and the others are registered with 3003 ccm. As far as I know, the RHD CSL was only sold as injection 3003 ccm.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Cheers

 

[30csl]

Well i wouldn't worry about the DVLA info. I for one changed my car from 3003 to 2985 in case they abolished free road tax and did it based on the displacement. It would be a pain to fall into the over 3 litre category for the sake of 3 cc's!

 

[giannicsl]

ALSO IN ITALY CSL MANY WERE RECORDED IN 3003 WITH ENGINE DRIVEN 2985 ..
THIS WAS AN ERROR IS VERY FREQUENT, BUT NOT FROM OFFICIAL BMW, but by the approval authorities of the countries where CSL WAS SOLD!

I may be wrong ..... TOO

Best regards

 

[timt]

My understanding is that all the RHD cars and the LHD cars, until the "continuation" point when the 3.2 litre engine was introduced, were 3003 cc. I have never been aware of a 2985 cc CSL. And yes, I agree no carb cars with the 3003 cc engine.

My RHD CSL is registered on the DVLA as 2985 cc, I had assumed by the dealer and possibly in error (not paying attention). I suspect the overbore by BMW had been lost and the small print wasn't being read?

Italy used to (still does?) tax by engine size, UK used to although I don't remember a 3 litre threshold but that's not to say there wasn't one. One should also remember that licensing was far more idiosyncratic then and I doubt that the DVLA (DVLC) would have been aware or worried about such "minor" details.

My car is registered without a declared colour! Shouldn't be and I've not been chased to provide ... probably will be now if Wikileaks is reading!

 

[giannicsl]

hi Timt, it would be nice ricere pm in a photo and number of your vin # csl ...

[email protected]

best xmas

 

[dp]

My understanding is that all the RHD cars and the LHD cars, until the "continuation" point when the 3.2 litre engine was introduced, were 3003 cc. I have never been aware of a 2985 cc CSL. And yes, I agree no carb cars with the 3003 cc engine.

Um ... so what engine WAS used for the carbed CSL cars?

 

[30csl]

I think all carb'd cars were 2985 and when injection came along and homologation was more of a concern they went over the 3 litre so that it could get into other classes.

 

[CSL 1973]

Another day in the interesting CSL archives

I also think that all carb'd CSLs were with 2985 engine. I see two possibilities why BMW wrote 3003 engine for Carb'd cars in the their CSL sales brochure/leaflet from 1972:

1. A simple but interesting typing error which passed the print shop production chain (most likely)

2. Inspired by the 3003 engine, for the CSL injection models, BMW planned to also sell some carb'd CSL cars using this new bigger engine. Remember that the high-priced CSL was not to easy to sell in 1972, so all sales-possibilities might have been considered. In the fall 1972, both carb'd and injection CSL versions were on the market in parallel.

Cheers

 

[roundel]

CSL`s

I would find it hard to believe BMW would make special engines for the carb cars with 0;25mm oversize pistons. But at some point (probably when Neespach arrived...) they realised it was important to homologate the car as over 3;0 litres. Maybe that happened part way through the production of the carb cars & some paperwork was changed??

 

[CSL 1973]

CSL: Carb 2985 and 3003 ccm?

In the early CSL owner's manual (M-AH 1071 on the cover page), only carb and 2985 ccm is stated in the technical specs by BMW.

In the updated CSL owner's manual (M-AH 1076 on the cover page), dated 11/72, both the carb and injection versions are stated in the technical specs. But now only together with 3003 ccm. In the manual, there are only pictures of the carb version.

In theory, one could think that BMW at this point offered customers to choose between carb or injection but only with the 3003 ccm engine. This because both the CSL sales Brochure and the owner's manual, covered both carb and injection version together with only the 3003 engine.

Most likely there is another reason for this confusion: BMW simply wanted to have one CSL sales Brochure and one CSL user's manual covering both the carb and the injection version. In order to promote some unsold carb CSLs, standing by the dealers, the sales brochure for the both versions makes sense. At the same time, try to get rid of the old stock of carb CSLs and to promote the new injection version.

When updating the CSL User's manual in 11/72, they might took an pragmatic approach. Maybe BMW did not bother to update the pictures from carb to injection version and to differentiate too much between the versions (more than stating "carburator or injection").

My conclusion would be: in reality only 2985 ccm for carb CSLs and 3003/3153 for injection ones. Of course some few individual versions could have been ordered. For instance, a 2275-version ordered with carb.

Cheers

 

[SHIMBIMMER]

Were consumers or dealers of these cars THAT detail sophisticated when ordering them in the early 1970's?