The Care and Feeding of Frogger

[dasfrogger]

No real updates lately. I've more or less really been enjoying Frogger's company for the past few weeks, which means something terrible is sure to happen in the near future.

 

So, the recap, in no particular order

 

Had a fender cover designed and produced. Got a production run of 9 for other FAQ members. Pretty excited about this product. (http://www.bmw2002faq.com/topic/166080-custom-fender-cover-group-buy/?hl=+custom%20+fender%20+cover)

 

Noticed my charge light was on faintly. I was worried about big alternator troubles, but figured it was probably something small.  Found that the voltage regulator spade (i've swapped to a internally regulated alternator) had snapped off. 5 minutes later everything was good to go.

 

I've been finding some more rust on frogger. particularly inner rocker on the passenger side. I'm gonna have to come up with a game plan to combat this stuff. Looks like i need to get my ass in gear on the 1600-2 so i can take frogger off the road for some repairs. More on this later.

 

My buddy Andrew made me an offer i couldn't refuse on a MSD 6A box. Now i've gotta pick up a msd blaster coil and wire it all up. Exciting.

 

[dasfrogger]

42 years ago today Frogger was built. So we had to celebrate with some new seats.

 

I've had some recaro trophy's in storage waiting to go into the 1600, but as of late I've been getting tired of the narrow e21 recaro seats. The trophy's are much wider and have a bit more aggressive side bolster. I really don't know why i hadn't done this swap sooner.

 

The before - Actually way before. I have since redid the underseat webbing and the seat bottoms don't droop like in this picture. Other than being too narrow for me, and the drivers side bolster tear, these are pretty nice.

 

The new seats: other than the bottom bolsters being a bit sqishy, these are in nice shape. Eventually they'll be recovered in black. I like the stock fabric though, too bad it doesn't match the car.

 

Comparison of the e21 seat bottom to the trophy

 

Recaro was nice enough to use the same bolt spacing, to these go in with the same e21 mounting brackets. I use the e21 bracket that bolts to the seat and the bottom part of the 2002 bracket to bolt to the car instead of any fancy adapter plates. With the trophy the bolt holes are just a hair bigger so you've got to waller them out with a drill bit.

 

You can't use the vw bolts that come with the seats, they're longer to accommodate the power seat base. Surprisingly I was able to find the right size bolt at Home Depot

 

Passenger side in:

 

Drivers side in:

 

They are noticeably wider, but no issues with clearance. The seat bottom must be thicker too as the driving position is a bit higher which was an unexpected bonus.

 

 

These are way comfy, but i may be biased because It's nice to really fit in the seat. I'm really happy with how everything turned out, and I've even got the wife seal of approval.

 

Happy build day Frogger!

 

[dasfrogger]

Here's another non update  update. No issues since early may. Is this real life? Amazing what a little lot of maintenance can do. I've still got a long way to go, but have really been enjoying Frogger lately.

 

Getting ready for the Rivertown Gearbusters Fall ridge run this coming weekend. I think this is the first year I haven't been scrambling to get something fixed, which i could get used to. We're planning a big audio install for this weekend, and I'm really looking forward to getting that done. After that the plan will be to continue to drive Frogger as primary until the salt and cold come out. Once that happens I'll find it a nice place to hibernate. I've been noticing a more rapid progression of it's known rust and I don't want to exacerbate the situation.

 

I really hate that decision for a few reasons, but the biggest is that my wife is coming around to liking 2002's. She's even been taking Frogger out to go to work, run errands, and go out with her friends over her new Subaru. Hopefully we have a short winter and I can get her back in the drivers seat ASAP.

[dasfrogger]

I was driving Frogger back from Lexington the other night, and heard a strange noise - a really strong hiss. Sounded like a radiator boiling over thru a pin hole. I stopped and popped the hood, but everything seemed to be fine. Car was running like normal, so I went back to my trip. I noticed two things that were a bit strange on the way home: 1st) the choke cable wouldn't press all the way in & 2nd) the car wanted to run at 5k rpm instead of it's usual 4-4.5k. Weird, but i chocked it up to an over zealous foot and figured i'd check the choke cable the next day.

 

Later that night went to start the car and it wouldn't run for anything, and the hiss was even worse. After being heckled by my wife, we parked the car and headed out in hers for halloween festivities. The next day it inexplicably started and idled perfectly. Upon inspection, everything was good (at least good for Frogger), except the top plate on the carb had come completely loose. all 6 bolts were loose enough that the plate could be raised about 1/4 inch, and one bolt was completely missing.

 

 

video -> https://youtu.be/QqrMD2EXROM

I couldn't believe it - the carb was new from the factory in april. I scavenged a bolt from the old 32/36 and things are as good as new.

 

 

I was just looking back thru the service history and realized I've driven Frogger just over 8k this year. That's a big deal for us as (iirc) it's more than I've driven all the other years I've owned it combined. I work from home and don't drive a lot, but hopefully i can make it to 10k by the end of the year.

[dasfrogger]

Didn't quite hit 10 k in 2015, but ended up right around 9k (estimated as my odometer finally followed the speedometer and broke)

 

Frogger actually was off the road from Mid december until last weekend. I had a malfunctioning starter switch, and it took me a little while to dig a replacement up. Once we had a break in the weather, i got it installed, and there was much rejoicing....for 3 minutes. The starter solenoid decided it no longer wanted to cooperate. As i was diagnosing the starter issue the column lock permanently locked.

 

I think this is the 5th starter that has been in the car since i've owned it. This time i picked up a replacement s14 starter from FCP euro so i could take advantage of their lifetime guarantee. I'm really tired of buying starters.

 

So starter arrives, and que bad weather all over again. Flash forward to this past weekend...Finally got the starter installed and wired properly, fixed the column lock with swear words and a drill, and ready to get back on the road, but now the car won't run right. I had stolen Frogger's plug wires for the '66, and i had installed two of the replacements in the wrong locations on the cap. Doh!

 

So, now we're back on the road and things are great, or at least as good as they were. Lots of things to fix and adjust, but for now I'm going to enjoy being on the road again.

[dasfrogger]

It hasn't been a good year for Frogger. Shortly after the last post Frogger developed a driveline vibration that got worse by the day. I found that the center support bearing was pretty much destroyed. Super unfortunate, especially because I'd swapped in a rebuilt driveshaft with a brand new CSB one year ago. To make matters worse, I found out that I was just a few weeks out of the warranty period. I gave Portland driveline a call anyway to see if they could help me out. They could have easily told me that I was out of luck, but they went above and beyond to make things right. They sent me a brand new driveshaft and paid for shipping both ways. Seriously, use portland driveline for anything you need, they are the best.

 

With all the work that we had to do to the 66, Frogger was way on the back burner. After Vintage I ended up having a friend's shop do the repair, and he replaced the leaking trans rear seal at the same time. I took my wife to pick Frogger up after the work was done and I'm not sure which one of us was more excited to have Frogger back, It was a major challenge keeping up with her on the way home.

 

 

To be fair, I was grinning like an idiot the entire way home too - After all the 2002's I've owned, I've never had two running 02's at the same time.

 

Things were good, but as par for the course this year, not for long.

 

Last week I took frogger out with no problems. The next day I hopped in to go pick up some fresh 2002 Fender Aprons and the motor was terrible. louder than usual, no power, and sounded like it was only on three cyl. The only thing that changed was how I parked it in my driveway. I was worried about compression, but figured I'd start with the easy and move on up.

 

I finally got around to troubleshooting tonight and started with the fuel filter since it needed to be changed anyway. Replaced the filter, and no start, not even with ether. Next stop was plugs, and this is what I found:

Not great. Hoping this was my culprit I planned on Swapping these out for a gently used set of NGK's I had on the workbench. However, I figured since I had the plugs out, I could do a compression test.

 

I broke out my trust empty Tanqueray bottle and fed the fuel line into it, pulled power from the coil and sweet talked my wife into turning the key and keeping the throttle open. The test was done with a somewhat cold engine, since i couldn't get it to run beforehand.

 

Results:  1: 130   2: 110   3:105   4: 130

 

Weird, as last may I checked compression and it read 112, 110, 105, 112. I know there can be variation between gauges, but the middle two cyls being the same is funny. I'll take it as a sign that everything is pretty much as it was a year ago.

 

Buttoned everything up and installed the new NGK's. Frogger fired right up and we went for a good drive to end the night. I love it when the problems are easy and the repair can be done using nothing but the factory tool kit and a Gin bottle.

 

 

[Jim_75Sahara]

I'm up for another drive/gtg, especially since you have 2 of them eager to go now!

[dasfrogger]

13 hours ago, Jim_75Sahara said:

I'm up for another drive/gtg, especially since you have 2 of them eager to go now!

 

I can't wait for the July 30th drive! Hopefully i can keep everything on the road until then. I need to come up to Dayton/Yellow springs sometime soon too

[dasfrogger]

Well the aforementioned July 30th drive (Lou02) has come and gone, and It was so much fun. I was feeling pretty good leading up to the event - drove Frogger hard in the days leading up to the 30th with no problems. It was all too easy...

 

Of course, when it's time to get in the car to head to the lunch rendezvous, frogger won't start. I got a high speed click which i've heard with a low battery or bad ground in the past. I figured it was probably a battery since the terminal was tight, so i put my charger on it and hitched a ride to lunch to wait it out. After about an hour or so at lunch we came back to try again and got the same results. After checking on the ground, we noticed the cable was pretty badly corroded, and set to work cutting the cable back to get a fresh connection.

 

 

With the crisis averted we headed out for the back roads. We had eight cars in the caravan and despite a few slow drivers and some rain, it was a joy of a drive. I'll shut up and let the pictures do some talking

 

 

After the drive we all ended up at my house for some beers and conversation.

 

From there we ended the night at the Louisville German-American Club's Biergarten event. I'd never been, and it completely blew my expectations out of the water. If you're ever passing thru louisville on a saturday, give me a call and we'll have to go.

 

It was a great time with great friends, and a wonderful way to cap off the day.

 

But of course the day wasn't done yet, Frogger had one last surprise in store for us. Earlier during the drive I made the mistake of letting the car idle for too long at a stop and while i wasn't watching the temp crept up to the edge of the red. As soon as we got on the road all was ok again, but the damage was done. Luckily, the damage was to a rubber cap blocking an ancillary coolant passage (for the old water choke) and not the headgasket. But we'd sprung a pretty serious leak, and I was nearly out of coolant. At this point it was 10pm and it was time to get home so we had to come up with a creative solution....

 

I channeled my inner MacGayver, chewed some chewing gum to plug the pinhole, then added a little bit of duct tape around the gummed cap for good measure. I refilled the radiator, and we got back on the road, making it home at normal temperatures. If that all sounds crazy, i have photographic evidence i'd like to submit.

 

Yes, this is a thing that happened. No, I didn't actually expect that chewing gum to hold. Yes, I already fixed the problem the right way.

 

The amazing thing is that the chewing gum actually kind of worked! the heat melted it some and it really stuck to the cap. When i popped the cap on the radiator to fill it today, it lost a very small amount of coolant from that late night fill. Either way, we got home safe, and I got a good story out of it.

 

Thanks to everyone who made it out to Lou02 this year, I can't wait till next time!

 

[2002haus]

Great line up and group.   Thank you for sharing

 

 

[saaron]

Will got some weaves, I see.  

 

I don't really know what to say re the Jonathan goldfinger E21 thing.

 

Love the Snob.  Saw it yesterday.  

 

Good job re the gum.  Too band JB Weld doesn't make gum.  We would all buy it.

 

Sorry I didn't make it - cool of you to host, Jake.

 

Scott

 

[dasfrogger]

23 hours ago, saaron said:

Good job re the gum.  Too band JB Weld doesn't make gum.  We would all buy it.

 

Sorry I didn't make it - cool of you to host, Jake.

 

JB weld totally should make gum... it could come in two parts that you'd have to chew and combine. #milliondollarideas
 

No worries sir! We'll still invite you to the next one... you gonna make the fall ridge run?

 

 

In other news Frogger got its annual bath tonight. No pictures because I'm ashamed of how oxidized the paint....the wash got the dirt off but didn't do much for the looks. I need to block out some time with a buffer.... maybe next year.

[dasfrogger]

An unseasonably warm week has led to a very productive 2002 week...

 

After finding out that Rob Siegel was coming to work on "Louie Agave" at our new barn this week, I figured that would be a good excuse to take a few days off from work and get my 2002's ready for the start of the spring driving season. Frogger got an oil and filter change and a cursory inspection while Rob was hard at work prepping Louie for the long trip back to Boston. The next day, we headed to Zakspeed for some new rubber. Tires were long overdue - date code was 2008 and I've had a roofing nail firmly in the passenger rear tire for a few months. I'm just as happy with these new Kumho's as I was the last set, and I can really tell a difference between the old worn out tires and these.

 

 

Right now I'm in the springtime "honeymoon" phase - I still haven't remembered all of the things that were wrong with Frogger from last year. I haven't quite resurrected the list of things I've got to fix or tweak. I'm currently driving around in an ignorant bliss. I still need to poke around a little (ok, a LOT) deeper, but for the past few days I've had my foot all the way on the floor, and Frogger hasn't missed a beat. Well, of course until he did.

 

We had some RGB'ers over Thursday night to hang out at the barn and Frogger gave us a good scare while driving back to the party with the food. My friend Chris was driving, and as we pulled to a stop light he realized the gas pedal wasn't returning and he couldn't get any throttle response. Luckily, we were able to idle the car off the road and into a gas station parking lot (automatic FTW) where we realized the circlip that held the accelerator pedal linkage to the throttle linkage had gone missing.

 

After carrying a roll of gorilla tape in the trunk for just over a year, it finally served a purpose. It was no chewing gum fix, but throwing on some duct tape and driving away was pretty satisfying.

 

Once we got back to the barn I snagged a piece of 12 gauge Romex wire to make an improvised cotter pin. Fits perfect and doesn't bind or interfere with the heater hose. I may leave it like this for a while, but I have a feeling i should track down a proper washer and pin before too long. 

 

Despite that minor incident, the evening was great fun. It was really nice to get together with some of the GearBusters and watch Rob work on a long dead tii.

 

After a week of beautiful weather and 02 fun, I decided it would be a good idea to take Frogger on a trip to Cincinnati to pick up 2 m10 blocks and a 121 head. Except, it got cold again and I overestimated how much weight i could shove in the back of a 2002. This photo doesn't really do justice to how little clearance the tires had with the fender lip - I could barely fit my finger in the gap between them. 

 

 

Forget coil-over's, forget cut springs, all you need for #StanceLyfe is to throw a crusty m10 and KFisch in the trunk. I'm still shocked how close it got with the amount of weight. A few weeks ago we packed it full with an auto box and two four speeds, among other parts and it had more gap. I didn't think the engine parts would be that much heavier.

 

 

[jgerock]

Jake- the same clip came off on my 69 while out for a drive. I replaced the arm with a new one with heim joints.

[dasfrogger]

On ‎2‎/‎26‎/‎2017 at 1:40 AM, jgerock said:

Jake- the same clip came off on my 69 while out for a drive. I replaced the arm with a new one with heim joints.

Hemi Joints would probably be the right thing to do. I'll start saving my pennies to order up a set. Thank you for the recommendation!