bcarey

Thanks for the tip, Maurice. I have an automatic, and I assume this trick will can work regardless? I'll give it a shot in the morning.

Cheers,

Bjorn

Here's my story.

I last drove the car this summer, after which it sat several months, battery disconnected, while I slowly pieced together a new radiator/water pump/hoses/etc (I'm new at this and have a toddler, so a combination of little free time and taking double to get things done). 

Last week I finished all the work and put the battery back in the car. I started it up to make sure that the fan was clearing the new radiator, then shut it off 30 seconds later to add coolant. Although it started up pretty easily, the first time, I got nothing the second time, nor the next day. No "rrr rrr rrr", just a single "click" sound from the engine bay.

The battery was a little old, so I bought a new 51R from Costco. (I know it's not quite the right fit, but it's got enough cranking power to fire up our cars.) I put that in tonight, and still nothing. Just the click. I checked the ground and the connection to the starter, and cleaned up the contacts at both, and still nothing, just the click.

Am I missing something obvious? Do I need a new starter? Something else?

I'd appreciate any help. 

Now ya tell me. Just did my hoses last weekend. :-)

My new favorite. Great work evolving the design, everyone!

Here's one more I made. I was trying to get a chrome effect on the gray parts. So just pretend the gray is chrome.

 

I really like Atlantikblau and Riviera. The chrome really pops off those colors, in my opinion, and I feel like I don't see too many of them on the road.

Paul at Autosports Exclusive in Burlingame quoted me $300 for a headliner install (plus materials). I have no experience with him, so I can't vouch for his work, but from his website it looks like he handles some nice resto projects.

http://www.autosportsexclusive.com/

My vote goes to #1. It'll pop on the dark grill, and be easy to make out from a distance. Or, if there was a version of #1 with an all white exterior ring, that might also work. 

If the vote goes to one of the black ring versions, which are also quite nice, perhaps we could get it made with the little silver crown-like notch thingies (technical term) that sit on the edges of some badges. That bit of flash could help separate the black from the dark of the grill. 

I'll chime in as someone who hasn't bought parts from Bryce, but have the impression that he's a standup guy. He was very helpful in providing advice when I was looking to buy an 02, and he has spent considerable time and effort quoting me prices for parts that I haven't yet pulled the trigger on. 

It's quite possible that he owes wmass02/strictlyvanagon some money, but that dude is acting like a jerk.

That is a pretty car! Unless I'm mistaken, the rear 2002 badge looks to be on the wrong side.

You might also check your front brakes. Could be a passenger side caliper that is sticking, and causing it to pull right. Been there, swore at that.

Drain the engine block and flush the whole system.

Yup, I did that before I removed the radiator, and will probably do another flush once I get the new one in, before I add new coolant. Is everything else pretty straightforward? 

Hi all,

After I removed my leaky radiator, I realized that my hoses were also leaky, that my thermostat was kaput and that my water pump had a bunch of gunk in it. So I figured I'd just replace everything at once (the fan blade, too).

This is my first major mechanical undertaking on this or any car. I've been reading about similar efforts here on the FAQ, and I have read the Haynes section on this a couple of times, but I was wondering if you all have any tips I should follow on how to do this right the first time.

Thanks! 

Polaris with shiny chrome, in my opinion, looks like something that James Bond would drive. It has that European elegance to it. 

I also really like atlantikblau; something about the contrast between the dark blue and the chrome bumpers and wheels really pops for me. But the inka, colorado, agave 70s colors sure look nice on an 02!

Awesome, thanks for the tips, fellas! I really appreciate the advice. I'm hoping to (finally) place a parts order this weekend and get everything I need to start replacing my cooling system.

I need to get a new thermostat to go with my new radiator. Any advice on which temperature version to run on the Peninsula? Just an automatic daily driver here, nothing fancy. Thanks!

+1 for the regulator. I had the same problem, but with a brand new battery. I scrubbed all the terminals super clean, and dropped in a new voltage regulator. No problems since. Even if it's not the regulator, it's a fairly inexpensive part, and replacing it can help you trouble shoot.

Guys, thanks again for the input, and for tracking down those radiators. The 02 community is the best!

Here's a quick status update, as of 8/9/2013, in case anyone else is in my position:

I've called up a few dealerships -- about six, including Husker and Silver Springs/getbmwparts.com -- and got varying stories. Some folks said the stock radiators are NLA, others said they're simply out of stock, but wouldn't be able to get an estimate on when the new ones are coming for a few weeks. IE is making another run of their aluminum radiators, but they won't be ready for a few months. Double002 Salvage charges about $350 for a re-cored radiator. The going rate for a radiator shop to re-core my existing radiator is about $300, plus or minus depending on the materials used (San Carlos Radiator estimate). 

Anyway, that's what I've learned about the availability of new/re-cored stock radiators. I hope posting it here saves someone some market research.

Hi Greg,

Awesome, thanks for the recommendations. I'll give them a call.

Cheers,

Bjorn

Bummer about the price, but I guess that's the cost of doing business. Thanks, Tom. You've been incredibly helpful. I hope to make it up to Petaluma at some point!

Hey fellas,

Anyone know of a good place to get a stock radiator re-cored in the Bay Area? And how much it might cost?

Thanks!

Bjorn

Guys, thank you. This is an incredible amount of information, and I'm in way better shape for this job thanks to it. 

I'm leaning toward re-coring my current radiator/buying a re-cored stock radiator. I've gotten a few quotes on re-coring that seem high -- does anyone know the going rate to re-core/buy a re-cored stock radiator in the Bay Area? 

Thanks!

Awesome. Thanks for the great info, everyone. 

I'll have to check when I get home, but I don't think that I have the tranny cooling lines on my radiator. If the radiator is original and doesn't have the lines, am I right in guessing that the transmission wouldn't have the reciprocating inlet/outlet? And, if that's the case, am I okay to use any radiator, or is it possible to modify the transmission somehow?

Thanks!

Hi all,

I have a 1973 automatic, weekend around-town driver with a bad radiator. Given my usage, is it necessary to upgrade to a 320 rad? Or will a new stock radiator, or re-coring my current radiator, do the trick?

I'm leaning toward the re-cored stock, if only because it sounds simpler to install, but I'm not afraid of a project if the 320 is a big improvement.

Additionally, I've noticed a few listings for 320 radiators make note that they're for manual cars only. Is there anything special I need to know about replacing a radiator, or upgrading it, in an automatic?

Thanks!

Sounds like the parts are coming from overseas and he has no control....

I met Peter at this year's Bay Area Swap n' Show. He seemed like a honest guy, for what it's worth. He had a couple sets of bumpers with him, though they were already spoken for (they looked nice, if that's any consolation). He did mention that they're made in small runs, and they come from a contact of his in Germany or Italy, and at the time he expressed frustration that his supplier/manufacturer doesn't produce the goods on a frequent basis. So, that could explain your delay, though that obviously doesn't make it right. At this point, I'd pursue ebay/paypal to make it right, even though it's past the 45 day mark. If for no other reason that it will allow you to move on and bumper-ify your 02 some other way.

Hi,

I'm looking for a set of front euro bumper brackets for attaching a chrome bumper to a 73. I'll probably need the hardware too. Lemme know what you've got.

Thanks!