The 02 Register Newsletter

The 02 Register
PO Box 726
Crows Nest 2065

The 02 Register is a recognised Register of
BMW Clubs Australia

All you ever wanted to know about 02s is available on the Net.

There has been a lot of attention given to the Internet in recent months. The fact that the Internet has existed for 20 years or so seems to be lost on many media commentators. The latest interest in network connectivity arises out of the availability of low-cost hardware (computers and telephone modems) to connect to the network. Accessibilty to the net is now easier too, with perhaps 50 companies in Australia now providing dial-in access to the network, servicing the growing market of people connecting from home either as an extension of using their home PC, or as workers telecommuting to the office by working at home.

But the most significant development for Internet access has been the development of graphical user interfaces to the information on the network, a significant improvement from the text-only based world of the Internet of the past. Now, anyone can set themselves up as a publishing house for information, making access to a worldwide audience a trivial exercise. To view the World Wide Web of sites available, "browsers" such as Netscape and Mosaic allow connection to sites and display of the published information.

BMW Clubs Australia now has an Internet site available, with information about BMW Club NSW activities, the 02 Register, and hooks to the BMW Motorcycle Club of Victoria and Club and Register sites from around the world. The 02 Register is represented, with past newsletters available for viewing and downloading. The net address for the BMW Clubs Australia Web page is http://www.BMWClubs.asn.au/.

The 02 Register hopes to set up a directory of parts and service providers on the net, as well as providing classified advertising and e-mail.

I am extremely grateful to Alan Hargreaves and Iain Holmes, from CSIRO and Wormald respectively, for the significant effort they've put into establishing and maintaining this service on the Internet for us.

The BMW Car Club of America has published two accumulated "tech tips" articles for the '02, in September 93 by Scott Chamberlain and October 94 by Michael Self. The 160-odd tech tips will be presented over a number of issues. The articles came with a guarantee that at least one tip will be useful to an '02 owner in the next 12 months. Here's the second part.

Of course, we welcome your contributions to this list as well! After all, everyone has used some tip or trick to get them out of trouble with their 02.

71. Bellows-style shift boots last longer than the fake leather type.
72. Clean out the pedal box. Check for rust and debris and enjoy smoother pedal action.
73. If the transmission must be removed, put in a new clutch disc - it's cheap insurance.
74. A good tight four speed can use ATF for easier shifting.
75. Use genuine BMW Guibo couplings.
76. Shop for prices; even dealer prices can vary. Use Club discounts.
77. Buy 2002 parts you may need now. Some parts may be NLA by the time you need them.
78. Use automotive grade hardware. You'll be thankful later.
79. 2002s have little tyre clearance: 185/70x13, 205/60x13 and 195/50x15 are about as far as you can go, but there is much variance between individual cars and brands of wheels and tyres.
80. Rotary compressors give much improved airconditioner performance.
81. New BMW badges are a cheap way to spruce up the appearance of your 2002.
82. Black spark-plug wire can replace discoloured "chrome" window beading.
83. The fuel injection system from a 318i can be adapted to a 2002, giving better relaibility and economy than carburettors and less trouble and expense than the tii system.
84. Do not substitute anything else for fuel line. Keep some BMW fuel line in stock at all times.
85. Use DOT 4 brake fluid.
86. Before considering expensive suspension work, consider a full stock rebuild. It's amazing how well a perfectly stock 2002 will handle.
87. Adjust your steering box to eliminate "play"; the workshop manual shows how.
88. An upholstery shop can replace the rotted cardboard on otherwise good door panels.
89. Quartz stop light bulbs can prevent rear-end collisions.
90. Dim taillights can be caused by corroded reflectors.
91. If used hard, 10,000 miles (16,000 km) is not too often to adjust valves.
92. You don't want dual carburettors on your street car. Trust me (says Scott Chamberlain - Ed).
93. If your 2002 wears a bra, put soft cloth scraps under the hooks to prevent scratching.
94. For best stereo performance, use large wire. Many systems are comprimised by thin, cheap wiring.
95. Short springs seriously compromise the streetability of a 2002.
96. A 320i differential can be adapted to a 2002 to get access to the much more prevalent slip differentials.
97. Not driving a 2002 is the worst thing you can do to it.
98. Remove the battery for long-term storage.
99. Use WD40 to displace water in bonnet, door and bootlid egde seams.
100. Always wave to other 2002 owners.
101. The little plastic cap on the end of the door latch (on the door) is what makes the door close easily. If yours is missing, replace it with a short length of plastic or rubber tubing.
102. If you have a sunroof, reroute the drain hoses. The factory may have routed them into the rocker panels.
103. Early 2002s with 6-position fuse boxes have unfused headlights. Using the wiring diagram in the owners manual, interpose a fused relay in both the low beam and high beam, circuits. It will save molten wires, and make the lights brighter.
104. Until 1974, even the 12-fuse cars didn't have a fuse for high beam. See 103 above.
105. If brake fluid is disappearing from the reservoir and you can't find a leak, check the pedal bucket. A leaking clutch master cylinder will fill it up with fluid, with no exterior leaks. And it holds nearly a pint.
106. Chrome bumper cars: check the insides of the bumpers periodically for rust.
107. Use household carpet padding under carpets and under and behind the back seat to lessen road noise. Filling the space under the back seat with foam rubber packing helps too.
108. Reflectors that have gone bad in tail and parking lights can be revived with aluminium foil.
109. Use anti-sieze paste on any threaded fitting exposed to weather or heat.
110. '72 and later cars with a stalk-mounted wiper switch can be retrofitted with interval wiper controls from a 320i.
111. Pre-'72 cars have a flimsy right-hand engine mount. Inspect it now and replace it with the later style having a welded cross brace.
112. Any time you have the interior upholstery panels off the doors, clean out the insides, inspect for rust and spray with rustproofing. Do the same for the quarter panels.
113. If you have a '76, inspect the front floors carefully for rust. For some reason, the '76 cars are more prone to rust than other years.
114. Testors makes a blue model aircraft paint that's perfect for repainting weathered metal BMW roundels. Thin the paint to eliminate brush marks.
115. A good upholstery shop can use the material from the (usually) unworn rear seat of a parts car to repair the worn/torn centre section of the driver's seat in your car.
116. Same goes for carpeting - use the unworn back seat carpet from a parts car to repair the front.
117. Most 2002 factory colours can be formulated in urethane paint which lasts a lot longer than factory enamel.
118. Krylon ``dull aluminium'' spray paint is a great match for the silver paint used on both steel and factory alloy 2002 wheels. On the alloy wheels, spray clear urethane over the silver paint.
119. When draining your cooling system, don't forget to remove the block drain bolt (under the exhaust manifold) and set the heater temperature control to ``hot''.
120. Next time you have your cooling system drained, take the block drain bolt down to a hardware. There's a commonly available brass petcock which matches the block drain thread. Install with teflon tape.
121. Lubricate your speedo cable periodically. They're a nuisance to replace. Disconnect at both ends, and squirt lubricant into the speedo end until it runs out the transmission end.
122. A leaking master cylinder can cause the driver's side frame rail to rust out under the driver's seat.
123. The next time your fuel tank is nearly empty, unbolt it and remove it from the car to check the tank-to-body seal for deterioration and rust. Replace the original seal with closed cell weatherproofing foam.
124. There are several different seemingly identical bulbs which will fit 2002 taillights. Make sure you use the one with the highest wattage for best visibility.
125. Clean out the heater plenum chamber drain hoses regularly (below the base of the windshield, where the wiper motor lives). Prevents rust and water entry.

BMW Club NSW will be hosting its next Track Day at Wakefield Park on Saturday 18th November 1995. This will be the third attempt to get the weather right, having been blown away by gale force winds the first time, and washed away by torrential rain last May.

Contact David Atkin at BMW Club NSW on (02)9949-7787 or (02)867-2582, the BMW Club NSW MessageBank service.

The 1996 National Meeting of BMW Clubs Australia will be held over the Easter weekend at Bowral, located in the Southern Highlands 90 minutes south of Sydney.

Activities will include a Show and Shine at Bradman Oval, a mini-olympics for the whole family, an Observation Run, a bush dance, and a Track Day at Wakefield Park.

A range of accommodation will be available, with activities centred around the Berida Manor Resort. Contact Kerri-anne McBrien by fax on (02)477 6953.

Wanted: Brian Ewin is after grilles (left, centre and right) for a 2002, along with bonnet chrome trim strips and gutter trim strips. He can be contacted on (02)9957-3936.

For Sale: Terry Dickens, having built his 2002 for the Targa Tasmania, has some bits and pieces left over: 1 boot lid (no rust or damage); 4 cross-hatch mags and tyres; 1 pedal box; 1 prop/drive shaft complete; 2 diff half-shafts; 1 stainless exhaust system; 1 4sp Getrag gearbox; 1 gear stick assembly/mount; 1 differential; 1 diff bracket & bushings; 1 front bumper (new centre); 1 sump (turbo style); 2 Scheel seats (in need of retrim); 2 sets of seat runners; 1 washer bottle assy; 1 petrol cap assy; 1 petrol tank fuel sender; 2 front indicators; 1 steering box; 2 rear shocks; 4 front tower mounts; 2 sway bars (front & rear); 1 set Alpina A4s front calipers and vented discs; 1 o/s rear lamp assy; 4 new Goodridge brake hoses; 2 rear trailing arms; 2 rear suspension major bushes; 2 front struts; 2 quarter-light glass; 2 door window glass; 2 rear window glass; assorted tie rods lower control arms and steering components. Call Terry on (0412)028 337 (mobile), (02)9956 3818 (work) or (02)439 8506 (home). Or e-mail to TerryND@eWorld.com.

Wanted: Ron Cooper is after 02 near side door rubber. Call Ron on (02)747-3005.

	Directory
ACT	Bill Kinnane	(06) 231-2001
NSW	Gary Speechley	(02) 570-3870
QLD	David Burnett	(075) 35-2473
WA	Graeme Finlayson	(09) 381-7182

Contacts and contributions for the Newsletter:
Phone:	(02) 570-3870 or (015) 01-4879
Facsimile:	(02) 570-3870
Internet:	Gary.Speechley@dsto.defence.gov.au