Consideration about Engine mount, A3 8PCAX

Audi A3 ABA 8PCAX 10-year-old model whose increase in NVH prompted me to replace the engine mounts.

I thought it was simply a decrease in the viscoelasticity of the rubber of the liquid-sealed mount and the loss of liquid, but as I observed the changes before and after the replacement of the parts in detail, I learned a lot and was forced to change my long lasting concept.

Absence of abruptness when braking was apparent after that.

Load transfer became gradual by suspending well the mass of motor and transaxle.

The dogbone pendulum mount that he hasn't changed yet affects on the steering response, not so good but not so bad.

The frequency of the shaking is well involved in maintaining straightness, so she has a dull steering response, but she goes straight somehow.

It straddles the front axle weighing 200kg, so the rocking motion has a great effect on straightness.

Not only does it's damper springs improve ride comfort, but the condition of it's front engine mounts also greatly affects on rear ride quality.

Supporting a vehicle weighing more than 1 ton moving at high speed, putting a mass of 200 kg in the steering section and hung it with rubber's repulsive force as a mass balancer to dampen vibrations and noise while establishing a seismic isolation structure.--- I get a headache just by such an imaginations.

Research and development engineers must be making efforts to match the viscoelasticity and dynamic equilibrium of rubber. 

Candidate Audi A3 8P-CAX got well & fine Plum flower

Periodical legal inspection by the authority was successfully done on my Audi A3 ABA 8P-CAX today at Kobe Hyogo Land Transport Branch Office. As for car battery changed into 75D23L instead of european formula, no complaint was disserned by the inspector at all. 

Due to the inspection form that was automatically issued with the necessary information filled in by the reservation code, it ended up being two sheets with a certificate stamp attached, and I was confused. A certificate stamp must be attached on the sheet according to the reservation code. It's a new matter.

The inspection certificate issued today containes small laminated IC tag, just like the previous Air-cooled Beetle a few weeks ago.   

As I could imagined the good timing for plum flowers this year, I dropped in Koto Plum Tree Garden and Nakayam Kannon, and they were both to the point, Bingo! 

Consequently, Plum flowers are over and the next is Cherry Blossom! 

Minolta MD Tele-ROKKOR 200mm/f4.0 obtained

Minolta MD Tele-ROKKOR 200mm/f4.0 lens was obtained in Yahoo auction at the cheapest price, 37 yen like nothing. The formation of mold was observed on the back surface of the 3ird element, it was not invasive and the surface recovered safe resulting like new. Surfaces sandwiching a diaphragm iris blade room and external ones were cleaned thoroughly as usual. It goes without mentioning that the item performed good enough at all.

Later investigation in the website taught me that the later model named MD 200mm/f4.0 has an inevitable disadvantage, the rear module was changed into engineering plastic one piece method resulting no way to disassemble for maintenance.

On the other hand, my MD Tele-ROKKOR 200mm/f4.0 has no concept as disposable item, fully metal lens supporting method is invited.

Very good physical performance can be obtained at the lowest price if only Auto Focusing is given up even if it had been produced 50 years ago, Silver Salt Film golden period of time, my good days.

Molded and fungused camera lenses are good for geriatric to kill time with no crime.

Sudden car battery death on Audi A3 ABA 8PCAX

The size of the car battery differs if compared European made and our domestic ones, but the capacitances are almost the same around 75 Ah. I was so surprised to recognize the price tags for European imported vehicles, 40,000~50,000 yen, how come? The seller says because of Ukrainian War, but I have some suspicion---any drivers will accept high prices if they are at a loss with being held.

So, I determined to modify the way for fixing the battery with body, European style is fixing the lower part by some staying piece with 13mm bolt, on the other hand, our way is to fix it by cramping upper surface with the frame utilizing 2 long 6mm bolts.

Once I did the same procedure on OPEL B-Vectra, did I that way also no Audi A3 ABA-8PCAX. Only drilling 7mm hole on the plastic tray made it possible, in addition with the advantage of far lower price at 10,000 yen, physical performance are the same as before, no worrying about the 30mm higher terminal position is invited. Very popular size 75D23L is easy to get anywhere in our country at the reasonable price. 

Minolta MC Rokkor 50mm/f1.7 obtained

Though it must be a sad news for the seller in Yahoo auction, I bid it at 1 yen as a matter of fact, no competitor appeared. The item I obtained is old Minolta MC Rokkor 50mm/f1.7 standard focal length produced while Silver Salt film period of time.
No defect such as the history of some layman disassembling, but just a fungus and mold shadows were apparent on the external glass surfaces. By cleaning 4 surfaces, front and rear, both sides holding aperture control room, most of the dirt were wiped out thoroughly like new one.
No backlash, no unreasonable wear at straight helicoid construction nor hitting mark, sclutched marks with very good condition satisfied myself 120% at all.
Comparison at f5.6 with Summilux-M 50mm/f1.4, no inferiority was found and it would be continued so long with me.

Official continuous inspection passed

Thanks to God bless, I could pass the vehicle inspection performed by the Authority done every two years, consequently my 52 years old air-cooled Beetle, 1302 11AD obtained the permission to go around on the public road for 2 years. To tell the truth, left side light axis was failure probably because of some lack of bulbe support construction caused by rusting. Deepest consideration led me to the conclusion to adjust the direction of the left side axis following with the right side, good result, without screwdriver but just pushing on the bulb bu finger. An emergency evacuation measures were performed as atemporal procedure?

As for the critical inspection on exhaust gas check, just adjusting the firing timing from BTDC 5 degree to Zero could be the way as usual, I could get green round marks on both CO & HC test, with no mixture control adjustment.

As an another story, 8 years used battery on Audi A3 ABA-8PCAX became fatal yesterday so suddenly, voltage is good but capacitance is empty, how come? 

Remembering the passed, Japanese formula D type battery burdened on my Beetle  has been used as long as 10 years with desulfation procedure, so it must be time to be replaced, otherwise, miserable result might be invited such as being at a loss on the road by battery failure? 

Muscle work performed on A3 ABA-8PCAX

At last I have performed muscle work on Audi A3 ABA 8P-CAX the other day, yes, it's the most troublesome requirement, periodical parts replacement of Engine mount and Transaxle support including lower dog bone pendulum bush. It took me as long as 2 days because of my age and the working pit was changed from my own at working place to residence. 19mm bolt and 17mm bolt are different for me to exert myself to concentrate, but a few of bolt to be loosen and tightening were 18mm, how dome. Consequently, it's true that the feeling reactions those are different from some usual manner increased the rate of fatigue unnecessarily.

After the work, steering reactions changed from keen and sever into dull and calm, good or not?

Braking pedal reaction has done sudden to mild.

Turn behavior became is now more uncertain.

Wth better ride, NVH all reduced.

I'll be able to drive my A3 as before without any discomfort.

I admire the engineer who researched and developed this vehicle especially in rubber cushioning materials.

Remember that rubber material that support 200kg weight continuously yield into deforming and lose their original viscoelasticity, not by because of frequency of use but by because of elapsed years.

A pic shows ruined engine mount endured as long as 12 years. The liquid-filled rubber mount on both side cannot be regenerated but new parts replacement is inevitable.