How do I remove my rear brake drum?
Q. I have a problem that I hope you can shed some light on: I’m trying to remove the rear brake drum(s) on my 2001 Mercury Villager. In the past, with other vehicles, hitting the drum with a hammer would loosen them up, but not this vehicle. I did notice two threaded holes on the face of the drum. Could these be for jacking screws to remove the drum, and if so, are these metric? By the way I really appreciate your column in the paper and your radio program on Saturday morning.
A. You are correct those two small holes can be used for forcing the drum off the hub. The holes are a metric thread and are 8m x 1.25. Spray the drum liberally with a quality penetrating lubricant such as PB Blaster. Allow the lubricant to sit and do its job. Slowly and evenly uses the bolts to try to move the drum—a couple of raps with a heavy hammer may help ease the drum off its rusty perch.
Q. Here is my problem, a whirring and whistling noise as the car accelerates. When this happens and as the car decelerates the lights on the dash and headlights blink as well as the radio, and fan turn on and off. Last night as I was driving home in the dark I got a little jerk in accelerating as if the engine cut out. Would you recommend going back to the dealer or someone who specializes in electrical problems?
A. The dealership would certainly be able to handle the problem or any electrical specialist. The whirring whistling noise could be a faulty alternator or slipping belt. The other issues could be a poor/corroded electrical ground. A poor ground will cause the blinking, surging and even stalling problems you are having with your vehicle.
Q. I just purchased a used 2010 Toyota Prius, which recharges the battery when braking. I was wondering if it has been studied whether the battery charges differently when braking lightly for the whole stopping distance, as compared to coasting for a while, and then braking harder for a shorter distance?
A. It is coasting and light braking that help recharge the battery. In all cases, decelerate at a slow and steady pace. Applying pressure on the pedal increases the deceleration rate, which can cause the actual service brakes to be applied too early. The service brake is certainly necessary to stop the car, but also wastes energy. In a conventional car, the old adage of easy on the gas and brake to maximize fuel economy works just as well with hybrids.
Q. Recently when I use my air conditioning my car starts staggering/chugging pretty badly. Any thoughts as to what this might be? It’s a well-cared-for 2000 Neon with only 80,000 miles, without any others problems.
A. The air conditioner puts additional load on the engine. If the engine is starting to miss-fire this additional load may be exacerbating the condition. To find the problem a technician will test both the ignition system and fuel system. A worn spark plug, ignition coil/wire or faulty fuel injector could be the problem.
Q. I have had AAA for years but have always wondered about other AAA services. Recently I started to ride a bike-even once in a while to work and thought about what would happen if I got a flat tire. Would AAA come out and help me if I get a flat tire or have some other mechanical breakdown?
A. AAA Southern New England recently introduced a new program that has just what you are looking for. All AAA members within the AAASNE club territory can receive up to two bike calls per year in addition to their usual membership benefit. If you bike does break down we will attempt minor repairs (at the discretion of the roadside technician) or transport you and your bike up to 10 miles.
Q. I own a admittedly tired 2000 Nissan Maxima and my catalytic convertor is glowing red hot after about 10 minutes of driving. My SES light is on, after a lot of research on line it seems that the oxygen sensor may be an underlying cause. Do I need to replace all three catalytic converters? How do I find out which oxygen sensor is bad? I’m trying to keep costs down and don’t want to buy any unnecessary parts. I was told by a mechanic I only needed to replace the front catalytic convertor. This car only has 168,000 miles, what should I do?
A. I would start with finding a new repair shop that understands how the catalytic convertor works. Replacing the catalytic converter without finding out why it is getting hot and turning red is just a waste of money. A good technician will check the car’s computer, read the fault codes and use a diagnostic flow chart to verify the problem, find the cause, and finally repair the car.
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