Strange tire issue..
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 7,928
Likes: 1
From: More cowbell...
St. Jude Donor '04
Strange tire issue..
So, this is the second time this has happened with my C4.
We get a cold snap- temp drops down to ~ 20 degrees. I come out, and my front driver side tire is flat as can be. The service guy comes out, fills the tire, and it holds air just fine. It stays cold out.. but the tire stays filled. Summer comes, it gets warm.. tire stays filled.. next year, on the first cold snap, tire goes flat again. Any ideas?
-Mark
We get a cold snap- temp drops down to ~ 20 degrees. I come out, and my front driver side tire is flat as can be. The service guy comes out, fills the tire, and it holds air just fine. It stays cold out.. but the tire stays filled. Summer comes, it gets warm.. tire stays filled.. next year, on the first cold snap, tire goes flat again. Any ideas?
-Mark
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 5,362
Likes: 3
From: Delray Beach FL
Re: Strange tire issue.. (MarkLT1)
Have you replaced the tires since this started happening? I would guess that the cold is cracking the bead of the tire. Maybe have the tire remounted.
:cheers:
:cheers:
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 3,504
Likes: 4
From: Mexico Beach FL
Re: Strange tire issue.. (MarkLT1)
I had a tire on my '92 that would only go flat when setting with the tire rotated to a particular position -- any other position, and it would hold air indefinitely. Plus, it lost air quickly when moving.
I submerged it completely in water -- no bubbles at all.
I finally took it to a local tire dealer and explained the problem -- he said he knew exactly what the problem was. He took all the weights off the wheel and replaced them -- it never lost air again.
His explanation was: with the weights under the bead of the tire, one of the weights was just enough to cause a leak when the weight of the vehicle was on that spot. When not moving, the weight of the vehicle was enough to deform the tire to the point that air would leak around the weight. When moving, every revolution would let a "puff" of air out.
A can't verify it, but it sounds logical -- and, by replacing the weights, no more leak.
I now have AFS wheels and tires that have stick-on weights.
Tom Piper
[Modified by Tom Piper, 1:08 PM 11/11/2003]
I submerged it completely in water -- no bubbles at all.
I finally took it to a local tire dealer and explained the problem -- he said he knew exactly what the problem was. He took all the weights off the wheel and replaced them -- it never lost air again.
His explanation was: with the weights under the bead of the tire, one of the weights was just enough to cause a leak when the weight of the vehicle was on that spot. When not moving, the weight of the vehicle was enough to deform the tire to the point that air would leak around the weight. When moving, every revolution would let a "puff" of air out.
A can't verify it, but it sounds logical -- and, by replacing the weights, no more leak.
I now have AFS wheels and tires that have stick-on weights.
Tom Piper
[Modified by Tom Piper, 1:08 PM 11/11/2003]
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 7,928
Likes: 1
From: More cowbell...
St. Jude Donor '04
Re: Strange tire issue.. (cdnguyred88)
Thanks guys.. I think I'll take it into the tire shop, and see what they say. I wouldnt doubt it is one of these two, which I obviously cant fix myself. :)
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,363
Likes: 7
From: 1994 LT1 Coupe 6-speed with FX3 & 2000 LS1 Vert 6-Speed with F45 Hunterdon County, NJ
Re: Strange tire issue.. (MarkLT1)
Could it be related to the valve stem?
I've never had a similiar type problem, but my quick thought was valve stem. Maybe after the service guy comes out, it 'reset' it as if it was stuck from water moisture which froze/expanded and 'openned' the valve.
How old is the valve stem?
Does it have a cap on it which might be tighter than the other ones?
Have you tried tightening the valve stem insides?
I've never had a similiar type problem, but my quick thought was valve stem. Maybe after the service guy comes out, it 'reset' it as if it was stuck from water moisture which froze/expanded and 'openned' the valve.
How old is the valve stem?
Does it have a cap on it which might be tighter than the other ones?
Have you tried tightening the valve stem insides?
