Leaking wheels
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 11,115
Likes: 671
From: SE Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Oldtimer
Leaking wheels
I have a 50th edition C5 with the slightly wine colored aluminum wheels. the right front wheel had a deep cut in it's outer edge which I had fixed by a professional aluminum wheel repair company, and they did an excellent job with the wheel. However, I now find I need to add up to 20 pounds of air to the front right wheel and about 5 to 10 pounds of air to the other three wheels every 30 to 40 days. Is there an way to seal these wheels better without the low air pressure monitor constantly coming on once a month? Do any of you have the same problem? Thank you
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 23,682
Likes: 9
From: Flagstaff Az.
First, you have to find out where they are leaking. The old soap bubbles trip. They can leak in various ways-between the tire and rim, air stem cores, etc. I had a leak that would not show up in the water tests. Sitting it would not leak, nor driving around town. On the highway it would lose up to 5 lbs. in ten minutes. I finally figured it was the valve stem-the centrifugal force of the fast driving let the weight of the sensor tilt the valve stem and it would leak. The faster I went, the more it would leak. I tightened the stems up a little and have had no problems since.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 795
From: Longview Texas
If you have TPS, I would first suspect valve stem gaskets as mentioned above.
If you have clip on weights, I have also had the tire leak around the weights. Another reason to use stick on weights.
If you have clip on weights, I have also had the tire leak around the weights. Another reason to use stick on weights.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 11,115
Likes: 671
From: SE Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Oldtimer
Thanks, I never considered the valve stems might be the source. I'll bet when they put the tire/monitor on inside they didn't tighten it completely. Should I try myself to tighten the valve stem? or is it something that is sensitive?
