Right front tire going flat?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,800
Likes: 2
From: Fairless Hills PA.
Right front tire going flat?
Yesterday I took the wifes 98 out for a ride. As soon as I got out of the driveway the RT Front tire flat was flashing at me. The Rr, Lr, and left front said they were low. I know temp changes will effect air pressure.
I stopped and put air in the tire and inspected it. Found nothing in the tire. This morning it was reading flat again. Could the o-ring on the sensor be bad and cause it to leak out.
Any ideas!
I stopped and put air in the tire and inspected it. Found nothing in the tire. This morning it was reading flat again. Could the o-ring on the sensor be bad and cause it to leak out.
Any ideas!
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,387
Likes: 691
From: Boise ID
Yes the o-ring could be leaking, there is torque spec but I do not remember it right now. Could also be leaking around the bead of the rim or a small nail you can not see. Spray some soapy water around and see if you can find it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 795
From: Longview Texas
Yesterday I took the wifes 98 out for a ride. As soon as I got out of the driveway the RT Front tire flat was flashing at me. The Rr, Lr, and left front said they were low. I know temp changes will effect air pressure.
I stopped and put air in the tire and inspected it. Found nothing in the tire. This morning it was reading flat again. Could the o-ring on the sensor be bad and cause it to leak out.
Any ideas!
I stopped and put air in the tire and inspected it. Found nothing in the tire. This morning it was reading flat again. Could the o-ring on the sensor be bad and cause it to leak out.
Any ideas!
Did you check the pressure with a gage, or just put air in it to get the message to go away?
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 18,401
Likes: 3
From: Retired but working
Cruise-In VI Veteran
I played with a cracked wheel for three months. Replaced the O ring etc. Finally took the wheel off and still could not see anything. Tubbed it in a tub of water and found a hairline crack in the wheel.
Ordered one from Toms House of wheels and had it in a week.
Kept the old one as I had it repaired.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 16,795
Likes: 62
From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
The "o" ring is a #9 at Home Depot
see this my post in this thread from the archives for a DIY on sensor replacement and torque specs....
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-g...-new-rims.html
see this my post in this thread from the archives for a DIY on sensor replacement and torque specs....
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-g...-new-rims.html
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 29
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
My son is having this issue with the '99 that I gave him last year. The right front keeps losing pressure. In his case, apparently the wheel itself is leaking on the bead seal from corrosion taking place. I doubt there's a way to fix this as I'm sure no wheel expert, but it could be what's up with the OP's wheel too.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,383
Likes: 13
From: Kinston North Carolina
My son is having this issue with the '99 that I gave him last year. The right front keeps losing pressure. In his case, apparently the wheel itself is leaking on the bead seal from corrosion taking place. I doubt there's a way to fix this as I'm sure no wheel expert, but it could be what's up with the OP's wheel too.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 29
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,800
Likes: 2
From: Fairless Hills PA.
Thanks for all the responses.
As soon as this damn snow melts I'm taking it to my tire guy and checking it out.
Can't understand how it would have a crack. It doesn't get driven much. Maybe 900 miles a year. last few times out I had no inflation problems and didn't hit any hard bumps and no potholes.
Thanks again,
Rick
As soon as this damn snow melts I'm taking it to my tire guy and checking it out.
Can't understand how it would have a crack. It doesn't get driven much. Maybe 900 miles a year. last few times out I had no inflation problems and didn't hit any hard bumps and no potholes.
Thanks again,
Rick
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,526
Likes: 20
From: Santa Fe TX
discount tire usually has the orings on the shelf for free (if they are mounting), so if you take them the tire to fix the "flat" they will replace it, probably for free.
Chrome rims sometimes leak around the bead. The problem can be the bead of the tire (which installers sometimes break) or the rim (corrosion inside).
Soapy water will find the leak, or you can have a shop dunk the tire to find it.
Chrome rims sometimes leak around the bead. The problem can be the bead of the tire (which installers sometimes break) or the rim (corrosion inside).
Soapy water will find the leak, or you can have a shop dunk the tire to find it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,332
Likes: 31
From: Silver Spring MD
Had same symptoms pulled wheel found hairline crack on inside bead
Pull the wheel. Put water in the bead on one side then another. If no bead leak put in a tub of water and slowly rotate tire until you see bubbles. Do this with enough air in the tire. 35-45 lbs. You will find your leak. Depending on where it is take the appropriate action, tire stem core, o ring, or bead leak. I had to replace the rim. Then had a bad valve core. Should not hve ANY bubbles. 
BIGHANK
BIGHANK
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,932
Likes: 4
From: Warrenville Il
Another thought besides the sensor o-ring is if you use aftermarket valve caps with little o-rings in them. Sometimes the o-ring gets pushed into the stem a bit and allows the tire to deflate. I stopped using those types of caps for that reason. I have also had a slow leak only during the cold months, and tightening the sensor nut helped to slow the leak but not completly. Since I store the vette in the winter I just put air in it once in a while. It doesn't leak at all during the summer months. I do need to replace the o-ring one of these days.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 381
Likes: 3
Is this another wonderful GM issue ? I have NEVER had an issue such as this until I got my '98. Both of my rears keep going flat. Not a tire problem according to my tire dealer. One dealer in fact told me I needed new wheels. Never have I ever had a wheel somehow go bad without being in some sort of accident.
Of course nothing would surprise me at this point.
Anyone truly surprised that they needed to bailed out by the government ?
Of course nothing would surprise me at this point.
Anyone truly surprised that they needed to bailed out by the government ?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,058
Likes: 9,817
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Is this another wonderful GM issue ? I have NEVER had an issue such as this until I got my '98. Both of my rears keep going flat. Not a tire problem according to my tire dealer. One dealer in fact told me I needed new wheels. Never have I ever had a wheel somehow go bad without being in some sort of accident.
Of course nothing would surprise me at this point.
Anyone truly surprised that they needed to bailed out by the government ?
Of course nothing would surprise me at this point.
Anyone truly surprised that they needed to bailed out by the government ?
As others in this post have said you should look at the O Rings. If they are the originals they may have decayed back into the original compounds they were made from by now. You should also check the beads where the tires seat. You could have a leak there as well. Maybe some dirt got between the tire and the wheel when a tire was mounted. Tire jockeys aren't the brightest bulbs in the store.
Bill
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,793
Likes: 7
From: Santa Maria Ca.
My right front tire began slowly losing air about a month ago.
Upon close inspection,I found a small piece of wire had punctured the tire,between the tread.
I ran over the wire,but somehow,it must be GM's fault
Also,the gas gauge will slowly move toward "empty" during the week,and the only fix I've found for it is to put more gas in the tank,or leave it sit in the garage,and don't drive it.
Obviously another GM issue.
Upon close inspection,I found a small piece of wire had punctured the tire,between the tread.
I ran over the wire,but somehow,it must be GM's fault
Also,the gas gauge will slowly move toward "empty" during the week,and the only fix I've found for it is to put more gas in the tank,or leave it sit in the garage,and don't drive it.
Obviously another GM issue.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,780
Likes: 42
From: Lake Norrell Arkansas
My right rear tire leaks about 1lb every two days. It started this after buying new tires. The tire shop found my leak at the bead, the chrome is flaking inside the rim at the bead. The rims were on the car when I bought it. They are the chrome C6 Z06 style made in China. I drive the vette mostly on weekends and keep an eye on the tire pressure.
Now I'm trying to decide if I should replace the one rim, just the rears or get a whole set. Such is life. Until then I air it up before I leave the house.
So far it has never lost enough air in one day to show up on the DIC
It is amazing how such a simple thing like an air leak can be a big problem.
Now I'm trying to decide if I should replace the one rim, just the rears or get a whole set. Such is life. Until then I air it up before I leave the house.
So far it has never lost enough air in one day to show up on the DIC
It is amazing how such a simple thing like an air leak can be a big problem.
"AlohaC5" Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 3,562
Likes: 44
From: Madison, AL
You have a 1998 and the Tire Pressure Sensors (TPS) are likely the originals. If all else checked out OK and you're not leaking air, then perhaps the internal TPS battery may have died or become weak to the point where its giving faulty air pressure signals. Replacing a 1997-2000 TPS (Part #10438853) Battery. The battery is a CR2477N.
Last edited by Gray Ghost GS; Jan 2, 2010 at 08:55 AM.
