Tire won't take air
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: upstate New York
Tire won't take air
Hi I have a problem with my front passenger tire , It won't take air. The pressure is down to about 23 lbs after sitting all winter , has anyone had this problem ? If so, is it as simple as a valve stem or with the tire pressure sensors is it more involved than that ? Also is it safe to drive with the pressure that low. Any help would be greatly appreciated .
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,167
Likes: 11
From: Powell TN
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
Hi I have a problem with my front passenger tire , It won't take air. The pressure is down to about 23 lbs after sitting all winter , has anyone had this problem ? If so, is it as simple as a valve stem or with the tire pressure sensors is it more involved than that ? Also is it safe to drive with the pressure that low. Any help would be greatly appreciated .
You can drive it with 0 pressure safely, they're runflats.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: upstate New York
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 20,352
Likes: 568
From: Ventura County, Calif
More often than you may think.
Pic:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1561341919-post5.html
Retired & lovin' it!
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,475
Likes: 549
From: Jackson NJ
The valve CORE may be defective....cheap & easy to replace yourself. All you need is a slotted valve cap or the little slotted tool that all auto parts stores sell. The cores themselves are very cheap....usually less than a buck each. Just unscrew the existing core....watch your face that it doesn't fly out from the tire air pressure. Screw in the new core & inflate the tire.....2 minute job. If that doesn't work, then something's wrong with the TPS & the tire will have to be dismounted.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Drifting
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,547
Likes: 210
From: Huntersville, NC
Valve stem
So if it does not take air, then the air hose chuck is not pressing the shrader valve in to open the valve. If you look into the valve stem, you will see what looks like the head of a pin. It should be flush with the end of the valve stem. If it is too far in, then the chuck won't press it. All you need is a valve stem tool to replace the little valve. When you take it out all the air will come out of the tire. put the new one in flush.
If you are using an air supply at a gas station, it may be worn or broken so it does not work the shrader properly. Try another one somewhere else.
Also, here in the South, we have insects that will nest in exposed little places and crud up things like valve stems. keep caps on everything.
If you are using an air supply at a gas station, it may be worn or broken so it does not work the shrader properly. Try another one somewhere else.
Also, here in the South, we have insects that will nest in exposed little places and crud up things like valve stems. keep caps on everything.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 27,420
Likes: 64
From: San Clemente CA
The valve CORE may be defective....cheap & easy to replace yourself. All you need is a slotted valve cap or the little slotted tool that all auto parts stores sell. The cores themselves are very cheap....usually less than a buck each. Just unscrew the existing core....watch your face that it doesn't fly out from the tire air pressure. Screw in the new core & inflate the tire.....2 minute job. If that doesn't work, then something's wrong with the TPS & the tire will have to be dismounted.
This would be my first thing to try. 
Last edited by VET4LES; Mar 24, 2011 at 05:58 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
This is a C5 Late model Tire pressure sensor. It looks very similar to the C6 sensor and yes,,, the STEM is part of the sensor:
Theres a RUBBER gasket inside the tire stem cap. Sometimes the valve stem CUTS the gasket and the cut part enters the valve stem. When it does, it will NOT allow air to pass Just use a pick and dig it out. Try pressing the small valve inside the stem and See if air will come out.
BC
Theres a RUBBER gasket inside the tire stem cap. Sometimes the valve stem CUTS the gasket and the cut part enters the valve stem. When it does, it will NOT allow air to pass Just use a pick and dig it out. Try pressing the small valve inside the stem and See if air will come out.
BC
Moderator
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 40,891
Likes: 4,344
From: Lakewood Ranch, FL
The valve CORE may be defective....cheap & easy to replace yourself. All you need is a slotted valve cap or the little slotted tool that all auto parts stores sell. The cores themselves are very cheap....usually less than a buck each. Just unscrew the existing core....watch your face that it doesn't fly out from the tire air pressure. Screw in the new core & inflate the tire.....2 minute job. If that doesn't work, then something's wrong with the TPS & the tire will have to be dismounted.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: upstate New York
Well after looking closer (with my glasses on this time) turns out all it was was the rubber gasket from the cap. Thanks for everyone's help. You gotta love when its a simple fix !!!
Told you. 
Pro
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 534
Likes: 33
From: Southern cali
TPS in the C6
Had a tire pressure sensor give out and stop functioning. After it was swapped and I reprogramed it, I spoke to my tire man about the cause of this failure.
According to him, these sensors have internal batteries that have a life span of about 8-10 years. He further went onto state, they are not rebuildable as they are factory sealed.
It is his opinon that there will be a lot of TPS sensors going out in the near future. He also warned me about the dangers of liquids being intoduced into the tire as it can cause TPS sensors to fail ( i.e. Fix-a-flat compound... personally I have never it but those using tires that are non-runflats may be temped ). Thought I would pass this along...
According to him, these sensors have internal batteries that have a life span of about 8-10 years. He further went onto state, they are not rebuildable as they are factory sealed.
It is his opinon that there will be a lot of TPS sensors going out in the near future. He also warned me about the dangers of liquids being intoduced into the tire as it can cause TPS sensors to fail ( i.e. Fix-a-flat compound... personally I have never it but those using tires that are non-runflats may be temped ). Thought I would pass this along...
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Had a tire pressure sensor give out and stop functioning. After it was swapped and I reprogramed it, I spoke to my tire man about the cause of this failure.
According to him, these sensors have internal batteries that have a life span of about 8-10 years. He further went onto state, they are not rebuildable as they are factory sealed.
It is his opinon that there will be a lot of TPS sensors going out in the near future. He also warned me about the dangers of liquids being intoduced into the tire as it can cause TPS sensors to fail ( i.e. Fix-a-flat compound... personally I have never it but those using tires that are non-runflats may be temped ). Thought I would pass this along...
According to him, these sensors have internal batteries that have a life span of about 8-10 years. He further went onto state, they are not rebuildable as they are factory sealed.
It is his opinon that there will be a lot of TPS sensors going out in the near future. He also warned me about the dangers of liquids being intoduced into the tire as it can cause TPS sensors to fail ( i.e. Fix-a-flat compound... personally I have never it but those using tires that are non-runflats may be temped ). Thought I would pass this along...
-Check out the links
- Tire pressure sensor rebuild - http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...post1570376652 http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...-tutorial.html http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...post1575112894
Last edited by Bill Curlee; Mar 24, 2011 at 11:42 PM.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 534
Likes: 33
From: Southern cali
Theres a fix for that. They sell generac aftermarket C5 sensors now that beat GM prices easily. Theres also a battery change fix thats easy enough to accomplish,, and its very inexpensive.
-Check out the links
- Tire pressure sensor rebuild - http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...post1570376652 http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...-tutorial.html http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...post1575112894
-Check out the links
- Tire pressure sensor rebuild - http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...post1570376652 http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...-tutorial.html http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...post1575112894
Perhaps I will collect up some dead C6 sensors and in my spare time work on correcting this problem
Last edited by C6topless; Mar 26, 2011 at 02:09 AM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Heres a link with pictures of a C6 sensor. Your are CORRECT. The C5 Sensor will NOT retrofit into a C6.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-t...05-wheels.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-t...05-wheels.html
