It's just 4 days I've switched to winter tyres - job done at the dealer's! not some cheap local garage - and the Tyre Pressure Monitor indication has come up twice. 1st time I thought it was confused from the tyre change, I reset it. 2 days later it comes on I say this isn't right so I go out and check and voila, the front left tyre is half-flat. As I was in a hurry I just stopped at a car station and filled it up. Today, 2 days later, I used my portable pressure meter to do a quick check as from the outside it didn't look very different than the front right tyre and to my surprise, it read 1.5 bar while the others were almost exactly at the correct values (2.4 - 2.5 bar).

 

As the dealer is not close, I took it to a local garage for a possible repair, explained to them the situation, left it, only to go back 3 hours later and be told they've found nothing... They said they put it in some kind of tyre press and applied  2tons of force but the tyre didn't lose any pressure. Right, I must be imagining things then.

 

So, I am thinking it's not a puncture but rather some kind of bad fitting, hence the air loss is really slow and possibly not measurable (although I'm taking their words with disbelief). But is it really possible that a tyre is so badly-fitted that allows air to go out from the sidewall?? Seems it could be even dangerous to drive it like this.

 

PS. Why have I not taken to the dealer yet? It's a 100km trip and they are closed on Saturdays.

A dodgy valve perhaps?  Although if it was fine with your summer tyres probably not.  

It was fine with my summer tyres but isn't it possible it could have been damaged during the swap? Or it must be a coincidence that this happened just after replacing the tyres...

Washing up liquid spawn of the Devil usually.   Perfect for this, or some Shampoo.  

 

Mix up some water and soap liquid.   try first on the Valve,  then around the outside of the rim looking for bubbles.

(Not Michael Jacksons Monkey.)

 

It might be the inside of the tyre/wheel, but just try the Valve and Outside for easyness

Rinse off the soapy water afterwords.

 

If it is not the valve,

go pump the tyre up to around 60 PSI,  then let it down again to the pressure you run at.

Reset your TPMS.

 

Some tyre fitters will not refit used winter tyres or any used tyres, a couple of changes and it is easy to damage the bead,

or the person that removed a tyre damaged the bead,

the fitter refitting gets blamed.

 

They usually have a Water Bath to put a wheel in to check for leaks.

If you have a paddling pool,  (or fill the bath and dip half the tyre,)  submerge the Wheel/Tyre and look for bubbles.

Think you need thicker air. Have you seen the thread on Supermarket Air?

Washing up liquid spawn of the Devil usually.   Perfect for this, or some Shampoo.  

 

Mix up some water and soap liquid.   try first on the Valve,  then around the outside of the rim looking for bubbles.

(Not Michael Jacksons Monkey.)

 

It might be the inside of the tyre/wheel, but just try the Valve and Outside for easyness

Rinse off the soapy water afterwords.

 

If it is not the valve,

go pump the tyre up to around 60 PSI,  then let it down again to the pressure you run at.

Reset your TPMS.

 

Some tyre fitters will not refit used winter tyres or any used tyres, a couple of changes and it is easy to damage the bead,

or the person that removed a tyre damaged the bead,

the fitter refitting gets blamed.

 

They usually have a Water Bath to put a wheel in to check for leaks.

If you have a paddling pool,  (or fill the bath and dip half the tyre,)  submerge the Wheel/Tyre and look for bubbles.

 

 

Yep.  One of my winters had dramatically deflated in storage, so I pumped it and it slowly went down again.  I used the washing up liquid trick on the valve and it showed that the rubber had perished slightly at the base.  The degradation of the valve wasn't visible to the naked eye.

 

I got a new valve fitted and it's all fine.

Edited 23 November, 201312 yr by jim157

@George:

 

I didn't quite get how I can check for air loss using liquid soap and water mix. A paddling pool is not available nor I am putting it in my bath-tub obviously. But I remember doing this looking for pucntures on my bicycle's tyres as a kid

 

@Auric:

 

What is "thicker" air? I have no idea what are you referring to, searching for supermarket air right now...

Edited 23 November, 201312 yr by newbie69

While the wheel is on the car,

 

just wipe the soapy water on and around the valve, maybe put it in a flower watering sprayer or similar,

 splash it all about.

 

Thick Air is pretty expensive these days,

unless someone has some available on the shelf, old stock.

The soapy water will bubble if air is leaking. Other wise air leaking is invisable.

 

I do not use thich air any more. I would get a bucket of steam instead.

Ok, will do a test on the valve then, seems it could be the case as there's been 6 tyre changes since I got the car (don't know if it's ever been replaced) so I guess it could have been damaged.

I used to have thick hair but now it is quite thin - probably from too much soapy water :wonder:

 

But on a serious note - after so many changes you could have damaged the tyre bead - to check for air leaks apply a soapy water solution with a paint brush until you see air bubbles

 

Regards

 

Mike

I found a quart of thick air in my grandads shed when he croaked it.

Good stuff. Far too good for a car, I reserve my for my mtb,but am running out so could do with a supplier

I found a quart of thick air in my grandads shed when he croaked it.

Good stuff. Far too good for a car, I reserve my for my mtb,but am running out so could do with a supplier

I'd save that quart if I was you.

 

A quick Google search threw this up, such a complicated process to obtain thick air, no wonder it's so rare http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Earth

 

If I was the OP I'd just stick with the normal air but check more often.

Auric could supply you with as much hot air as you want?

Very good in this cold weather :p

Do I smell déjà vue?

Do I smell déjà vue?

Actually Clive It's Curry

I'm surprised as we are talking about air, no one has mentioned using pure Nitrogen yet.

 

@Auric:

 

What is "thicker" air? I have no idea what are you referring to, searching for supermarket air right now...

 

Here it is

 

cheap-supermarket-air

A note of caution - Make sure you put the same air in both sides or you will find the car pulls to one side

Auric could supply you with as much hot air as you want?

Very good in this cold weather :p

Do I smell déjà vue?

 

Actually Clive It's Curry

déjà vue, vindaloo, same difference.

Mine did this. I had the tyre taken off the rim and the contact around the rim was filthy. This was cleaned, removing all the deposits and this made the tyre air tight again.

Mine did this. I had the tyre taken off the rim and the contact around the rim was filthy. This was cleaned, removing all the deposits and this made the tyre air tight again.

Being serious for a moment, I reckon this might be your solution.

Ok, I am not at home today to try the liquid soap trick but at least now I have two suggestions to make to them: either a dodgy valve or a dirty contact area. I am not sure whether it's funny or sad that one actually has to go ask at forums, in order to suggest some possible solutions to the "professionals" that couldn't find anything wrong during their "thorough" tests...