Fordnatics List Archive

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Mail From: Youjip Won <(email redacted)>

Hi,
My tire looses air constantly.
Location: Front, Passenger
Amount : Decrease 30 -> 20 psi in 10 days.
So, I have to increase air pressure every time I
stop at the gas station.
It's in the middle of its life judging from the look.

Where do I start inspecting it?
- --
Youjip Won

(email redacted) Dept. of Computer Science
(612)626-7509 U. of Minnesota, MPLS

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Mail From: Roland Dudley <(email redacted)>

> My tire looses air constantly.
> Location: Front, Passenger
> Amount : Decrease 30 -> 20 psi in 10 days.
> So, I have to increase air pressure every time I
> stop at the gas station.
> It's in the middle of its life judging from the look.
>
> Where do I start inspecting it?


You could be losing air at the rim/tire interface due to rust.
Try some soapy water on the rim.

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: Art Stine <(email redacted)>

On Thu, 17 Nov 1994, Youjip Won wrote:

> Where do I start inspecting it?

start examining the tread for a nail hole (maybe w/ nail still in it) or other
puncture... an easy way to track down leaks is to get some soapy water,
and bath the tire in it and watch for where bubbles are being blown...
(also check around the rim/valve to make sure you aren't getting a leak
there).

-art

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Mail From: "Michael J. Mistick" <(email redacted)>


My right rear tire (225/55ZR16), with less than 3k miles on it, was loosing
2 to 5psi every day. It turned out to be a nail in the tread, which cost 5$
to fix. Now, is this repaired tire just as good as it was before the nail
stuck in it? Can I feel safe cruising with it at 70mph or even 100mph?

thanks,
Mike Mistick
'94 Mustang GT
(email redacted)

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Mail From: (email redacted) (Mike Ruff)


Mike Mistick ((email redacted)) writes:
= My right rear tire (225/55ZR16), with less than 3k miles on it, was loosing
= 2 to 5psi every day. It turned out to be a nail in the tread, which cost 5$
= to fix. Now, is this repaired tire just as good as it was before the nail
= stuck in it? Can I feel safe cruising with it at 70mph or even 100mph?


Two days after I had my dealer put an alarm in my brand (then-)new '93 LX
5.0, I found my left rear tire partially flat. Turns out they had run over
an interior trim screw (the kind with the wide, chrome-finished head) when
they had the car in their shop. Needless to say, I couldn't prove they did
it, so I had the tire patched since I couldn't afford $200 for a new tire
to replace my already-new tire.

My car came equipped with Michelin XGT 225/55ZR16s, and Michelin recommends
not to patch Z or V speed-rated tires. In fact, the place I had it patched
(Western Auto) wouldn't do the job until I signed a liability waiver. But
since the hole was small, and in the middle of the tread, I went ahead and
did it. I've probably put 10K miles on it in the year since then, with no
problems, and I've had it up over 100mph once or twice, but never for an
extended period of time (gee, I wonder why? . Cruising at 70mph should
be no problem; I can't say about cruising at 100mph. If the hole was a
good bit away from the edge of the tread, you should be alright with a good
patch job.

I think next time I'll get tires from NTW with their road-hazard warranty,
and make them replace a tire if it gets holed (since they aren't supposed
to be repaired, at least according to Michelin). Though I think I'm going
to try Dunlops next (what is that number again, D2M40?).


Regards,
Mike Ruff

P.S. -- It is probably a good idea to always check your tires for nails
before and after taking your car in for service *anywhere*, if you do so;
otherwise you may have to live with someone else's screwup.

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Mail From: (email redacted)

I have had several tire repairs with plugs in them over the years and have
NEVER had a problem. Some people get very uptight about plugs, but I just
wish they would give me the tires they throw away because they replace them
instead of plugging them.

-Tom

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Mail From: Dan Jones <(email redacted)>

Mike,
I picked up a nail in a brand new Z-rated Dunlop D40M2. When I took
it to my local gas station for repair, they suggested using a patch
meant for high performance motorcycle tires. They had to send out for
the patch but I got the tire back the same day. I've driven about 8000
miles on it since then, including a couple of 500 mile trips at 85 mph
or so, with no problems. Hope this helps.

Dan Jones
(email redacted)

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Mail From: (email redacted)

Mike Ruff writes

>...P.S. -- It is probably a good idea to always check your tires for nails
>before and after taking your car in for service *anywhere*, if you do so;
>otherwise you may have to live with someone else's screwup.

To Which Dan Jones replies:

>Mike,
>I picked up a nail in a brand new Z-rated Dunlop D40M2. When I took
>it to my local gas station for repair, they suggested using a patch
>meant for high performance motorcycle tires. They had to send out for
>the patch but I got the tire back the same day. I've driven about 8000
>miles on it since then, including a couple of 500 mile trips at 85 mph
>or so, with no problems. Hope this helps.

Dan Jones
(email redacted)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ------

First to Mike - you guys must live charmed lives to be able to tell where
your nils come from. I average 3-4 a year. I don't know where - how or why,
I llive in metroplolitan Tampa FL and I get nails in my tires.

I wouldn't be a ble to drive my 93 Cobra if I bought new tires each time.
Now I don't do road courses and such, but I do drive like a maniac and drag
race a lot. I've NEVER had a problem with the generic tire plug kits you can
buy at any auto parts store. As long as it is a reasonably small hole, I can
always plug it and go. I have never had a tire with a plug fail, EVER (knock
on wood). OTOH, I DID have a Dunlop DM40 fail at 85 on the interstate for no
apparent reason once. It was very new and had no plugs patches or otherwise.


It was rather uneventful, I was going 80-85 on I75 near Valdosta and suddenly
thought I had driven onto ridged pavement like when they make the side of the
road noisy do you'll know when your running off, or those patches they put in
front of dead end stoplights, so you'll wake up and stop. Then I realized
the tire blew out.

Pulled over, guy on a motorcycle behind me stoppped helped me change tire and
I jhad to drive on the space saver to Jacksonville before I found dealer
with another in my size.

:

For Dan, I used to work at a tire shop out of high school and the besst
method was a patch we had that also had a rubber prong. You pulled the tire,
roughed the inside, applied gule, peeled the sticker on the patch and stuck
the prong in the hole and pulled it through to the other side with pliers.
Pressed it also from the insed, thus you both plugged and patched the hole.

We charged 5 bucks in 1984.

-Tom