YACT: Tires consistently losing pressure...

[Ikonomi]

I got my car used, and the tires on the front don't match the ones on the back. The front ones are Goodyear Eagle LS something or others, and the maximum pressure is 45 psi. Well, they slowly lose air, and over the course of a week or so, they're down to 35 pounds.

The tires aren't damaged, so I guess they're leaking around the valve stems or something. It's a hassle, and it's becoming a nuisance because they're starting to wear. Is there anything I can do to prevent them from leaking?

 

[bobbybe01]

Could be a slow leak. Just go and have it fixed....sometimes they don't charge anything if they're nice.

Edit: And do it as soon as you can, because it sucks hardcore rotten green eggs if the tire is flat...so even though it's "slow," it could get to you faster than you think if you're not careful.

 

[Dulanic]

ya just bring it in... could be a small leak or bad valve... easy to fix. Or just spray soapy water on it to see if you can find the leak.

 

[flot]

PS: 35 pounds is probably right where they SHOULD be. Never inflate your car tires to the max pressure listed on the sidewall.

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: flot
PS: 35 pounds is probably right where they SHOULD be. Never inflate your car tires to the max pressure listed on the sidewall.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: flot
PS: 35 pounds is probably right where they SHOULD be. Never inflate your car tires to the max pressure listed on the sidewall.

Correct.

MOST cars run very good off a 34-36 in the front and 32-33 in the rear. 45 is way to much for a P tire. If it was a LT then maybe, but not a P.

Front = 34-36 psi
Raer = 32-33 psi

 

[bugoox]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo

Originally posted by: flot
PS: 35 pounds is probably right where they SHOULD be. Never inflate your car tires to the max pressure listed on the sidewall.

On my car its 32 psi in the front, 29 in the rear.

 

[Ikonomi]

I'll check for the source of the leak. If there's no hole, and it's the valve or surrounding area, can it actually be fixed?

As for pressure, I forgot to mention that I inflate them to 40-41 pounds cool depending on my mood; I don't ever inflate to the max. The car feels nice and sharp at that pressure. The ride and handling suffer at 35 pounds, and like I said, the tires are beginning to wear unpleasantly close to the sidewalls.

Edit: My rears are different tires. Their max is 35. I keep them at 31, I think. Maybe 32. They don't lose air, so I don't pay as much attention. Is 40 pounds too much for the fronts? I thought a five pound leeway was acceptable.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Ikonomi
I'll check for the source of the leak. If there's no hole, and it's the valve or surrounding area, can it actually be fixed?

As for pressure, I forgot to mention that I inflate them to 40-41 pounds cool depending on my mood; I don't ever inflate to the max. The car feels nice and sharp at that pressure. The ride and handling suffer at 35 pounds, and like I said, the tires are beginning to wear unpleasantly close to the sidewalls.

???

The tires are supposed to wear evenly.

If you are getting wear only towards the center of the tire, they are WAY overinflated.

 

[Ikonomi]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: Ikonomi
I'll check for the source of the leak. If there's no hole, and it's the valve or surrounding area, can it actually be fixed?

As for pressure, I forgot to mention that I inflate them to 40-41 pounds cool depending on my mood; I don't ever inflate to the max. The car feels nice and sharp at that pressure. The ride and handling suffer at 35 pounds, and like I said, the tires are beginning to wear unpleasantly close to the sidewalls.

???

The tires are supposed to wear evenly.

If you are getting wear only towards the center of the tire, they are WAY overinflated.

Sorry, I wasn't clear. The tires are riding like... you know the diagonal part between the tread and the sidewall? That part is almost completely flat on the pavement. The sidewall is noticibly bowed out, like on a tire that's low on air (which I guess is appropriate).

That's what I meant. I don't know how else to describe it.

 

[Ikonomi]

By the way, my dad wants me to deflate the tires, and put a can of Flat Fix in each one, and then reinflate. He thinks this will fix the leak, whatever it is. Will this actually work?

He was threatening to do it himself (I'm pretty sick right now and don't want to go out of the house much), and I'm trying to avoid that because he will inflate my tires to 43 pounds, which is way too much, especially if they're cold.

Do you think his plan has merit?

 

[m2kewl]

n/m

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Ikonomi
By the way, my dad wants me to deflate the tires, and put a can of Flat Fix in each one, and then reinflate. He thinks this will fix the leak, whatever it is. Will this actually work?

He was threatening to do it himself (I'm pretty sick right now and don't want to go out of the house much), and I'm trying to avoid that because he will inflate my tires to 43 pounds, which is way too much, especially if they're cold.

Do you think his plan has merit?

If the leak is slow, it should fix it, yeah.

Just tell him to be sure to follow the recommended PSI on the door.

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: Ikonomi
I'll check for the source of the leak. If there's no hole, and it's the valve or surrounding area, can it actually be fixed?

As for pressure, I forgot to mention that I inflate them to 40-41 pounds cool depending on my mood; I don't ever inflate to the max. The car feels nice and sharp at that pressure. The ride and handling suffer at 35 pounds, and like I said, the tires are beginning to wear unpleasantly close to the sidewalls.

Edit: My rears are different tires. Their max is 35. I keep them at 31, I think. Maybe 32. They don't lose air, so I don't pay as much attention. Is 40 pounds too much for the fronts? I thought a five pound leeway was acceptable.

its supposed to be whatever its on the door. not the tire.


what about that self sealing green goop for tires.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: Ikonomi
By the way, my dad wants me to deflate the tires, and put a can of Flat Fix in each one, and then reinflate. He thinks this will fix the leak, whatever it is. Will this actually work?

He was threatening to do it himself (I'm pretty sick right now and don't want to go out of the house much), and I'm trying to avoid that because he will inflate my tires to 43 pounds, which is way too much, especially if they're cold.

Do you think his plan has merit?

Do not use fix a flat. That is ONLY if your tire is flat and yoiu have no way to fix it yourself. When you use fix a flat the tire will be off balance and you cannot get it balanced again as the liquid moves around inm the tire.


Put your tires at 35 front, and 33 rear and try that. NO FIX A FLAT.

 

[virtueixi]

If you haven't figured it out yet, you are overinflating your front tires. Which could be causing the slow leaks. Check you car door for proper PSI and use it. This measurement takes into account the cars curb weight. I don't know how somebody could not know this.

 

[Ikonomi]

Originally posted by: virtueixi
If you haven't figured it out yet, you are overinflating your front tires. Which could be causing the slow leaks. Check you car door for proper PSI and use it. This measurement takes into account the cars curb weight. I don't know how somebody could not know this.

Well, I thought that was for normal tires that have a max of 35 pounds or so. I had never seen a tire with a max of 45 until these. I started out with them at 35, but they look very flat at that pressure, so I thought they must be underinflated. My dad also said to put more air, so I listened to him.

The tires on the back are the ones that came with the car, and they fit perfectly with the door pressures.

 

[CFster]

This should be on the driver's test.

Always go by what is specified on the door sticker (it might be somewhere else on the car as well, like in the trunk or something).

An Eagle LS on a Taurus might require different pressure than and Eagle LS on a Lumina. It has to do with the weight of the car, if it's front or rear wheel drive, and other factors. Some trucks require 80 PSI. Some cars require 26psi. Never inflate to maximum pressure. Because with every 10 degrees or so your tire pressure goes up a pound or so. Not just ambient pressure - the tires also generate heat internally just from rolling resistance. So if you have it overinflated in the first place, you could easily go over the max rated pressure and risk a blow out.

Don't underinflate either because that generates too much heat as well.

 

[NascarFool]

Originally posted by: Ikonomi
By the way, my dad wants me to deflate the tires, and put a can of Flat Fix in each one, and then reinflate. He thinks this will fix the leak, whatever it is. Will this actually work?

He was threatening to do it himself (I'm pretty sick right now and don't want to go out of the house much), and I'm trying to avoid that because he will inflate my tires to 43 pounds, which is way too much, especially if they're cold.

Do you think his plan has merit?

Flat Fix or Fix-A-Flat is the worst thing you can do to a tire. Take it to a respectable tire shop and have them fixed properally. While at the tire shop, ask them about Fix-AFlat, any respectable shop will tell you not to use it. Always air the tires at the manufacturers recommended max pressure. My work van is recommended at 50PSI max, that is where they run at. Under inflating will wear the outer tire surface and over inflating will wear the center surface.

 

[TechnoKid]

Originally posted by: NascarFool

Originally posted by: Ikonomi
By the way, my dad wants me to deflate the tires, and put a can of Flat Fix in each one, and then reinflate. He thinks this will fix the leak, whatever it is. Will this actually work?

He was threatening to do it himself (I'm pretty sick right now and don't want to go out of the house much), and I'm trying to avoid that because he will inflate my tires to 43 pounds, which is way too much, especially if they're cold.

Do you think his plan has merit?

Flat Fix or Fix-A-Flat is the worst thing you can do to a tire. Take it to a respectable tire shop and have them fixed properally. While at the tire shop, ask them about Fix-AFlat, any respectable shop will tell you not to use it. Always air the tires at the manufacturers recommended max pressure. My work van is recommended at 50PSI max, that is where they run at. Under inflating will wear the outer tire surface and over inflating will wear the center surface.

Why "always run it at the max?" The air pressure is based most on load, and if you don't have the load that warrants that air pressure you are running, then you are wearing your tires needlesly, and giving yourself a harsher ride than need be.

And i agree with the fix-flat stuff, every tire shop I've been to says its a PITA to clean out. Some won't even touch it.

To the OP, are you using a digital tire gauge or a pencil-stick type? AccuTire makes nice guages, although i've found that a properly used pencil type guage (a good one, not your 99 cent special at Walmart) only is off by about 1 psi or so from the digital gauge.

 

[Ikonomi]

Well, I'll go by the door/manual from now on. They just looked so underinflated...

As for gauges, I use one of two of the stick type ones, and compare that against the gauge on the air pump at the gas station, or the gauge on my air tank. I've found the stick ones to be pretty accurate.

 

[FoBoT]

what ever you do, don't go to a tire shop where people work that know about tires

try posting on some more forums and maybe a tire fairy will fix the leaks

 

[CFster]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
what ever you do, don't go to a tire shop where people work that know about tires

try posting on some more forums and maybe a tire fairy will fix the leaks

 

[godmare]

Originally posted by: Ikonomi

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: Ikonomi
I'll check for the source of the leak. If there's no hole, and it's the valve or surrounding area, can it actually be fixed?

As for pressure, I forgot to mention that I inflate them to 40-41 pounds cool depending on my mood; I don't ever inflate to the max. The car feels nice and sharp at that pressure. The ride and handling suffer at 35 pounds, and like I said, the tires are beginning to wear unpleasantly close to the sidewalls.

???

The tires are supposed to wear evenly.

If you are getting wear only towards the center of the tire, they are WAY overinflated.

Sorry, I wasn't clear. The tires are riding like... you know the diagonal part between the tread and the sidewall? That part is almost completely flat on the pavement. The sidewall is noticibly bowed out, like on a tire that's low on air (which I guess is appropriate).

That's what I meant. I don't know how else to describe it.

Sidewalls are shaped differently with each tire, depending on the size of the tire relative to the wheel and the structure of the tire.
Check the label in your driver door well (probably there, or check the owner's manual) for tire pressures. They recommend the same pressure regardless of the tire.
Also, regarding lower pressure in the back, as has been mentioned in this thread, you need to expirament with that by marking the tire for wear, etc., and the higher pressure should go on the drive wheels (not necessarily the front)
What type of car do you have?

 

[farmercal]

Ikonomi as everyone here said stay away from fix-a-flat and inflate your tires according to the recommended pressure on the door. Another thing you can do to find the source of the leak is to put some regular dishwashing liquid (about a tablespoon) into a container and mix with half a gallon or so of water. Pour this mixture around the suspected valve stem and see if they leak. If not, check each tire losing air for a screw or nail. The liquid can and will find the nail or screw if there is one. Also, Wal Mart will usually fix a flat tire for around $5 per tire which is quite reasonable. Good Luck.