Tire Problem
Tire Problem OK, I have a problem that nobody can seem to solve...looking for ideas. I have brand new tires on my Z, and the front left tire drops about 15-20 PSI a week. I have taken it to two different tire shops, pumped it up to 50 PSI and dunked it to look for a leak (none found), reseated the bead, replaced the valve twice, and finally had the tire dismounted to clean both the rim and tire mounting surfaces and then had it remounted. I also had the rim checked for damage and it is fine. Nobody can find a leak, yet the pressure drops quickly. After the last service, I checked the pressure and left the car in my garage to make sure it wasn't someone screwing with me, and it still dropped from 35 PSI to 22 PSI in 5 days. Wonder if the Texas heat has anything to do with this? All four tires are the same brand and size, it is just the one that is causing problems.
Thoughts? Ideas?
Thanks!
~ Timothy
Thoughts? Ideas?
Thanks!
~ Timothy
LS1Tech Platinum Sponsor
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 329
Likes: 0
From: rudy@tirerack.com
No way Texas temps would cause the tire to drop 13 PSI in 5 days. You've gotta have a leake somewhere. Maybe just a pin hole leak. I would keep searching for leak. It sounds like the tire shops are doing the correct things. You may want to swap tires. If the same tire leaks this will most likely mean its a wheel issue. If the leak follows the tire then its a tire issue. At least this gives you a way to narrow down where the leak is coming from.
Thanks for the sanity check. I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything. Thinking about dumping an entire can of fix-a-flat into it and driving it for 20 minutes or so to evenly coat the inside of the wheel/tire. Maybe that will stop or slow the leak while I order a new tire. This has me baffled since there is no obvious leak even at 50 PSI, yet I quickly lose tire pressure.
Took the wheel/tire to a third tire shop. 
Technician noticed some corrosion on the wheel after dismounting the tire -- it was bad enough that it had blistered the chrome inside the wheel. Looks like the previous owner had a caliper leak or something. Found a replacement wheel and finally got the car back together. Hope this fixes the problem...
Technician noticed some corrosion on the wheel after dismounting the tire -- it was bad enough that it had blistered the chrome inside the wheel. Looks like the previous owner had a caliper leak or something. Found a replacement wheel and finally got the car back together. Hope this fixes the problem... 
