Tyre going down

[MissyD]

I noticed a few weeks ago that one of the tyres on the 'old girl' was looking low. She was already booked in for her MOT, so I asked the guy to check the tyre for me. He said, the pressure was 16 (should be 29) and there was no sign of anything in the tyre. He said it could be the valve? He pumped the tyre up, that was nearly 3 weeks ago and the pressure has gone down again! Is there anything I can do to check this myself, or does it mean a trip back to the garage to sort? Thanks

 

[DSM10000]

Unless you want to take the wheel off and put it in a water bath to check for leaks it might be difficult to check especially if the leak is slow.

You could make up a mix of liquid soap and water and spray around the tyre and see if bubbles form (take the valve cap off for this)

As it is losing pressure it does need to be looked at so a trip to a tyre specialist seems inevitable. Valves do leak, sometimes the alloy of the wheel can become porous.

Good luck.

 

[Petrol Pete]

If the tyre is a good one (and the valve proves not to be the culprit) have it removed and re mounted and balanced, it could be passing air on the bead after a pot hole encounter.

Badly corroded wheels sometime pass air through the alloy.

 

[kianok]

could be a cracked wheel.

 

[Bellow]

Corrosion of the rim where the tyre seals is the most common cause of this. Requires removal of the tyre to rectify. Get your tyre guy to mark the tyre and the rim so that the tyre can be refitted in exactly the same place as before - and save you the cost of having it rebalanced.

 

[MissyD]

Thanks guys, I'll let the garage have a further look

 

[merc85]

Trigger sprayer with fairy liquid and water Sarah, spray it around the valve area and tyre you will soon see bubbles where the leak is x

 

[Bellow]

The wheel needs to be laying on the ground horizontal (so the water can fill the gap between tyre and rim) and both sides checked. Wafting a trigger spray at it wont achieve much - or that would be the tyre fitter's method. It isn't.

To check the valve - a dob of spit applied from your finger tip is all that's needed.

 

[merc85]

Ideally,,, but ive done it before as suggested and found the rim leak ok

 

[Muckypaps]

The valve would be the easiest, it's a shame it's the most unlikely

"old girl" points to a sealing issue if nothing is visible.

 

[Bellow]

Ideally,,, but ive done it before as suggested and found the rim leak ok

If it's not the valve (easily checked) or something puncturing the carcass then whatever it is will involve removing the tyre - which involves removing the wheel. Wasting time groping about behind a mounted wheel is pointless.

 

[Teego]

Don't waste your time and energy. Go to a good local tyre shop, F1 or similar. They'll find the source of the problem and fix it. It won't cost megabux and needs to be done. Even if the wheel has gone porous, as on our old 330d, it's easily fixed.

 

[MissyD]

Thanks guys, I'll let you know how I get on

 

[Tazzo]

On my previous car I had an issue with something like you say, I took it to a local tyre shop who said the tyre wasn’t sealed to the rim properly or something like that. not sure if that helps but deffo worth taking to a tyre shop fitter as Teego suggests. Good luck.

 

[grober]

You've had the medical exam it's now time for surgery--- tyre off the wheel required--- likely to be a bad rim seal somewhere or a wheel defect.

 

[Gollom]

You know they are only being helpful to get free drinks don't you?

 

[MissyD]

You know they are only being helpful to get free drinks don't you?

absolutely, I'm more than happy to give free drinks in the virtual pub

 

[Deleted member 149005]

The last slow puncture I had took the tyre garage about 45 mins to find.

It turned out to be a ....

Rose thorn of all things...

 

[Y15HAL]

I have the same problem after having some tyres fitted on Saturday!

Heading back over today so they can take a look......

 

[MissyD]

Update...

Finally got the old girl to the garage and they checked the tyre and guess what, there was a foreign object in it. The MOT garage had missed it! So treated her to new tyres on the rear



the tyre fitter said it was too near the edge to repair