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I checked the air pressure in my vehicles and added where necessary. Two weeks went by and I noticed one of the vehicles in the garage had a flat tire. Keep in mind that none of the vehicles in the garage was moved during that two-week period. I refilled the tire five days ago, checked it every day since then, and there has been no loss of pressure. This morning I drove it around the property and it's still OK.
Is it possible that when adding the pressure the first time, I somehow disrupted the stem or valve causing a leak and refilling it fixed the disruption? Or maybe a piece of debris became lodged and refilling it blew it away?
Your scenario is highly unlikely, I would go with: Which jokester friend has access to your garage?
I would also take the wheel off the vehicle and check it carefully for screws, nails or stones that may or may not have slightly punctured the tire.
Have you ever used a can of flat fix in that tire?
the best way to find a leak is to submerge the inflated tire in water. i had new tires put on my merc recently, and i came out one evening and found the left rear was rather low on pressure. found out that the valve stem was leaking at its base. that was caused by some corrosion around the stem hole.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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You could have a screw or nail that went in causing a pressure loss, but after refilling driving for a while went in farther and temporarily sealed itself.
I don't think everyone is really reading your OP. I think your scenario is probably the best guess there is. Maybe when checking it the valve stem did get off kilter and a small leak formed that was corrected when you filled it.
Not sure why people think a car that doesn't move will fix a bad leak by itself lol
I don't think everyone is really reading your OP. I think your scenario is probably the best guess there is. Maybe when checking it the valve stem did get off kilter and a small leak formed that was corrected when you filled it.
Not sure why people think a car that doesn't move will fix a bad leak by itself lol
Self-healing fullfillment. Happens all the time for my wife. She drives a car in the garage with the gas tank on empty. In the morning the tank has miraculously healed and it's full when she leaves for work.
the best way to find a leak is to submerge the inflated tire in water.<>
I suspect anyone who suggests that has never actually tried to submerge an entire tire in water. at 62 pounds per cubic foot you'll have to push really hard.
Remove and inspect is a good start. Spray with soapy water works well. Finally if you have a suitable tank, bucket, or bowl set the tire in soapy water while your friend holds it vertically and rotates. Most leaks I've had were found with the spray method.
My most persistent leaky tires have been on my 2002 PT Cruiser where the chrome over aluminum plating is Chrysler terrible and flakes off, particularly around the valve stem. No shop was able to deal with it properly, so when I put tires on it last time I arranged to have them pull the tires and then I took them home and ground and wire brushed all the chrome out of the valve stem holes with a high speed grinder.
Check around the outside edges of the valve stems.
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