Re: A mysterious tire leak.

[Tom Nas <tnas@euronet.nl>]

ikessel@worldnet.att.net wrote:

(snip)

>OK, a slow leak. Mounted the tires, overinflated them for the cold
>weather to 37psi in my garage at +15ú, figuring that at -5ú outside they
>would be about normal.

>A fortnight of driving revealed that this one tire lost pressure at a
>steady rate of ~ 3psi/week.
>Took the wheel off and scrutinised it. No foreign objects whatsoever.
>The alloy rim is straight, has never been hit. The bead sits evenly.

>Sank the wheel in the tub in one of the bathrooms (don't tell my wife).
>Not a single bubble came out!

Some tyres leak around the valve or around the rim by such a minute amount
that even submersing in water won't show it. Sounds like your tyre has such
a leak. Maybe a new valve will cure it, maybe there's a hairline crack in
the wheel, who knows.

I'd try the valve first, as it's the cheapest and most likely culprit.

Tom