Got winters out of storage - one is at 20 PSI, 3 are 34 PSI - BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum

Lotus99 · 11-30-2012, 01:52 PM

Odd... I stored them all at 38 PSI, and three have dropped to 34 PSI over 6 months but one dropped to 20 PSI. They were stacked on top of each other, with cardboard in between each one.

I didn't note if the one with the lowest pressure was the one on the bottom of the pile, in case the extra weight on it caused it to lose more air than the others, though you'd think that it wouldn't have as big of an impact as above (34 vs. 20)? If it was related to it, you'd expect the second tire on the bottom to have lost more air too, since it would have two on top of it, vs. the last one that had three on top...

So besides a small leak in it somewhere, anything other suggestions what it could be? Or is it normal that different tires sometimes lose different amounts of air over 6 months, and it's within what could be considered normal? I don't recall the tire losing much air before I took them off last year and I measure pressures monthly, so I'm baffled how it could be a leak/puncture...

I'll be monitoring it in a week vs. the others to see if it's still losing more air or not.

anerbe · 11-30-2012, 02:42 PM

just get it tested for leaks before being in the middle of winter season. if there aren't any leaks, just keep monitoring the pressure.

if there is an obvious drop in pressure, it could be the seating area on the wheel with corrosion or mis-seat that is causing a very small air loss.

Lotus99 · 11-30-2012, 03:29 PM

Since I already put them on the car (wasn't about to put the summers back on after having taken them all off!), I'm going to see in a few days if the drop in that one tire corresponds to the other one or not, and since it's under load even now that they're mounted, if there's a leak, it should then be really evident I'm thinking.

I'm leaning towards nothing is wrong though, since at the end of last season when I took them off, I hadn't noticed any pressure drops, hence I was wondering if my theory of "some tires just lose more air than others when stored" could be true... Though you'd think if that was the case, there's a small manufacturing defect or something in it, because it shouldn't be this dramatic...

zipstic · 11-30-2012, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anerbe

it could be the seating area on the wheel with corrosion or mis-seat that is causing a very small air loss.

This is what I would guess. That or the valve stem has a very small leak. It's unlikely the tire would have a puncture.

This has happened to me on multiple occasions and generally the low tire will hold air and just leak out very slowly. I had to fill my tire once every week or two before I made it in to Discount Tire and had them fix it.

Lotus99 · 12-05-2012, 11:21 PM

So an update for me... After a week of driving on the tires, the one that had lost all that air during storage, has lost practically none. It's almost identical in pressure to the other tire.

Wonder what it is... What can the tire shop test if I tell them I've got no air loss while driving it?

wrickem · 12-06-2012, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lotus99

So an update for me... After a week of driving on the tires, the one that had lost all that air during storage, has lost practically none. It's almost identical in pressure to the other tire.

Wonder what it is... What can the tire shop test if I tell them I've got no air loss while driving it?

stop thinking about it.

anerbe · 12-06-2012, 11:33 AM

^+1

Monitor every week for the next month. If no difference in air loss, it could have been the pressure on the tire stacked that accelerated the permeability of the air.

David1 · 12-07-2012, 09:59 AM

Even if you have tires in storage there will be air loss.

Lotus99 · 12-07-2012, 07:19 PM

Of course I know that... As I said, 3 out of 4 tires lost exactly 4 PSI, the other one lost 18 PSI.

11-30-2012, 01:52 PM	#1
Lotus99 Major Drives: 335i Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 1,272 iTrader: (1)	Got winters out of storage - one is at 20 PSI, 3 are 34 PSI Odd... I stored them all at 38 PSI, and three have dropped to 34 PSI over 6 months but one dropped to 20 PSI. They were stacked on top of each other, with cardboard in between each one. I didn't note if the one with the lowest pressure was the one on the bottom of the pile, in case the extra weight on it caused it to lose more air than the others, though you'd think that it wouldn't have as big of an impact as above (34 vs. 20)? If it was related to it, you'd expect the second tire on the bottom to have lost more air too, since it would have two on top of it, vs. the last one that had three on top... So besides a small leak in it somewhere, anything other suggestions what it could be? Or is it normal that different tires sometimes lose different amounts of air over 6 months, and it's within what could be considered normal? I don't recall the tire losing much air before I took them off last year and I measure pressures monthly, so I'm baffled how it could be a leak/puncture... I'll be monitoring it in a week vs. the others to see if it's still losing more air or not. Last edited by Lotus99; 11-30-2012 at 01:58 PM.
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12-07-2012, 09:59 AM	#8
David1 Colonel Drives: 09 E92 09 X5 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: City With No Room For Ludicris Speed! Posts: 2,123 iTrader: (0)	Even if you have tires in storage there will be air loss. __________________ 2009 335i CoupeLBM - Black Dakota/Glacier aluminum-6spd\|Nav\|M-Sport\|Premium\|Logic7\|Heated Seats\|CA\|BMW Performance Suspension & M3 Control Arms\|M3 lip spoiler 2009 X5 3.0-AW-Black Dakota/Bamboo\|Premium\|Tech\|Cold Weather\|Ipod Rear Climate\| 07 335 coupe - Sold 07 X3 - Sold

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11-30-2012, 02:42 PM	#2
anerbe Major Drives: 335i Sedan Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: RO, MI Posts: 1,231 iTrader: (1)	just get it tested for leaks before being in the middle of winter season. if there aren't any leaks, just keep monitoring the pressure. if there is an obvious drop in pressure, it could be the seating area on the wheel with corrosion or mis-seat that is causing a very small air loss.

11-30-2012, 03:29 PM	#3
Lotus99 Major Drives: 335i Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 1,272 iTrader: (1)	Since I already put them on the car (wasn't about to put the summers back on after having taken them all off!), I'm going to see in a few days if the drop in that one tire corresponds to the other one or not, and since it's under load even now that they're mounted, if there's a leak, it should then be really evident I'm thinking. I'm leaning towards nothing is wrong though, since at the end of last season when I took them off, I hadn't noticed any pressure drops, hence I was wondering if my theory of "some tires just lose more air than others when stored" could be true... Though you'd think if that was the case, there's a small manufacturing defect or something in it, because it shouldn't be this dramatic...

12-05-2012, 11:21 PM	#5
Lotus99 Major Drives: 335i Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 1,272 iTrader: (1)	So an update for me... After a week of driving on the tires, the one that had lost all that air during storage, has lost practically none. It's almost identical in pressure to the other tire. Wonder what it is... What can the tire shop test if I tell them I've got no air loss while driving it?

12-06-2012, 11:33 AM	#7
anerbe Major Drives: 335i Sedan Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: RO, MI Posts: 1,231 iTrader: (1)	^+1 Monitor every week for the next month. If no difference in air loss, it could have been the pressure on the tire stacked that accelerated the permeability of the air.

12-07-2012, 07:19 PM	#9
Lotus99 Major Drives: 335i Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 1,272 iTrader: (1)	Of course I know that... As I said, 3 out of 4 tires lost exactly 4 PSI, the other one lost 18 PSI.