Originally Posted By: carguy996
Jim, you are correct, air is 78% nitrogen. I asked the dealer the same - they said that the air used in tires is more oxygen - who knows what comes out of a compressor, could be anything.
They are full of cow patties. The compressor breathes the same air we do - mostly nitrogen.
Had several sets of nitrogen filled tires from Costco. I can tell zero difference. They loose pressure as fast as air and I still have to adjust pressure for winter vs. summer. Yawn. For free (okay, not costing extra) I'm cool with it, but if I had to pay, nuts to nitrogen!
Some say nitrogen leaks out slower,but it appears to me that N2 molecules are smaller than O2 molecules so should leak faster.
For the geeks here (I'm guilty), PV=nRT - which says air pressure changes with temp the same as nitrogen! (R is R, it doesn't change from gas to gas!) It's left to the reader to determine for themselves if air/nitrogen in tires follow ideal gas law - I'll say yah, close 'nuff, this ain't rocket science and I've been a rocket scientist...
Theoretically, pure nitrogen won't degrade the rubber as fast as air, especially at high pressure and temps - this is why the space shuttle and military aviation tires are nitrogen filled. I think commercial aviation uses nitrogen too, but my experience is limited to Army aviation and the shuttle program.
In practice in a car tire sees such less extreme service than aviation tires. Tires wear from the outside in, not inside out! Use air and spend the $30 on Amsoil!
later,
b
Jim, you are correct, air is 78% nitrogen. I asked the dealer the same - they said that the air used in tires is more oxygen - who knows what comes out of a compressor, could be anything.
They are full of cow patties. The compressor breathes the same air we do - mostly nitrogen.
Had several sets of nitrogen filled tires from Costco. I can tell zero difference. They loose pressure as fast as air and I still have to adjust pressure for winter vs. summer. Yawn. For free (okay, not costing extra) I'm cool with it, but if I had to pay, nuts to nitrogen!
Some say nitrogen leaks out slower,but it appears to me that N2 molecules are smaller than O2 molecules so should leak faster.
For the geeks here (I'm guilty), PV=nRT - which says air pressure changes with temp the same as nitrogen! (R is R, it doesn't change from gas to gas!) It's left to the reader to determine for themselves if air/nitrogen in tires follow ideal gas law - I'll say yah, close 'nuff, this ain't rocket science and I've been a rocket scientist...
Theoretically, pure nitrogen won't degrade the rubber as fast as air, especially at high pressure and temps - this is why the space shuttle and military aviation tires are nitrogen filled. I think commercial aviation uses nitrogen too, but my experience is limited to Army aviation and the shuttle program.
In practice in a car tire sees such less extreme service than aviation tires. Tires wear from the outside in, not inside out! Use air and spend the $30 on Amsoil!
later,
b
